Air Pollution

Environmental Health – Posted online: Friday, January 18, 2008 at 12:19:40 PM

South China too Catching Up With Beijing in Air Pollution

It is not as if Beijing alone is wringing its hands in helplessness over the deteriorating air quality. The situation doesn’t seem to be any better in the Guangdong Province, Hong Kong. It recorded an average of 75.7 days of haze in 2007, a “marked increase” over normal years and “the most” since 1949 when the New China was founded.

Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky and diminish visibility.

In total, 27 major cities and counties set records in terms of hazy days last year. The situation was relatively more grave in the Pearl River Delta region in eastern Guangdong. Most cities and counties there saw more than 100 hazy days, a report on the atmospheric composition released by the provincial meteorological bureau said.

Enping City in Guangdong’s northwest recorded 240 hazy days last year, the most in the province, the report said.

“The serious situation of hazy days shows the atmospheric pollution in Guangdong, especially in urban areas, is worsening,” it noted.

Industrial discharge and auto exhaust were largely blamed for the air pollution, according to Wu Dui, an atmospheric studies expert from the Guangdong Provincial Meteorological Bureau.

He said haze lingering over the Pearl River Delta region was mainly caused by lower atmospheric pollutants brought by air currents along the coastline from Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Dongguan; the haze was rarely blown from the region to Hong Kong — only one to three days in a year.

In addition, the photochemical pollution was grave and the ratio of fine particles was increasing in the atmosphere over the sky of the delta region. This not only greatly reduced visibility in hazy days, but also did harm to people’s health by damaging their respiratory tracts, heart and blood vessels, liver and lungs, Wu said.

”It may take at least 20 or 30 years to bring the haze under control. Cities in the delta region should join in fighting air pollution instead of acting by themselves,” he added.

Source – Medindia

10:39, January 16, 2008

The air quality of south China’s Guangdong Province is getting worse with record hazy days registered last year, a newly-issued environment report shows.

The province, which borders Hong Kong, recorded an average of 75.7 days of haze in 2007, a “marked increase” over normal years and “the most” since 1949 when the New China was founded, according to the report on atmospheric composition of Guangdong released by the provincial meteorological bureau.

Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky and diminish visibility.

In total, 27 major cities and counties set records in terms of hazy days last year. The situation was relatively more grave in the Pearl River Delta region in eastern Guangdong. Most cities and counties there saw more than 100 hazy days, the report said, citing 213 days in Dongguan City and 238 days in Xinhui City.

Enping City in Guangdong’s northwest recorded 240 hazy days last year, the most in the province, the report said.

Last month saw an average of 11.8 hazy days in Guangdong, the most in 2007, and 22 such days in the provincial capital Guangzhou,the highest since 2000, according to the report.

“The serious situation of hazy days shows the atmospheric pollution in Guangdong, especially in urban areas, is worsening,” it said.

Industrial discharge and auto exhaust were largely blamed for the air pollution, according to Wu Dui, an atmospheric studies expert from the Guangdong Provincial Meteorological Bureau.

He said haze lingering over the Pearl River Delta region was mainly caused by lower atmospheric pollutants brought by air currents along the coastline from Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Dongguan; the haze was rarely blown from the region to Hong Kong — only one to three days in a year.

In addition, the photochemical pollution was grave and the ratio of fine particles was increasing in the atmosphere over the sky of the delta region. This not only greatly reduced visibility in hazy days, but also did harm to people’s health by damaging their respiratory tracts, heart and blood vessels, liver and lungs, Wu said.

The term fine particles — an air pollution — refers to tiny particles or droplets in the air that are 2.5 microns or less in width.

“The environment authorities should issue a pre-warning of fine particles and give timely health advice to the public in addition to publishing air pollution results,” Wu said.

“It may take at least 20 or 30 years to bring the haze under control. Cities in the delta region should join in fighting air pollution instead of acting by themselves,” he added.

Source: Xinhua

By Wang Zhuoqiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-11 07:30

For a company, a brand matters the most.

Environmentalist Ma Jun, who is well aware of the dictum, has used it to pressure polluters to mend their ways.

He created a website to name and shame companies, and even local governments, that pollute the environment.

“Companies which may ignore fines or other punishments cannot afford their brands being blacklisted,” Ma said Thursday.

“The pressure exerted can help stop pollution at its origin, because the public will penalize polluters by shunning their products.”

On Saturday, the 39-year-old was selected as one of 50 people – including four Chinese – who could save the planet by The Guardian, a leading British newspaper, because of his green efforts in the past decade.

“The award was a surprise to me, and the honor belongs to our team,” said Ma, who in 2006 set up the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, a Beijing-based non-governmental organization with five staff members.

The awards to the four Chinese send out a message, Ma said.

“It shows that the world cares about the environment in China, and how this developing country can play a role in solving environmental problems.”

The other Chinese on the list are Pan Yue, 47, vice-minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration; Jia Zhangke, 37, actor/director credited with raising public awareness of the environment; and Shi Zhengrong, 44, a scientist who owns Suntech Power, one of the world’s 10 biggest solar panel producers.

Ma said: “The new interaction between the government, public, enterprises and NGOs will benefit environment protection in China.”

As one of the leaders of environmental NGOs, which are estimated at about 3,000 in the country, Ma said the NGOs have made up for what the government may not be doing very well, such as keeping the public better informed about polluters.

On its part, the government has set in place a series of laws or regulations regarding the environment since 2003, which have enhanced public awareness of the environment.

These efforts have contributed significantly to climate change mitigation, he said.

Ma’s website features a list of polluters based on government data – placed on two web pages widely reported by the media.

On the blacklist are more than 10,000 water-polluting enterprises and over 4,000 that pollute air.

Up to now, about 50 enterprises have approached Ma, explaining their situation and promising to clean up their act.

Eight enterprises have asked independent environmental groups to audit their environmental management system and pollution control facilities. Of them, two have been removed from the blacklist after they passed the audits.

Ma is no stranger to lobbyists from blacklisted enterprises.

“Some come and say they want to support our project. I tell them to check their pollution first.”

But given the fact that 15,000 enterprises remain on the blacklist, “domestic and foreign-funded enterprises in China still have a long way to go to come clean,” he said.

His goal for this year: First, to create a database that categorizes products by type and industry.

“Consumers can check online the products they want to buy and select products from clean companies.”

Second, he wants to set up a new list of polluting suppliers as a reference for big companies.

“I hope big names such as Wal-Mart could one day stand up and say: ‘We don’t buy from polluting suppliers’.”

Ma, a former researcher with Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, published a book, China’s Water Crisis, in 1999. He shifted from journalism to water protection during his field trips to polluted rivers and lakes in the 1990s.

“China has been facing rising challenges in terms of water shortages and pollution,” he said.

About 400 of 600 cities lack water, and water in about 30 percent of waterways is neither drinkable nor suitable for irrigation.

About 300 million farmers do not have accesses to safe drinking water, according to government figures.

Environment News

HK, Guangdong vow to hit air-quality targets

The emission-reduction and control measures Hong Kong and Guangdong have adopted could bring about a positive impact, cutting air-pollutant emissions in the region, and are conducive to achieving the agreed 2010 emission-cut targets by both sides, according to findings of the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Management Plan’s mid-term review.

The mid-term review report was considered by the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference’s 10th working meeting today. It concluded that upon implementation of the current and committed emission-reduction measures under the management plan, Hong Kong should be able to fully meet the mutually agreed targets by 2010.

The report said by 2010, Hong Kong’s economy will rise 72%, population 11%, electricity consumption 43% and vehicle mileage 8%, using 1997 as the base year.

Pollutants reduced

Implementing the existing preventive and control measures will significantly cut 2010 emissions of sulphur dioxide 54% to 30,000 tonnes, nitrogen oxides 25%, to 90,000 tonnes, respirable suspended particulates 58%, to 5,000 tonnes and volatile organic compounds 55%, to 30,000 tonnes, when compared to 1997 levels.

In respect of the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, with its significant socio-economic developments which well exceeded the original estimates, the emission-cut targets could be achieved by 2010 upon implementation of additional enhanced control measures as recommended in the mid-term review report.

These include:

* nitrogen-oxides removal for newly built power plants;
* tightening emission standards of air-pollutant emissions for local boilers;
* enhancing cleaner production requirement for volatile organic compounds-containing products;
* setting limits on consumer products’ volatile organic compound contents; and
* tightening control on emissions from local vessels.

To read the report’s executive summary, click here.

Both sides reiterated their commitment to continuing control measures set out in the management plan. The Guangdong Provincial Government will implement additional emission-control measures in the Pearl River Detla Economic Zone, taking account of the review’s recommendations.

Both sides also reaffirmed their determination to achieve the mutually agreed emission-reduction targets by 2010.

SCMP Dec 30, 2007

With pollution control measures there must be a level playing field

For a long time I resisted buying a domestic air filter on ethical grounds.

It seems quite repellent that well-off families can cocoon their children and provide them with better air to breathe, whilst the extra electricity they use to do this is adding to the environmental problem for the majority of people.

Over my 14 years in Hong Kong I have seen the pollution worsen and as I became a mother to two young boys (the youngest of whom is asthmatic) this began to cause me more and more concern. So of course, I finally cracked and bought one too.

How could I let my personal stance cause my children to suffer and refuse to perhaps limit the long-term damage to them.

Now I am using one I am even more concerned about the environmental impact as obviously the effect of keeping windows shut on days which would be cool enough for a breeze, inevitably lead to more use of the air-conditioner too.

Your paper has carried stories and letters about road pricing – which is effectively exactly the same thing.

The well-off won’t think twice about driving/being chauffeured around town, just as they don’t in London.

In fact it creates a completely two-tier society, where some are able to move freely about the centre of the city laughing and making jokes about how they are privileged to enjoy the effects of keeping others off the streets.

For those other people, especially those with young families living on the fringes of the zone, it has caused a logistical nightmare – causing people to drive further in the terrible congestion just outside the zone to, for example, alternative supermarkets and swimming pools.

Pollution and energy consumption are literally vital issues and should be addressed strongly, quickly and on an egalitarian basis by the government and the whole population for the benefit of the whole population.

Emma Hurlston-Tseng, Pok Fu Lam