By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-01-17 15:08:10 | Updated at 2025-01-17 20:51:09
5 hours ago
Hong Kong’s annual average of roadside nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter concentrations exceeded World Health Organization guidelines by up to 550 per cent last year despite a drop in the overall level of pollutants, a green group has found.
Clean Air Network, an NGO, said on Friday the level of roadside emissions underscored the need for the city to adopt green alternatives for all types of vehicles.
“Roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations mostly reflect vehicle emissions. While the number of electric buses and private vehicles has increased in recent years, the green transition of the other types of commercial vehicle still lags behind,” the report said.
“The exceedingly high level of nitrogen dioxide concentration shows that Hong Kong still has to expedite the transition to green transport for all kinds of vehicles.”
Data analysis by Clean Air Network showed there was a decrease in the overall level of pollutants in the city last year compared with 2023. The concentration of one gas dropped by 28 per cent.
The group conducted its study by reviewing data from the Environmental Protection Department’s air-quality monitoring stations from last year to gauge pollution trends.
It discovered that the average annual roadside concentration of nitrogen dioxide was 65 micrograms per cubic metre last year, while the general concentration of the gas was 31.8 micrograms per cubic metre. The former was 550 per cent higher than the level of 10 micrograms per cubic metre recommended by the WHO’s air-quality guidelines, while the latter was 218 per cent more.
