bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

quizIds

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

paywallTypes

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Oscar Liu

Air pollution has reached “serious” and “very high risk” levels across Hong Kong, authorities have said, with a recent spate of weak winds preventing the dispersal of dangerous airborne chemicals.
The Environmental Protection Department said on Monday it had logged higher-than-normal air pollution levels in certain areas since Thursday afternoon of last week.
Seventeen of the department’s 18 monitoring stations had reported air pollution levels that posed very high health risks as of 4pm, with the remaining one recording a serious warning.
Hong Kong uses the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) to grade air pollution on a scale of one to 10, in addition to a special “10+” category.
The range indicates whether the levels pose low, moderate, high, very high or serious health risks.
The scale is based on the presence of air pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter.
“Weak winds are unfavourable for pollutant dispersion. The intense sunshine enhances photochemical smog activity, leading to the rapid formation of ozone and fine particulates in the Pearl River Delta region,” the department said.
“The high ozone level also promotes the formation of nitrogen dioxide.”
The serious warning was logged at the monitoring station in Central and Western district. The other sites, which issued very high risk alerts, included Mong Kok, Tung Chung, Tuen Mun and Sham Shui Po.
On the storm front, the Observatory said Super Typhoon Krathon had already entered within 800km (497 miles) of Hong Kong.
The forecaster added that the weather over southern China would be very hot at the start of this week due to the storm’s outer subsiding air.
Temperatures rose to about 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) or above in many parts of the city on Monday afternoon, with the mercury in Sheung Shui reaching 37.6 degrees.

The Observatory said it expected a fresh to strong northeast monsoon would reach the coast of Guangdong on Tuesday.
The Environmental Protection Department said the monsoon would help improve the air quality across the city.
“Under its influence, winds along the coast of Guangdong will strengthen in the middle part of this week. It is expected that air quality will improve by then,” it said.
Authorities urged children, the elderly and those with existing heart or respiratory conditions not to overexert themselves and to minimise their time outside while air pollution levels remained high.
The department advised the public to avoid areas with heavy traffic.
“When the AQHI is at the very high level, employers of outdoor workers performing heavy manual work are advised to assess the risk of outdoor work and take appropriate preventive measures to protect the health of their employees,” it said.
“At the serious level, employers of all outdoor workers are advised to assess the risk of outdoor work and take appropriate preventive measures to protect the health of their employees.”
The Education Bureau, meanwhile, told all schools to visit its website to check how to safeguard students’ health and to receive regular updates.


After a year’s delay, Hong Kong is ready to roll out waste charging

Meet the Hong Kong firm making sustainability real for brands

‘Part of planned Hong Kong highway may encroach on wetlands, affect wildlife’

Where’s the ‘eco’ in South Lantau’s eco-recreation plan?

Hong Kong environmental issues

Hong Kong air pollution reaches serious levels in parts of city amid weak winds

Hong Kong grades air pollution levels based on the presence of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. Photo: Jelly Tse

Authorities have advised the public to avoid areas with heavy traffic. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hotter weather expected in Hong Kong as Super Typhoon Krathon approaches

According to the forecast, the temperature in the city is expected to rise to 33 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. Photo: Eugene Lee

Super Typhoon Krathon will push up the mercury in Hong Kong, the forecaster says. Photo: Jelly Tse

51% of Hongkongers say city’s extreme weather policies ineffective, Greenpeace survey finds

Only 33 per cent of Hongkongers expressed confidence in the government’s extreme weather policies. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute director Karie Pang Ka-lai and Greenpeace campaigner Tom Ng attend a press conference on extreme weather. Photo: Edith Lin

Last September’s record-breaking rainfall resulted in disruptive landslides and flashfloods. Photo: Robert Ng

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Seventeen of 18 local monitoring stations issue very high risk warnings on Monday, with remaining one recording serious alert


Seventeen of 18 local monitoring stations issue very high risk warnings on Monday, with remaining one recording serious alert.
