The city's new Kai Tak cruise terminal will be a major source of air pollution unless efforts are taken to cut emissions, an environmental group has charged. The Clean Air Network (CAN) is calling on the government to adopt more stringent marine emissions standards and to install an electrical power grid system for passenger liners so they do not need to keep their engines running while berthed.

The recommendations come on the heels of the green group's 2012 air quality report, which found the cruise ship's site, neighboring Kwun Tong district, producing record levels of pollution in 2012.

According to the 2012 data, roadside emissions continue at high levels. Pollutant levels at all roadside stations exceeded standards set by the new proposed Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) and record high levels were seen at the Mong Kok roadside station. Kwun Tong and Sha Tin also saw intensified nitrogen dioxide levels.

The organization said Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan had the highest sulphur dioxide levels, considered a marker of marine emissions, among all monitoring stations in Hong Kong. The first of the two locations is a container and shipping terminal, reflecting a serious degree of influence from marine emissions that cannot be ignored, the group said.

It is also worried about that the Kai Tak cruise terminal, which will open in June this year, will lead to deterioration of regional air quality because many large cruise ships are expected to dock there and residents of the area will bear the brunt of the resulting air pollution.

The Hedley Environmental Index from the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), which monitors and publishes in real-time the economic costs of Hong Kong's air pollution in terms of public health effects and their monetary value, estimated that air pollution led to 3,096 premature deaths in 2012. That's 10 times higher than the total number of deaths caused by SARS in Hong Kong in 2003.

Chief Executive Officer of CAN Sum Yin-kwong said, "We recommend the government take urgent action to tackle roadside emissions, such as replacing and upgrading all pre-Euro III commercial diesel vehicles with licenses no longer being handed out to any vehicles over 15 years old."

As to tackling marine emissions, the organization suggests that the government mandate that all marine vessels switch to fuels with less than 0.5 percent sulphur content and build a power grid system for docking at the new Kai Tak Terminal.

Meanwhile, Under Secretary for the Environment Christine Loh told a subcommittee of the Legislative Council's Environmental Affairs Panel that the government needs to update its research on the health costs of Hong Kong's air pollution, as well as make more vigorous efforts to control air pollution levels.

The estimated economic losses by the government due to illness caused by poor air quality is HK$1.7 billion dollars a year. She also added that experts, industry entities, green groups and other stakeholders would assist the government to set up a workshop to collect opinions from the public on environmental protection.

Professor Anthony Hedley from the HKU told lawmakers that improvements to air quality in recent years had been insufficient, though it could boost the health of people.

fanfeifei@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 01/12/2013 page1)