Standard Page - 2011-06-22
Millions of people in China and Hong Kong are breathing a hazardous cocktail of chemicals every day. These chemicals are caused by coal-fired power plants, factories and vehicles, and are responsible for heart disease, stroke, respiratory illnesses, birth defects and cancer.
Millions of people in China and Hong Kong are breathing a hazardous cocktail of chemicals every day. These chemicals are caused by coal-fired power plants, factories and vehicles, and are responsible for heart disease, stroke, respiratory illnesses, birth defects and cancer.
Air pollution in China and Hong Kong is mainly caused by burning coal in factories and power plants and oil combustion by vehicles.
The impacts of air pollution
Air pollution often has long-term health impacts that build-up slowly over time. It may also cause non-specific problems, such as weakened immunity. As such, it is often easy to overlook the health impacts of air pollution. That's why public education and outreach on the issue of air pollution is highly important.
Air pollution has been linked to increased incidences of cancer, heart disease, stroke and respiratory illnesses. On a less severe level, it is associated with asthma in children, and thus impaired quality of life for many kids.
Read more about the main kinds of pollutants and their health impacts.
Air pollution in China
With a booming economy and ever-increasing demand for energy, China has built new coal-fired power plants at an astonishing rate. Today, coal provides not only 80% of China's electricity, but also the lion's share of its air pollutants, from soot to sulphur dioxide.
While cars and trucks also contribute to air pollution in cities, it will be impossible to improve air quality in China without moving away from coal.
Read more about air pollution in China.
Air pollution in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's air pollution is also partially tied to China's economic rise. The city is just next to Guangzhou province, home to some of the largest clusters of factories in China. The world's highest traffic density and a busy port also contribute significantly to air quality.
Currently, a key obstacle to improving air pollution is the Hong Kong government's out-of-date air quality standards, which do not even meet World Health Organization targets. Even though air quality is getting worse, the government has not updated its acceptable levels for pollutants in more than 20 years. This creates a false impression that Hong Kong's air is better than it actually is.
Read more about air pollution in Hong Kong.