Air pollution impact due to road transportation in Hong Kong in the next decade

Abstract

The air quality due to road transportation in Hong Kong in the next decade is studied. It is estimated that the new vehicle emission standards implemented in 1995 will reduce the ever-increasing NOx emissions inventory level in the coming years. However, the results obtained from a simple graphical screening method show that the peak hourly carbon monoxide level will increase substantially in the next decade in some heavy traffic areas under the current vehicular emissions control policy, but it will stiff be within the Air Quality Objective limit. This implies that the vehicular emissions control programmes enforced in recent years and to be enforced in future would partly improve the air quality at street level, but more effective measures are required to satisfactorily improve the situation. Thus, the policies for tackling the problems of air pollution due to road transportation in developed countries are reviewed, and their applicability to the situation in Hong Kong is discussed.