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It is no secret that the air in Hong Kong is very polluted. Many wonder about the health consequences of that pollution and what they can do to protect themselves and their family. Here is what you should know about air pollution in Hong Kong.
There is ample evidence that air pollution leads to a variety of health problems, including:
Children, older adults and people with heart or lung diseases are the most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure.
PM stands for particulate matter (also called particle pollution): it's a mix of solid and liquid particles floating in the air, which come in various sizes:
PM2.5 are tiny particles that are so small and light that they tend to stay longer in the air. They penetrate deeper into the lungs and cause a range of health effects.
The World Health Organization (WHO) daily PM2.5 limit is 25 micrograms per cubic meter. In the US, PM2.5 standards are about the same: 15 / 35 micrograms per cubic meter (annual/daily). In Hong Kong, PM2.5 levels have reached over 200 on several occasions in the past years.
Hong Kong uses its own measure called the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). The AQHI doesn't specifically reflect the PM2.5 levels. This has led various voices to request an adoption of a PM2.5 based measure. The AQHI ranges from 1 (lowest) to 10+ (highest). Levels 8 to 10 mean a "very high risk" for health while 10+ brings a serious risk. PM2.5 levels in Hong Kong can be checked here.
According to the last update of the WHO, over 80% of urban areas monitored for air pollution exceed the WHO air quality limits. The WHO database of nearly 3000 monitored cities has ranked Hong Kong in the top 20% most polluted cities.
Actually, more than 50% of these 3000 cities are located in developed European cities where regulatory bodies actively try to reduce air pollution. Cities in some developing economies may not be included in this list due to the absence of measuring stations. Although far from ideal, the situation Hong Kong is not the worst.
It is important to note that while recommendations on highly polluted days involve staying indoor, PM2.5 levels inside may actually be just as high, if not higher as indoor air quality can be impacted by cooking, the type of gas used, poor ventilation or dirty air filters.
Unfortunately, many masks do not fully protect against breathing in polluted air. Only face masks with an airtight seal around your nose and mouth will effectively filter polluted air.
Hong Kong ranked in the top 20% most polluted cities among the 3,000 monitored cities in WHO’s database. For over 30% of the year, visibility is less than 8 kilometres.
In 2013, the HKSAR government released “A Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong” targeting to tackle air pollution from all aspects. The Environmental Bureau plans to adopt more electric vehicles in transportation to improve air quality in the long-term.
Air pollution is associated with a range of health issues, such as aggravated asthma, coughing, irritation of airways, cardiovascular disease and decreased lung function for example.
This article was independently written by Healthy Matters. It is informative only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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