Air quality Management

1. Gebreegziabher-Tesfaldet
2012
25/11/2012

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"Comments on Regional Cooperation Plan on Building a Quality Living Area-
Air quality management perspective"=Item 16
Gebreegziabher Tesfaldet
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
correspondence to
tgaa@ust.hk
Summary
Maintaining air quality at permissible level is the best instrument in safeguarding the
public health in both developing and developed nations. Currently countries are either
developed or in the process of developing air quality management policy frameworks for
keeping the air in their territories as safe as to sustain the life of their citizens. As part of
the global efforts and cross boundary nature of air quality , the regional governments of
Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao jointly drafted a cooperation plan for green quality
living in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region. The joint plan is in its early stage without air
quality standards and needs feedback from all communities and stakeholders who dream
quality living in this region . As the joint plan lacks subjective items that define quality of
living like standard air quality values, the air quality management of the European union
is considered as benchmark and possible area of intervention is forwarded as to be the
guide line of the proposed joint cooperation plan of the PRD region.
1. Air pollution and health
According to the World health organization (WHO) fact sheet air pollution is listed as
major risk to health and 1.3 million deaths worldwide per year are caused by outdoor air
pollutions. The number of deaths emanated from poor air quality can be reduced to large
extent if there is a mechanism of reducing levels of air pollution. For example about 15%
reduction in deaths related to air pollution can be achieved by reducing particulate matter
(PM10) concentration from 70 to 20 µg/m3 [1] .Hence to maintain the health of the public at
the safest side it is mandatory to keep the air quality at levels that doesn't have an impact
on health. To effect this, as air pollution is beyond the control of the individuals, public

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authorities should harmonize and draft control strategies for keeping the public health at
the safest side .
In light of the aforementioned reality the regional governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong
and Macao jointly drafted a cooperation plan for green quality living in the region. The
parties are envisioned to transform the greater PRD region in to an ideal city cluster of
green and quality living by implementing appropriate policies. While green represents an
area that aims at protecting environmental safety. Quality of living is related to people
perception and may have different connotations depending on age and gender. If quality of
living is expressed with criteria and value, it is obvious that certain criteria of quality of
living will have different value at a given moment. Hence for creating quality of living in a
given city it is important to know the level qualitatively. This means if there is numerical
value that can express the quality of living it is possible to evaluate the performance on
time bases.
2. Subjective Quality of Living
Maintaining quality of living is not simple as it encompasses so many interlinked
parameters and it requires maintaining the target values of this parameters to the best
satisfaction of the community in which it is defined. The New York city based human
resource and related financial consulting firm Mercer has designed an objective way of
measuring quality of living for cities based on factors that people perceive representative of
quality of living. Based on the interaction of political, socio-economic and environmental
factors of a given location Mercer defines 10 key categories and 39 criteria or factors, each
having values reflecting their relative importance for what is defined quality of living [2].
Air pollution is a criteria under the Medical and Health key category. Once a year based on
the pre-formulated factors Mercer carries out an assessment of quality of living and
accordingly ranks worldwide cities. This year’s cities was ranked based on water
availability and drinkability, waste removal, quality of sewage systems, air pollution and
traffic congestion and according to the results European cities are in the top 25.

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3.Regional Cooperation Plan on Building a Quality Living Area
The regional plan jointly issued by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for quality living
covers five cooperation directions namely : natural resources and the environment, mode
of economic development, public services and livelihood issues, spatial development, and
transportation services[3]. The five major areas issued by the joint authorities are parts
and parcel of the measurable factors set by Mercer. Moreover, the areas within the
proposal cover almost all aspects of social development in the region. Hence can be
regarded as frame work for sustainable development if they include subjective aspects like
the analysis of cities done by Mercer as the performance of the factors can be measured on
yearly bases. However the joint plan is generalized and doesn't put target numerical values
and can be regarded as its major drawback. Most of the issues raised by the authorities can
be achievable either jointly or separately by the partners by adopting benchmarks or good
practices within the conceptual framework of the quality of living. But the subdivisions like
air and water pollution issues within the major areas have cross boarder implications
hence there should be a concrete standards and targets which is common for all the
partners. Though it is difficult to adopt directly air quality management standards or
targets of a given country to this region, it is wise to propose a methodology that can be
used as a guideline standard for the intended regional cooperation.
4.Benchmarking the EU air quality management
The European union air quality management and standards are used as benchmarks due to
the following reasons:
1. The EU is not a single state and the air quality management practices can be adopted
with modification for green quality living in the greater Pearl River Delta.
2. The EU cities are within top 25 cities in the Mercer's quality living index and can be
regarded as fair benchmark cities.
3. Air quality management is a cross boundary issue and the EU air quality
management addresses issues that have cross boundary implications.
4. The EU directives are designed based on the WHO air quality guidelines (AQGs) in
which priority is given to human health and can be a platform for the proposed
regional cooperation in PRD.

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4.1 System used in the European union
The European Union air quality management sets air quality limit values (AQLVs) for SO2 ,
NO2,carbon monoxide, ozone, lead and particulates for assessing qualities throughout
Europe. The planning requirement of EU depends on the air quality limit values. The union
formulated an Air Quality Framework Directive (AQFD) which aims at establishing a
synchronized air quality management. More over the union has an autonomous body,
European Environment agency, that collects and publishes air quality data of partner
states , and also takes enforcement action to a member state that doesn't complain with
the obligation of the union[4]. In this respect states are subjected to maintain quality levels
within their territories and at the same time should obey the standards to meet the overall
EU air quality management. The details of the quality standard is given in table 1.
4.2 System used in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong government set Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) for seven air pollutants
namely SO2,suspended particulates(PM10 & PM2.5), NO2, ozone, carbon monoxide and lead
based on international standards .The air quality objectives was derived from the US
standards and not associated with relationships between pollutant concentrations in air
and its associated health effect and it applies to the whole territory. The air quality
monitoring is operated by the Air Science Group of the Environmental Protection
Department . The air quality management policy objective is to achieve reasonably
practicable level of air quality and to promote the conservation and best use of air in the
public interest[5]. According to the Air quality ordains of HK the AQOs may be reviewed
from time to time to include a wider range of air pollutants and, if necessary, to tighten the
standards taking into account international developments for better protection of the
health and well being of the community. But there is no any major move on updating and
tightening of the standards once it was set long year back . The detail values or standards
are given in table 1 along with the EU and WHO standards for comparison.

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Pollutants Average
Period
Hong Kong a
EU b
WHO c
SO2 1hr 800 µg/m3
350 µg/m3
24hr 350 µg/m3
125 µg/m3
20 µg/m3
PM10 24hr 180 µg/m3
50 µg/m3
50 µg/m3
Annual 55 µg/m3
40 µg/m3
20 µg/m3
PM2.5 24hr --- ----- 25 µg/m3
Annual ---- 25 µg/m3
10 µg/m3
NO2 1hr 300 µg/m3
200 µg/m3
200 µg/m3
24hr 150 µg/m3
40 µg/m3
Ozone 1hr
HK/8hr
EU
240 µg/m3
120 µg/m3
100 µg/m3
24hr ----
CO 1hr
HK/3-mo
EU
30000 µg/m3
10 µg/m3
30000 µg/m3
Annual ------
Lead 3 moths
HK/1year
EU
1.5 µg/m3
0.5 µg/m3
0.5 µg/m3
(year)
Table-1-Air quality standards
Many of the limit values for the EU specially emissions of SO2,NO2,Lead and CO are defined
based on WHO air quality guideline levels. Whereas the limit values for lead and ozone are
based on health risk and feasibility assessment recommendations from technical work
groups. The standard limit values of the EU are close to the values provided by WHO.
Whereas the Hong Kong AQOs are far from the WHO air quality standards. This implies that
the associated health risk factor is apparent from the Hong Kong's air quality objective.
Hence in order to minimize the health risks and maintain quality living in greater PRD
progress towards the WHO guideline values should be the ultimate objective. As the
process to attain the level set by WHO is gradual it is better to follow the EU air quality
standards as a bridge.
a. Hong Kong Environmental protection Website
b. European commission Environment website
c. WHO website-Air Quality and Health

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5. Possible benchmarking areas
By considering the strongest sides of the EU air quality management the areas of
intervention for possible adoption are listed here under:
5.1 Air quality policy
The EU commission drafted an air quality policy framework with the objective to attain
levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant negative impacts on, and risks to
human health and the environment [6]. The policy contains directives and the so called
daughter directives and is a working document up to 2020 with regular updates. It puts
strict air quality limit values to be achieved by all EU member states for potential
pollutants. Accordingly member states are working to maintain the air quality standards
set by EU air quality management by taking different control measures. These include
controls over stationary sources, such as large combustion plants, industrial installations
and facilities using solvents. As far as mobile sources are concerned the EU implemented
an air quality management directive called Euro vehicle standards which requires vehicle
emissions to be lower than the specified values and also put standard for vehicle fuels. The
standards are dynamic in a way that the standard values are being incrementally tightened.
The EU followed strict air quality management policy and is achieving total pollutant
emission reeducation targets.
Figure -1-land based emissions of NECD pollutants d
d. Communication From the commission to the council and the European Parliament-thematic strategy
on Air pollution- (2005) EU ; NECD-national Emission Ceilings directive

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An air quality policy frame work is the first component in air quality management
practices. Limit values of the critical pollutants that have adverse effect on health are set
based on health impact assessment. Air is a natural resource shared by the partners within
PRD. It is vital, therefore, that the parties work collaboratively and develop a policy frame
work in which the standards are set based on health impact assessment. The policy frame
work should set also time frame and frequency of update for achieving the required air
quality standard for the proposed quality living. The partners should review their existing
air quality objectives and set a new and strict standards by taking the EU standard as bench
mark. As far is HK is concerned the air quality objectives are set in low targets and should
be revised as suitable to the parties with target year for achieving the goals.
5.2 Air Quality monitoring Network
To validate and follow up the implementation of the strict health based air quality
management policy a quality monitoring stations should be in place within the network.
There are close to 5,000 urban , and more than 800 regional pollution monitoring sites in
EU[7]. Taking Hong Kong as an example for the proposed cooperation, it has only 14
monitoring stations. The greater number of air quality monitoring site in EU is helpful for
providing more accurate picture of the air quality and facilitates the decision to be made to
improve air quality. Hence for quality of living in greater PRD the air quality monitoring
devices should be in place. This helps for ease access data and helpful for the parties to take
action in order to maintain the air quality.
5.3 Clean Fuels and Engine Technology
As vehicles are the major sources of air pollution emissions the EU drafted strict directives
for controlling emissions from this sector by using clean fuels or efficient engine
technologies. As fuels and vehicles are always together in a given system they must be
addressed jointly in the policy framework of the PRD. If the parties have to adopt the
European vehicle emission standards a comparison should also be done with the European
fuels as it is reference point for the standard. In addition to the fuel the PRD parties also
should give emphasis to researches on producing efficient engine technologies that result
in lower emissions.

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5.4 Involvement of society
The EU commission for the environment gathered public information during the
formulation and review time of the policy documents that are pertinent to air quality. As
public can put and force governments to act effectively their involvement is important
when drafting the cross-boundary air quality policy management document of the PRD.
5.5 Low emission zones
The European union defined low emission zones(LEZ) throughout Europe. The most
polluting vehicles are not allowed to enter the LEZ . Citizens have a mandate to check out
the emission characteristics of their vehicle before traveling to LEZ [8].The PRD parties can
independently draft low emission zones within their territories by creating awareness with
the public and introducing penalty or banning vehicles entering to this zones . Vessels are
also creating much air pollution concern in the greater PRD. Though the emission can be
controlled by using standard fuel , the emission control policy can be enhanced if the
parties jointly draft a strict policy document for reducing emissions by defining LEZ or no
travelling zone in the PRD waters.

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6.Conclusion
The proposed joint plan on quality living in the greater PRD is multidimensional in nature
with air quality being one of the indicators . Here an analysis on air pollution was made
based on the present status of the European union as guide line. The European union air
quality management practices are strict and have impressive out put on maintaining air
qualities that safeguard the public health. Furthermore it is a bridge between the present
standard of PRD region and standards given as guidelines by WHO, hence it is wise for the
PRD partners to adopt the standards with slight modifications. Benchmarking the EU air
quality policies will help the PRD to overhaul mistakes if committed in progress as there
are references on how the EU solved air quality related problems in their quest for Clean
air in Europe.
References
[1]. WHO Air quality and health Fact sheet ,2011 WHO data base.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en/index.html
[2]. Defining Quality of Living, Mercer Human resource Consulting, 2007,Mercer.
http://www.imercer.com/uploads/common/pdfs/definingqualityofliving.pdf
[3].EPD website, Regional Cooperation Plan on Building a Quality Living Area
[4]. European commission Environment data base
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/standards.htm
[5]EPD Hong Kong website
http://www.epd-asg.gov.hk/english/backgd/hkaqo.html
[6]. Communication From the commission to the council and the European Parliament-
thematic strategy on Air pollution- (2005) EU
[7] . Air pollution monitoring in Europe: Problems and trends
http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/92-9167-058-8/page010.html
[8]. Low emission zones in Europe
http://www.lowemissionzones.eu/what-are-lezs--othermenu-32