Hong Kong Air Pollution Case Study

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Introduction
Air pollution is continuously deteriorating and influences the livability of society in Hong Kong. Thus, it is necessary to find some suggestions to control air pollution. Air pollution is a real public health and the environmental problem which consists of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and fine and coarse particles. According to Environmental Protection Department (2016), Hong Kong is facing with two main air pollution issues: local street-level pollution and regional smog problem. EPD (2016) describes that the level of air pollutant in Hong Kong was 3.6 times higher than the World Health Organization recommended acceptable level. The mortality rate …show more content…

It contains harmful particles. If people breathe them into lungs, people will feel uncomfortable and even suffer from lungs disease leading to visit public hospitals and hence increase the government’s medical burden. A research by WHO (2016) estimates that there are nearly 70% outdoor air pollution-related premature deaths because of ischaemic heart disease and strokes, while nearly 14% outdoor air pollution-related premature deaths are due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or acute lower respiratory infection, and about 14% outdoor air pollution-related premature deaths are due to lung cancer. In the past few years, Hong Kong Air Quality Objective has been worse due to the increase of the level of respirable suspended particulates and nitrogen dioxide at the roadside (EPD, 2016). Kampa and Castanas (2008) illustrates that air pollutant causes increasing mortality and hospital admissions. Owing to poor air quality, people would feel hard to breathe and if they stay at the roadside for a long time, they may feel uncomfortable, even suffer from skin or respiratory irritation. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2013) reports that Hong Kong may be required to invest extra $3.8 billion annually in medical expenses and productivity due to air pollution in the future. Therefore, air pollution not only could harm human health but also increase the government’s medical

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