Friends of the Earth (HK)

EDT
EDT17
2006-05-26

SCMP

The road to cleaner air

Each day, vehicles clock up a total of 30 million kilometres on Hong Kong's roads - the equivalent of almost 750 times around the world.

They also contribute 25 per cent of the respirable suspended particulates, 27 per cent of the nitrogen oxide, 13 per cent of the greenhouse gases, and 90 per cent of the carbon monoxide found in the city's air.

Looking at the global growth rates of vehicle ownership, such problems are only worsening. In 1939, there were 47 million vehicles. Today, that figure stands at 775 million. The world vehicle fleet has grown more than 6 per cent each year, while annual population growth is below 1.3 per cent.

According to the government, the Air Pollution Index is consistently higher at roadside monitoring stations than ambient stations. Therefore, while many people criticise the power industry as being the main culprit behind our poor air quality, they should not forget about vehicle pollution, generated by both public and private transport.

Of course, buses, trains and the Mass Transit Railway play a very important role in reducing the number of private vehicles in our crowded urban setting. But we often see near-empty buses operating during off-peak hours, and an array of buses queueing along main roads during peak hours. Coupled with this is the fact that some bus routes are duplicated, serving the same districts.

The Sustainable Development Council has recently proposed phasing out older buses to reduce air pollution. I believe this is the right approach - but it has missed the target.

Removing one bus from our roads would contribute more in terms of air-quality improvements than having a couple of buses with the latest European technology operating in the city.

The government has been giving concessions to franchised bus companies to keep their costs down so they can charge lower fares. This is a noble gesture, but the bus companies are using the concessions to run more buses, thereby exacerbating the pollution.

As for private transport, many foreign governments are running trials with cleaner fuels. Besides petrol and diesel, hydrogen and ethanol are suitable options.

Ethanol is produced by fermenting crops such as corn, grain or even rice straw (an agricultural waste product). It is one type of renewable energy that does not emit carcinogens or other harmful toxins.

Using ethanol for fuel could mean 30 per cent less smog-forming carbon monoxide being pumped into our atmosphere.

E-85, a blend of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol, is currently being used in Canada and the US in flexi-fuel cars that can run on pure petrol or this blend. Canada has more than 1,100 fuel stations that supply E-85, while the blend costs less than regular petrol in the US due to government tax concessions.

E-85 may be one answer to curbing air pollution caused by vehicle emissions in Hong Kong. The mainland has huge amounts of agricultural waste in need of disposal. The market potential for green business ventures is, therefore, huge - especially considering the rising cost of oil.

Improved fuel efficiency is another way to reduce emissions. Cars could be made lighter, with reinforced plastic body panels, or Hong Kong could look at eco-friendly technology that cuts fuel to the engine when it is not needed.

For instance, some European car manufacturers have successfully implemented stop and start technology, cutting the engine when the vehicle stops, for example at traffic lights. The engine restarts a split second after the driver takes his or her foot off the brake.

Clearly, solutions to a healthier future are out there - we just need to go the extra mile in our creative vision.

Edwin Lau Che-feng is assistant director of Friends of the Earth (HK).

~End~