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Just heard on radio news of results of Hong Kong study showing that numbers of hospital admissions – especially for chronic conditions – rise with amounts of air pollutants.
Ozone having the most impact.Hopefully, will find more info on this shortly, and amend this post.
Hi David:
Might be best if someone confirms before you hike over – but seen notice re tents for rent at Ham Tin, hamlet at Tai Long Wan.
Maybe I have tel no someplace, but can’t find just now. May try checking.Martin
Here’s a letter I sent SCM Post editor on 15 Feb (had reply saying they had two similar letters just in, which were to be published. My letter didn’t appear; just edited it and resent).
Dear Sir:
It was interesting to read the article in the Sunday Morning Post magazine on ExxonMobil’s ongoing efforts to obfuscate scientific information on global warming, Recently, these efforts included offers of US$10,000 for scientists willing to emphasise the shortcomings of the latest report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Greenpeace International accuses ExxonMobil of a “deliberate misinformation campaign” over the effects of the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill, which occurred when an ExxonMobil tanker ran aground in Alaska in 1989. Though ExxonMobil has sought to play down the impacts, this was one of the the largest manmade environmental disasters to occur at sea.
We might wonder, then, if ExxonMobil is a fit company to be allowed to damage one of Hong Kong’s finest coastal areas, by building an LNG terminal on the Sokos in partnership with CLP. Already we are seeing ExxonMobil-style disinformation: as noted in a letter from Charles Frew, an advert promoting the terminal showed a fake image, with a surreal scene of 2 Chinese White Dolphins above a coral seabed with a school of Bluestripe Snapper
More recent adverts show a bucolic farm scene – which surely isn’t anywhere in Hong Kong. There is, too, an implicit threat – as if without the LNG terminal, we won’t have clean air in Hong Kong. Perhaps we are supposed to be scared into saying yes.
It seems that in the rush to harm the Sokos and boost the profits of CLP and ExxonMobil (which is already among the world’s most profitable companies), only scant attention is being paid to alternatives. For instance, LNG could be supplied from nearby mainland China.
Intriguingly, too, the UK recently scrapped plans for an LNG terminal at Teesside. Instead, advances in technology allow the LNG to be converted to gas on board vessels. It is then piped into the gas supply, via “a small aboveground station that enables pressure control, metering and nitrogen blending to be carried out”.
Thus, an LNG terminal in Hong Kong might not only be environmentally harmful. It may also be outmoded before it’s even built.
Yours faithfully,
Dr Martin WilliamsThe above didn’t appear; I followed with a third letter – below – and edited version of this was published.
Even though the Soko Islands seem out of sight, out of mind to most Hongkongers, recent letters to the editor indicate continuing concerns regarding Exxon-CLP plans for a liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal on one of the islands.
?? wrote that he had seen the islands from a plane, and on the southern side they appeared to have been already ruined. However, iwhile he may have seen the Sokos, the industrial development and quarrying damage he described was on nearby islands just outside Hong Kong. The Sokos remain mostly green and relatively wild and, as the writer’s observations help show, this is unusual among South China islands.
In “Council’s scope limited”, letter writer John Schofield noted that the Advisory Council on the Environment had not considered all issues related to the terminal. A follow-up letter recommended he read the minutes of a recent meeting of ACE.
I have read those minutes, and noted that ACE was unable to discuss, “Issues falling outside the remit of the EIA Ordinance, including the need and justifications for the project, alternative sources of supply outside Hong Kong and land use interface” – so its scope was indeed limited.
It seems that in the haste to harm the Sokos and boost the profits of CLP and ExxonMobil (already among the world’s most profitable companies), only scant attention is being paid to alternatives. For instance, LNG could be supplied from nearby mainland China.
Intriguingly, too, the UK recently scrapped plans for an LNG terminal at Teesside. Instead, advances in technology allow the LNG to be converted to gas on board vessels. It is then piped into the gas supply, via “a small aboveground station that enables pressure control, metering and nitrogen blending to be carried out”.
Thus, an LNG terminal in Hong Kong might not only be environmentally harmful. It may also be outmoded before it’s even built.
Post edited by: Martin, at: 2007/04/03 18:41
Hi:
Sorry, but it’s ages since I hiked in Tung Chung area: many new buildings since.
I think that can hike west from Citygate, maybe check shore of Tung Chung Bay (still a pleasant old Hau Wong Temple by the bay); then look for trail(s) heading across old fields, towards the hills, and path up hillside past temple, and with views to ravine on your right.
This hillside trail still pleasant I believe; could also get there along road from Tung Chung. Maybe taxi to the old fort that doubles or doubled as a school, then walk on till a right turn at base of hills; or even taxi direct to this junction – Shek Mun Kap the location on map; buses pass there too.Once at the top, you’ll see junction for new trail on your right: leads to circuit of hill to north of Ngong Ping. You could walk the circuit, or walk only the northern loop or shorter southern loop (not so wild as northern), then trail to near upper Skyrail station.
Hope this helps!
Martin
Sitting in shorts n t-shirt as I write this, at nearly 10.30pm on a February evening (a window open too; about unthinkable when I first arrived here 20 years ago), not surprising to read this has been Hong Kong’s warmest Chinese New Year on record:
Quote:Hong Kong has enjoyed its warmest Lunar New Year on record with temperatures on the first day of the Year of the Pig climbing above 25 degrees Celsius, weathermen said Monday.The temperature on Sunday afternoon in the territory of 6.8 million hit 25.3 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record of 24.6 degrees Celsius set in 1982, the Hong Kong Observatory said.
… global warming has seen winter temperatures climb in recent years along with the arrival of a number of species of migratory birds which normally spend winter further south.Yes, not many wild birds at the Wetland Park – esp given the megabucks spent on it.
I’m not sure the wetlands organisation that cooperated with the park – Wetland Link International – should be too proud of being involved.Heard of visitor forecast being exceeded already; but if mostly locals, it’s hardly the supposed big benefit to local tourism that was supposed. (Yes, another project from the Tourism Commission – like the dead trees with grafiti at Ngong Ping on Lantau. They have to do something, I guess.)
Still, let’s see if get upsurge in local wetland conservation efforts, driven by people who’ve been to the park, got inspired there. Plenty of sites need help – Deep Bay’s in trouble, then have other wetlands as at Mui Wo, Shuen Wan, Sham Chung…
Mai Po indeed open. Think that can be around HK$70 if join tours there.
Can get your own permit, if join WWF and HK Birdwatching Soc.Hope you find the book useful!
Just seen email saying:
Quote:The planning, construction and cost of an LNG terminal for Teeside UK, was scrapped since LNG tankers now convert the gas on board*
A terminal at the Soko Islands is thus superseded by advances in technology.
Storage provision can be made elsewhere.(*This was reported in the Nov/Dec, edition of the Energy Institute’s magazine Energy World – citing actions to supply UK’s needs)
Just googled, quickly.
From BBC news:
Quote:The Teesside project is unique in Europe because the LNG is warmed up and turned into gas while still onboard Excelerate’s specially-designed tankers, before the gas is pumped directly into Britain’s gas network.
…
The company says this avoids the need to build a terminal on land.Port welcomes first gas delivery
More info, especially on the vessel, includes:
Quote:Excelsior will regasify the LNG onboard and pump the natural gas directly into the UK national grid via a special high-pressure manifold connection.
…
On arrival at GasPort, LNGRVs will utilise a shore-mounted, high-pressure gas arm to connect the vessel’s midships manifold with the shore pipeline.
…
A small aboveground station at the site enables pressure control, metering and nitrogen blending to be carried out.Tees set to become second LNG receiving port in UK
Naturally, we can anticipate some reasons why this just isn’t possible out here.
CLP/Exxon nearly have their hands on all the extra money they can make via terminal in HK, so not about to let from their grasp just now I think.Slept just near a beach, on Chek Lap Kok (before most of it converted to rubble) – as I recall, just sleeping bag on a mat.
Did sleep on just campbed, outside village store place on CLK – v pleasant.Should be fine, I’d think, if temp doesn’t drop surprisingly.
– hopefully sand helping deter beasties like snakes n centipedes!Martin
Hi Kenneth:
That’s a fair distance to cover with camping gear, I think – tho someone like Charlie may advise on this.
Maybe take it easier for an early outing in HK – could camp at Ngong Ping, west of Ma On Shan.Not sure trails will be so quiet over CNY.
There are great maps in Countryside Series from hk govt – Central Post Office among places to try for these; if not, Murray Building near lower Peak Tram stn, or some bookshops.
Hope this helps.
Martin
Oh – and, of course, my hiking guide Hong Kong Pathfinder could be a boon during your stay
Post edited by: Martin, at: 2007/02/02 13:58
Via googling, just come across summary of paper on recent study on air pollution across Pearl River Delta, inc Hong Kong:
Quote:Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was measured for 4 months during 2002-2003 at seven sites located in the rapidly developing Pearl River Delta region of China, an area encompassing the major cities of Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The 4-month average fine particulate matter concentration ranged from 37 to 71 ug/m3 in Guangdong province and from 29 to 34 ug/m3 in Hong Kong. Main constituents of fine particulate mass were organic compounds (24-35% by mass) and sulfate (21-32%). … The vicinity of Guangzhou is determined to be a major source area influencing regional concentrations of PM2.5 … In addition, it appears that sources outside of the Pearl River Delta contribute a significant fraction of overall fine particulate matter in Hong Kong and Guangdong province. This is evident in the relatively high PM2.5 concentrations observed at the background sites of 18 ug/m3 (Tap Mun, southerly flow conditions) and 27 ug/m3 (Conghua, northerly flow conditions).Source areas and chemical composition of fine particulate matter in the Pearl River Delta Region of China Note that even the figure for Tap Mun during southerlies is significant, when look at new US study showing fine particulates boost risks of heart attacks and strokes: Air Pollution Linked to Heart Deaths Risk May Be Higher Than Previous Studies Suggest
From WebMD Medical News:
Quote:Air pollution is a much bigger factor in death from heart disease or stroke than has previously been recognized, according to findings from one of the largest studies ever to examine the issue.Researchers followed close to 66,000 women — aged 50-79 — living in 36 cities. All the women were enrolled in the ongoing health study, the Women’s Health Initiative.
After adjusting for other risk factors for heart disease and stroke, they found that air quality was a strong predictor of heart disease and stroke risks — and an even stronger predictor of death from heart disease or stroke.
Fine particulate air pollution — caused primarily by vehicle exhausts, coal-fired power plants, and other industrial sources — was the sole type of air pollution associated with increased risk.
…
Fine particulate air pollution is measured in micrograms per cubic meter. According to the EPA, fine particles of 2.5 micrometers or smaller are in smoke and haze. They can occur because of gases from industrial plants and cars.The 36 cities represented in the study had average levels of this type of pollution ranging from 3.4 micrograms per cubic meter (in Honolulu) to 28.3 (in Riverside, Calif.), write the researchers.
According to the EPA, in 2005, Los Angeles, Birmingham, Detroit, and Pittsburgh were among the cities with the most fine particulate air pollution, with pollution levels ranging from 18 to 21 micrograms per cubic meter.
Tucson, Ariz.; Miami; and Reno, Nev., were among the cities with the cleanest air, with levels below 10.
After adjusting for other heart disease and stroke risk factors, Kaufman and colleagues concluded that each 10-unit increase in air levels of fine particulate matter was associated with a 76% increase in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Higher long-term exposure to air pollution was also linked to an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease.
…
Environmental epidemiologist Douglas Dockery, ScD, of the Harvard School of Public Health, tells WebMD that it is now clear that fine particle air pollutants poses a unique risk to health, but the reason for this is not so clear."It may be their chemical composition, their size, or their ability to transport other pollutants deep into the lungs," he says. "There is a lot of research going on right now attempting to figure this out."
Dockery says the scientific evidence supporting tighter restrictions on fine particle pollution levels is now overwhelming.
…Air Pollution Linked to Heart Deaths
Risk May Be Higher Than Previous Studies SuggestVia googling, I find that a recent study over 4-month period showed Hong Kong and Guangdong exceeded highest levels of fine particulates for places in the US study: Guangdong had sites way exceeding it. (Must be many more heart attacks and strokes in dirtiest Guangdong places than should be the case: but what can people do about this, esp when so much money being made?)
Quote:The 4-month average fine particulate matter concentration ranged from 37 to 71 ug/m3 in Guangdong province and from 29 to 34 ug/m3 in Hong Kong. Main constituents of fine particulate mass were organic compounds (24-35% by mass) and sulfate (21-32%).Another article on HK pollution in international media, this time UK’s Daily Telegraph, includes:
Quote:At 25 C, ozone and other chemical pollutants turn from gas into smog – and day-time temperatures reach 25 C for much of the year in southern China. From that point, it takes 12 hours for the cloud formed to travel from the factories along the Pearl River in Guangdong, the Chinese province surrounding Hong Kong, to the island. Even when it is not warm, there are other hazards. While ozone and other heat-affected compounds come from chemicals, there is also dust from the cement works and porcelain factories, and sulphur dioxide from the power stations, … Christopher Hammerbeck, who runs the British Chamber of Commerce, said the environment was becoming a recruitment issue. "Families don’t want to come here because they have read about the pollution."Dark cloud of pollution hangs over future of Hong Kong
Post edited by: Martin, at: 2007/01/27 14:16
From the Independent:
Quote:Researchers have found that young people growing up in homes within 500 metres of a major road suffer significant damage to their lungs from exhaust fumes.
…
The study, conducted at the University of Southern California, is the latest to show that air pollution increases the risk of respiratory disease. But few studies have examined its effect on lung growth in children.
…
The authors say carbon, nitrogen dioxide and ultrafine particulates – tiny particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs – are all increased near roads and could account for the damage. Diesel exhaust has been shown to be particularly damaging.
…
Stephen Holgate, professor of immunopharmacology at the University of Southampton, said the study added to evidence that exhaust fumes damaged lung development in children "probably in the first five to eight years of life".He said: "Reduced lung function in childhood is a known risk factor for the development and worsening of asthma in children and the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease later in life." He added: "The study adds to the conclusions made in a World Health Organisation report on the health effects of pollution in children, published in 2006, and emphasises the importance of continuing strategies to reduce pollutant hot spots as well as reducing overall air pollutant exposure."
Children growing up near roads suffer serious damage to lungs
Hi Tak:
To my knowledge, the ferry is only at weekends and on public holidays.It’s become much busier there in past few years, but Saturdays not too bad.
I’ve previously managed to take ferry off the island at around 11am on a Sunday – but that was some time ago, not sure if still possible. (Landed at Wong Shek Pier – from where there are buses to Sai Kung and to Diamond Hill in Kowloon.)On Sundays, especially, seems most people arrive in big groups: bustling and noisy when they’re around, but once they’ve swarmed on, peace can return to whatever part of the island you’re in.
But of course, for tranquillity, would be best after ferry’s gone on Sat, and before ferry and tour boats arrive on Sun.There’s timetable for ferries, and contact info, here:
http://www.traway.com.hk/routes.html#tungpingchauMartin
CLP’s partner in this potential environmental crime, ExxonMobil, has been major villain in funding groups befuddling American public over importance of global warming (this month, announced possible changes, so maybe [far] less such funding from now on).
There are several anti-ExxonMobil websites and web pages.
Sites include:
Exxpose Exxon – where you can find plenty of news items, such as titled “Exxon Caught Funding Fake News”
At top of homepage, says:Quote:As one of the world’s most profitable companies, ExxonMobil has the power to move the world toward a more sustainable energy future. Instead, ExxonMobil is consistently moving our country backward on energy by blocking efforts to stop global warming, funding front groups that produce junk science and disinformation about global warming, refusing to invest in renewable energy and lobbying to drill in America’s most sensitive areas.– hardly seems a company to entrust with future of one of Hong Kong’s finest coastal areas.
