“

Hong Kong’s

POLLUTING BUSESA Major Threat to Human Health

25% of all RSP (Respirable Suspended Particulates)

27% of all NOx (Oxides of Nitrogen)

Of road vehicles, commercial diesel vehicles (buses & trucks)

contribute 80-90% of roadside RSP and NOx

Road vehicles are the 2nd largest source of air pollution in HK

Source: LegCo Panel in Environmental Affairs, 20 Dec 2006

40% of roadside emissions

come from buses

Source: Verbal Statement by Edward Yau, LegCo Panel on Environmental Affairs, 29 July 2009

Composition of Bus FleetSource: HK Department of Transport July 2009

ROADSIDE

EMISSIONS

from commercial

vehicles are the major

threat to our health,

not Guangdong

53% of the time, the dominant source of

HK air pollution is LOCAL

Source: HKUST

The pollution concentration at roadside is much higher

than that released several hundred feet above the ground

by, say, power plants. It is concentration exposure which

is determinative of harm to human health.

Source: HK Department of Transport July 2009

How do diesel bus fumes

affect our health?

Diesel bus fumes contain:

• Particulate Matter (PM)

can cause acute and chronic lung disease

• Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) +

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs),

react together in sunlight to form ground-level

OZONE

• OZONE and NOx

can cause acute and chronic lung impairment

• The bus fleet can be divided between

FRANCHISED (5768) and NON-FRANCHISED

buses (7068).

• Both classes are subject to the same

regulations, but franchised buses are subject to

franchise agreements which fix routes, costs and

conditions of operation.

• None of these licensing frameworks set

ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS*.

*There is a control on smoke emissions, but the assessment is based on superficial factors, which

are not necessarily to tied to health impacts.

LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Being controlled by only 3 companies,

franchise buses represent the biggest

opportunity for immediate clean-up of air

pollution impacting human health. In

comparison, the non-franchised bus fleet’s

ownership is more fragmented and complex.

WHY FOCUS ON FRANCHISE BUSES?

• 75% of buses are OLD

and DIRTY (pre-Euro, Euro I and

Euro II standard)

• Less than 1% of the buses have

adopted the Euro IV standard

• Given the current rates of

retirement, bus companies will be

left with heavily polluting fleets

over the next 20 years

Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Fleet

HONG KONG’S BUS FLEET

BY EURO STANDARDS

58

194 228

63

37269 414 390 419

1

347

1037

571

416

234

4

136

419

200 188

54112 72

22

2

50 530

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Pre

92

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Euro 4

Euro 3

Euro 2

Euro 1

Pre-Euro

What are the differences between Euro

buses in terms of emissions?

Emissions by Euro Standard

PARTICULATE MATTER (PM)No Limit Pre-Euro

CA

RB

ON

MO

NO

XID

E (

CO

)O

XID

ES

of N

ITR

OG

EN

(NO

x)

4.5 g/kWh 14 g/kWh

Euro 3

Euro 2

Euro 1

Euro 4Euro 5

0.36 g/kWh

Pre-Euro

*This rendering measures emissions in 3 dimensions.

Percentage Comparison of Euro Emission Standards (NOx)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Euro I Euro II Euro III Euro IV Euro V Euro VI

Euro Emission Standard

Perc

enta

ge R

ela

tive t

o E

uro

I

Percentage Comparison of Euro Emission Standards (PM)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Euro I Euro II Euro III Euro IV Euro V Euro VI

Euro Emission Standard

Perc

enta

ge R

ela

tive t

o E

uro

I

Current legislation requires that new buses must be Euro

IV or higher. However, some of the dirtiest buses will be

on the road until 2019. Thus, we urge the Government to:

• Set an earlier date by which ALL buses must meet

stricter mandatory emissions standards (Euro III is

proposed)

• Mandate the early retirement of all pre-Euro, Euro I

and Euro II buses by a fixed date (Measure 2. of

Phase I of Govt’s proposed package)

• Adopt a significant percentage of hybrid/clean-tech

buses by a fixed date, like London. (Measure 22. of

Phase II of Govt’s proposed package)

WHAT SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT DO?

• Review the bus franchise agreements to:

– Incorporate environmental performance

standards

– Offer variable franchise time lengths based on

the use / disuse of environment-friendly bus

technologies (i.e., longer franchises granted for

major capital investments by bus companies.)

– Conduct “green competition”, namely, the use

of more efficient vehicles and environment-

friendly policies, as part of the bidding criteria

• Reduce or waive the Transport Department’s

annual license for buses that meet the Euro IV

standard, and charge higher licensing fees for

vehicles that are below Euro III standard

WHAT SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT DO?

What CAN we do?

CAN is encouraging Hong Kongers to speak out

about air pollution by SIGNING THE PETITION

FOR CLEAN AIR!

“Air pollution is Hong Kong’s most serious public health crisis,

killing over 1,100 people every year. I urge the government to

improve our air quality until pollution is no longer a significant

threat to our health.

• Adopting the WHO Air Quality Guidelines and setting an early

date to comply.

• Focusing clean-up measures on roadside emissions, the

biggest local source of health impacts.

• Improving accountability by reporting the health impacts of air

pollution every year.”

Support CAN and

sign the Petition for

Clean Air NOW!www.hongkongcan.org