SL Lee, H Tinsley, J Chau, HK Lai, TQ Thach, P Ip, CB Chow, AJ Hedley

Abstract

Our Air Quality Objectives (AQO) for seven air pollutants were established in 1987 under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance but have not been revised. Air pollution in Hong Kong has been continuously worsening and remains incompatible with acceptable standards of health protection for children. Although the government initiated a consultancy for AQO in 2007, revisions to the AQO will not be implemented for at least two more years, in 2014. Furthermore, the government does not accept that Hong Kong's AQO should follow the World Health Organization guidelines set in 2006, despite the high level of local and international evidence that poor quality air is detrimental to individual and population health and that the proposed new AQO will fail to provide adequate protection. We present a synopsis of the susceptibility of children to environmental pollution, international and local evidence of adverse health effects on children and call for support from paediatricians in urging the government to take actionable steps for the achievement of cleaner air to protect our child health.