Is Hong Kong's pollution driving expats away?

24 January 2012 - The news that air pollution levels in Hong Kong were at a record high last year comes as little surprise to the expats who live in its smog.

According to a recently published report in The South China Morning Post, air quality in Hong Kong was 10 times worse last year than in 2005, with pollution levels recorded at three roadside monitor stations above the 'very high' mark more than 20 per cent of the time. Such heavy pollution has obvious implications for the health of Hong Kong’s residents, who it is feared are at an increased risk of everything from respiratory problems to cancer, but also casts a shadow over the city-state's future as a top international business centre.

Hong Kong is home to thousands of expat workers, many filling crucial positions in its thriving banking and finance sector, but the relentless grey haze which hangs over the former British colony could be increasingly driving those who can afford it to settle elsewhere. Last year, a report from office supplier Regus revealed that an astonishing three-quarters of companies in Hong Kong saw pollution as a problem in recruiting and retaining international talent, while a survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong found that nearly half (48 per cent) of its members knew of professionals who had left to escape the contaminated air.

For those expats who choose to remain in Hong Kong, the desire to escape the smog often dictates where they live. Teacher Linda Kernan, originally from Kent, has ended up seeking refuge on one of Hong Kong's outlying islands, where there are no cars. So why exactly is Hong Kong's pollution so bad? A reason often cited is its location at the mouth of China’s Pearl River Delta region, a booming economic centre home to over 70,000 factories, but the city's own industrial emissions, heavy traffic and tall buildings which trap contaminated air in a so-called 'canyon effect' are also major factors. The government has taken some steps to combat the problem in recent years – including introducing a ban on leaving stationary vehicles' engines running for more than three minutes – but local pressure groups such as the Clean Air Network insist that more changes are necessary.

Hans Leijten, the regional vice president for Regus in East Asia warns: "While Hong Kong's economy and job market are still extremely strong and it remains a top destination for expatriates, the quality of the environment and its effect on their health is certainly weighing heavily on the minds of those working there."

Source: Telegraph