SL facing serious air pollution issues – HK’s Environment Protection Director
Sri Lanka, as a developing country, is facing increasingly serious air pollution issues, said Hong Kong’s Environment Protection Director Dr. Samuel Chui.
He was speaking at the conference on Improving air quality in lower Middle income countries monitoring, modelling and pollution control held at the China – Sri Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Centre for Water Technology (JRDC) recently.
“China and other nations have prioritised air quality during industrial development. However, Sri Lanka is now seeking expertise from experts in countries like China, Australia and Canada to address this pressing concern,” he said.
He added as the economy continues to grow rapidly, the challenge of maintaining air quality standards is of paramount importance.
JRDC Director Dr. S. K. Weragoda highlighted that the conference provided a platform for experts from various countries to exchange their knowledge on addressing environmental impacts and improving air quality.
The experts focused on air quality monitoring, pollution levels and policy strategies to mitigate air pollution.
Representatives from China, Hong Kong, the United States, Canada, the Maldives, as well as local experts from the Sri Jayewardenapura University, Peradeniya University, Central Environment Authority, National Water Supply and Drainage Board and the Water Supply Ministry shared their experiences, he said.
Dr. Weragoda emphasised that this conference allowed Sri Lanka to gain insights into the latest technologies used in other countries to combat air pollution.
He mentioned the signing of a MoU between the CEA and JRDC, underscores the latter’s role as a regulatory body capable of supporting environmental monitoring and sustainable development in alignment with the President’s policy.
Director General of Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. Zhu Yongguan emphasised that air pollution is a global challenge that should be addressed unitedly.
He expressed gratitude to the JRDC, a joint Research and Demonstration Centre between China and Sri Lanka, for organising such conferences to bring together experts in the field on a common platform.
He expressed hope that in the future, Sri Lanka will host similar activities to promote collaboration and training for young scientists.
“The young scientists should work together with their international peers to tackle global issues of importance”, he said.
He also highlighted that Sri Lanka is uniquely positioned with its diverse ecosystems.
Prof. James Schauer of the Wisconsin University in Madison, United States, stated that experts from various countries convened at the conference to deliberate on the development of strategies for addressing air quality and capacity building to control air pollution in Sri Lanka and other countries in the region.
He emphasised the importance of creating a roadmap for this purpose, drawing from the experiences of countries such as China, the United States and Hong Kong, among others. He also mentioned that a group of professors from the US shared their expertise on modeling and measuring air pollution, providing valuable insights into its sources and impacts on human health.
Dr. Gayan Bowatte, from the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences at the Peradeniya University, emphasised the importance of the conference organised by the JRDC, which is affiliated with the university. The conference aims to address the issue of air pollution in Sri Lanka and gather insights from local and foreign experts on how to mitigate its effects.
Dr. Bowatte highlighted the neglected nature of air pollution in the country, despite its significant impact on public health. He stressed the need for greater attention to this issue, considering the adverse health effects and fatalities associated with air pollution.
This conference provided an invaluable opportunity to collaborate with experts in the field, he said.
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