Hong Kong and Guangdong will set up a new information network before the end of this year to monitor the Pearl River Delta's air quality, Permanent Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works Keith Kwok said Saturday.

Speaking on a radio talk show, the official admitted that it is not an easy task to solve the regional pollution problem.

However he stressed that the governments in Hong Kong and Guangdong are dedicated to improve the air quality of the region. The two places reached an agreement in April 2002 with an aim to reduce the regional emissions of four major air pollutants by 2010.

Achieving the targets will significantly reduce the occurrence of smog in the region, he added.

As a measure to improve the air quality, he said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is seeking public views on a proposal to introduce mandatory registration and labeling requirements for specified products that may contain volatile organic compounds (VOC).

The proposed scheme, if implemented, will require all paints, printing inks, and selected consumer products to be properly tested and registered.

They may be sold only with a label indicating their VOC contents and the message "VOCs Cause Air Pollution."

The proposed scheme will enable consumers to make informed choices when purchasing products with VOC contents, he said.

With the obvious advantage of reducing the emissions of harmful pollutants to the air, he said, the proposed scheme will not have much financial burden on the trade.

Kwok said, to improve service delivery and bring about efficiency gains in the area of environmental protection, the government plans to merge the Environment Branch of the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau with the Environmental Protection Department beginning April 1, 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2004)