Dear Sir/Madam,

We are the concerned citizens of Hong Kong. We write to you in desperate need of help for the physical health and well-being of the Hong Kong public. This transcends political beliefs and ideologies.

For over 5 months there have been clashes between protesters and the Hong Kong police. During this period, the police have fired almost 10,000 rounds of tear gas, and counting. (1)

In the early months local press documented the police had fired tear gas rounds that were past their expiry (2, 3). In recent months, it has been reported that the UK and the US stopped supplying tear gas to the Hong Kong police (4), who have resorted to supply from mainland China (5, 5b). The authorities have blankly refused to disclose their chemical components, whilst Professor I, admitted that she does not know what the chemical components are (6).

On the 18th November 2019, the police fired tear gas rounds right outside the largest public acute hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, for the first time. The gas made its way into the hospital complex and affected staff and patients alike, including sick elderly, kids, babies etc. Some staff were reported to have fallen ill as a result. (7) The patients and medical professionals were effectively trapped.

The Centre for Health Protection in Hong Kong issued "Health Information on Tear Gas" on 7th November 2019 (7b), five months after they were first fired. Yet authorities would not go further to issue public health warning, nor do they seem willing to. This is dangerous as the police are firing tear gas rounds somewhat indiscriminately in very built up areas, near densely populated residences and now right outside the hospital. Hong Kong is a very densely populated city and hundreds of thousands of people have been exposed.

On 20 November 2019, Sophia Chan still refused to disclose the chemical components of the tear gas, reasoning that disclosure could jeopardize police operations (7c). This is utterly irresponsible.

There have also been reports that the tear gas contain and emit dioxin, a volatile organic compound that is carcinogenic, toxic and stays in the human body for years. The World Health Organisation states that "dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer." (8)

Cases of chloracne have been reported by those who have been hit by or come into close contact with the tear gas. (9) Academic journals also indicate that tear gas causes serious injuries (9b) and the use of tear gas has already been condemned by doctors (9c)

Putting politics aside, the priority is to get public health information out to people, since local authorities are not doing so or unwilling to do so. We also need to put pressure on the Hong Kong police to stop using these dangerous chemicals, which are not  only placing long term health risks on protesters and local residents, but also the frontline police themselves.

If we don't act now, this will turn into a public health crisis and many people will potentially suffer long term health effects.

The people of Hong Kong have the right to know the short and long term health impacts of the chemicals deployed by the police. The people of Hong Kong have the right to be protected.

We do not know who else to turn to. We beg for your help and support. Please help us secure from the Hong Kong government and relevant authorities:

(1) full transparent disclosure of the chemicals that are being fired in public places
(2) full transparent disclosure of the impact on public health as a result of coming into contact with these chemicals, including for the elderly and infants
(3) Hong Kong police to stop firing tear gas until the above facts are known and fully communicated to the public

Thank you.

Concerned Citizens of Hong Kong

Links:
(1) http://www.ejinsight.com/20191118-hk-student-activists-should-be-time-s-persons-of-the-year/
(2) https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/08/09/hong-kong-reporters-coughed-blood-developed-rashes-tear-gas-exposure-doctors-say/
(3) https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/ne8wy8/hong-kong-police-are-using-brutal-tactics-against-protesters-we-re-so-angry
(4) https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3016068/uk-suspends-exports-tear-gas-and-rubber-bullets-hong-kong
(5a) https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/10/12/hong-kong-police-confirm-purchase-tear-gas-canisters-made-mainland-china/
(5b) https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3032537/hong-kong-police-buy-new-tear-gas-canisters-mainland
(6) https://news.mingpao.com/ins/%E6%B8%AF%E8%81%9E/article/20191109/s00001/1573285894868/%E9%99%B3%E8%82%87%E5%A7%8B%E8%AA%8D%E5%B0%8D%E5%82%AC%E6%B7%9A%E7%85%99%E6%88%90%E5%88%86%E4%BA%86%E8%A7%A3%E6%9C%89%E9%99%90-%E8%A1%9B%E7%BD%B2-%E6%8E%A5%E8%A7%B8%E5%BE%8C%E5%85%A9%E5%B0%8F%E6%99%82%E5%85%A7%E6%87%89%E9%81%BF%E9%A4%B5%E6%AF%8D%E4%B9%B3
(7) https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3038312/hong-kong-protests-queen-elizabeth-hospital
(7b) https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/healthtopics/content/460/102308.html
(7c) https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1493501-20191120.htm

(8) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dioxins-and-their-effects-on-human-health
(9) https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/11/14/hong-kong-reporter-diagnosed-chloracne-tear-gas-exposure-prompting-public-health-concerns/
(9b) https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-017-4814-6
(9c) https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l5136/rr