THE ENVIRONMENT
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2, 1987, were exempted from this licensing requirement provided that EPD is notified of their existence. During the year, seven exemptions were granted and 15 applications for licences to conduct specified processes were processed.
Other regulations for stationary emission sources include the Air Pollution Control (Smoke) Regulations which restrict dark smoke emission from stationary combustion sources, and the Air Pollution Control (Furnaces, Ovens and Chimneys) (Installation and Alteration) Regulations which require the submission of plans and specifications for the installation or alteration of fuel-using equipment thereby ensuring appropriate design.
The worldwide concern about the depletion of the ozone layer prompted the enactment of the Ozone Layer Protection Ordinance in 1989. This ordinance brought into effect the international obligations contained in the 1985 Vienna Convention for Protection of the Ozone Layer and the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Brought into force on July 1, 1989, this ordinance prohibits the manufacture of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and halons, and controls in stages the import and export of these substances through a registration and licensing system. Licensing control of CFCs was implemented on July 1, 1989, and will be followed by the control of halons by January 1, 1990.
To promote a better understanding of the legislation, a set of six bilingual guides to the Air Pollution Control Ordinance and Regulations have been produced in layman's terms. These guidebooks are distributed, free of charge, to industrialists and to all interested bodies. The Air Control Group of the EPD also provides general technical advice to industry to assist in achieving compliance with legislative requirements. During the year, such advice was given on 906 occasions and helped to rectify a significant proportion of localised air pollution problems, without recourse to legal action.
The enforcement work is further facilitated by the development of an Enforcement Management System (EMS), which analyses data arising from survey and enforcement activities. The system emphasises management control of enforcement functions and establishes standardised methods of processing data. It utilises electronic data processing techniques for compiling and retrieving emission source information. The ultimate objec- tive is to provide timely pollution source information to meet various enforcement needs.
Apart from enforcement work, studies were conducted on the control of particulate emissions and malodour. Construction activities account for some 30 per cent of all total suspended particulates emitted in the territory. Current practices and controls in the construction industry are being examined with a view to developing suitable codes of practice and, if necessary, legislative controls. To complement this work, the Air Control Group has set up an odour panel for dealing with odour assessment and control.
In the control of asbestos, existing legislation is primarily aimed at protecting the health of workers dealing with the substance. However, the government also sees a need to protect the general public more adequately by introducing further statutory controls over the emission of asbestos fibres into the environment and it has employed a specialist consultant to develop detailed proposals for the legislative controls and the measures required to implement them. In the proposals, it is planned to introduce licensing provisions for controlling the activities of asbestos removal contractors in 1990.
A comprehensive control strategy is being developed for vehicle emissions. Proposals include the introduction of regulations that enable more effective control of smoke emissions from vehicles, and that require all imported vehicles, both diesel- and petrol-engined, to comply with the most stringent international emission standards. The supply of lead-free petrol for use in Hong Kong is also being proposed for the first half of