THE ENVIRONMENT
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interruption. During the year, 484 permit applications were processed and 478 permits were issued. Six prosecutions were made for piling operations without permits or non- compliance with permit conditions.
Noise from industrial, commercial, trade or business premises is controlled by means of noise abatement notices. The EPD responds to complaints and may serve noise abatement notices requiring reduction of the excessive noise by a given date. Non-compliance with noise abatement notices is an offence, liable to prosecution. During the year, 2 024 com- plaints were investigated with 248 noise abatement notices served and 69 prosecu- tions made.
Noise from domestic premises and public places, commonly known as neighbourhood noise, is controlled by the police using subjective assessment. The police are empowered also to take enforcement action to control construction noise under the Noise Control Ordinance.
During the year, the police dealt with 930 complaints and initiated 100 prosecutions in respect of neighbourhood noise.
Wastes: Provision of Facilities and Services
Overall Strategies
Municipal solid waste is forecast to increase by 87 per cent over the next 15 years, and by the year 2006 some 44 000 tonnes of municipal solid waste will require collection and F disposal each day. A Waste Disposal Plan setting out the framework for management of all waste types was published in late 1989. The plan specifies the waste disposal strategy for the territory, and sets out a programme for phasing out old facilities and the provision of new facilities and services.
During 1989, a comprehensive sewage disposal strategy was completed for the whole territory. Part of the proposed strategy involves the construction of a large tunnel network for intercepting the sewage arising from the urban areas on both sides of Victoria Harbour, diverting it to treatment plants, and subsequently to a deep tunnel for ultimate discharge through an oceanic outfall into the Dangan Channel, some 30 kilometres from shore where oceanic currents can effectively disperse and assimilate the effluent. The treatment to be provided initially will include chemically-assisted sedimentation, enabling the effluent to be temporarily discharged in the western part of Victoria Harbour pending the completion of the oceanic outfall. Site investigation and preliminary design of the first stage of the strategy covering the Kowloon System has been completed. Work on the remaining stages is ongoing. Oceanographic surveys and mathematical modelling work to ascertain the best location of the oceanic outfall have commenced. The survey work is carried out jointly with the authorities of the People's Republic of China.
Sewerage Master Plans
The government is preparing a series of comprehensive sewerage master plans covering all sewage catchments in Hong Kong. The plans form the basis for providing networks to collect and convey sewage to a central disposal system. So far, eight sewerage master plan studies have been completed and three are in progress. The construction of a new sewerage system for Hong Kong Island South is underway. Construction work required for implementing 'first-aid' measures to bring about rapid water quality improvements to Tolo Harbour is near completion.