(d)
(e)
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the impact of the use of illegally imported diesel oil and industrial diesel oil on air pollution in the territory; and
the total loss of Government revenue as a result of the use of illegally imported diesel oil and industrial diesel oil by commercial vehicles?
Reply:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
We do not have statistics about the annual consumption of illegally imported diesel oil and industrial diesel oil which may have been used by commercial vehicles. We only have statistics on the quantity of illicit diesel oil seized. The statistics for the past three years are set out in the table attached.
The types of commercial vehicles where the use of illegally imported diesel oil and industrial diesel oil is commonly found during enforcement action in the past three years are taxis and heavy goods vehicles.
For the reason set out in (a), we do not have statistics about the proportions of annual consumption of illegally imported diesel oil and industrial diesel oil by commercial vehicles to the annual total consumption of diesel oil for vehicles.
Illegally imported diesel oil and industrial diesel oil tend to have a higher sulphur content than automotive diesel oil. Therefore, their use as automotive fuel is likely to cause higher emissions of sulphur dioxide and respirable suspended particulates. However, we have no evidence to show that the misuse has caused any significant adverse impact on the overall air quality in the territory.
On the basis of the quantity of illicit diesel oil seized, the potential duty loss to Government for the past three years is provided in the table at (a) above.