ENG-1997 — Page 467

THE ENVIRONMENT

legal notices instructing offenders to abate air pollution. These figures are higher than in the previous year, the number of abatement notices in particular having increased by 68 per cent.

Some large industrial facilities and processes cause more air pollution than others. The Air Pollution Control Ordinance specifies these processes, which must operate under a licence setting out the measures each must adopt to minimise air pollution. The department has implemented this control in phases with most specified processes to be licensed by 1998. By the end of 1997, about 78 per cent of the licences had been issued, in line with the department's target enforcement performance.

Noise from industrial or commercial activities is controlled by means of Noise Abatement Notices. The department may serve notice to require the owners of premises emitting excessive noise to reduce it within a given period. In 1997, the department investigated around 2 700 complaints and served some 220 abatement notices, which led to about 70 convictions. These figures are not high when compared with over 350 000 premises subject to control, but are a little higher than in 1996.

Floating Refuse in the Harbour

The Marine Department collects floating refuse through a combined fleet of government and contract vessels. The government has stepped up its preventive action against sources of floating refuse through collaboration among the Agriculture and Fisheries, Urban Services, Regional Services and Marine Departments.

More refuse collection points have been set up in busy areas and publicity and educational activities increased. In 1996, the Marine Department began a three-year programme to modernise its refuse collection and scavenging fleet. Six new specialised vessels will be added to the existing fleet of seven, and a total of 58 contract vessels hired to strengthen the refuse collection service.

Transport

To tackle Hong Kong's air pollution problems, the government has a policy to apply the most stringent motor vehicle fuel and emission standards, once they become practical and available locally.

All new petrol cars must be fitted with catalytic converters to control emissions. The market share of unleaded petrol has been gradually increasing at an annual average rate of about 4 per cent to reach 86 per cent in 1997. Cleaner fuel and tighter emission standards were introduced in April 1997 to further reduce pollution from vehicles.

Diesel vehicles are major contributors to Hong Kong's vehicle emission problems. Government control strategies include up-to-date emission standards, tightened inspection requirements, and higher penalties on smoky vehicles. Large diesel vehicles must meet Euro II standards and small ones Euro phase I standards, which are currently enforced in the European Union. Only low sulphur content, 0.05 per cent, is permitted in motor diesel fuel.

A scheme for reporting smoky vehicles has been running since 1988. All vehicles reported must be examined at a designated testing centre to confirm that the vehicle owners have rectified the smoke defects. Since 1995, when tighter smoke inspection and more stringent emission standards for new vehicles were introduced, fewer smoky vehicles have been spotted. The 18 test centres conducted about 26 100 tests in 1997.

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