ENG-2016 — Page 299

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The Environment

Railway Noise

The MTR Corporation carries out noise reduction programmes to address noise problems along railways. New railway projects are required to undergo environmental impact assessments.

Aircraft Noise

The impact of aircraft noise on almost all residents in the vicinity of flight paths at the airport is within planning standards. However, there is still concern about nuisance from aircraft noise, especially during evenings and early mornings. The government continues to explore all practicable measures to mitigate aircraft noise.

Construction Noise

Noise from general construction works between 7pm and 7am and on public holidays is controlled through construction noise permits. These restrict the use of equipment in accordance with strict criteria and restrict noisy manual activities in built-up areas. Percussive piling is prohibited at night and on public holidays, and requires a permit during the daytime. on any day that is not a public holiday. The government has phased out the use of noisy diesel, steam and pneumatic piling hammers. The law also requires hand-held percussive breakers and air compressors for construction to meet strict noise standards and to have 'green' noise emission labels.

The EPD adopts a Quality Powered Mechanical Equipment system to promote the use of environmentally friendly construction equipment and to facilitate the construction noise permit application process.

Noise from Industrial or Commercial Activities

The department serves noise abatement notices requiring the owners or occupants of premises causing excessive noise from industrial or commercial activities to reduce it within a given period.

Waste Management

Waste Statistics!

Over the past decade, the municipal solid waste dumped at landfills has increased 9 per cent, while the mid-year population has grown 6 per cent. Between 2011 and 2015, municipal solid waste totalling 3.28 million to 3.71 million tonnes annually was disposed of, with the daily per capita disposal rate at between 1.27kg and 1.39kg. Food waste accounted for about 37 per cent of municipal solid waste on average.

Regarding overall construction waste, 1.22 million to 1.53 million tonnes were disposed of at landfills annually over the same five-year period, an average 44 per cent drop on the 2.39 million tonnes in 2005 before the launch of a Construction Waste Charging Scheme in 2006.

1 Waste statistics for 2016 will be published in the report, Monitoring of Solid Waste in Hong Kong: Waste Statistics for 2016,

to be released in 2017.

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