Proposed
Air Pollution Control (Dry-cleaning Machines) (Vapour Recovery)
Regulation
(without Annexes 1&2)
(ACE
Paper 34/2000)
For discussion
PURPOSE
This paper seeks Members' advice on the draft Air Pollution Control
(Dry-cleaning Machines) (Vapour Recovery) Regulation (Annex 1),
to be made under Section 43(1) of the Air Pollution Control Ordinance.
BACKGROUND
- Members considered
and endorsed the proposed scheme for the control of perchloroethylene
(PCE) emissions from dry cleaning operation at the meeting of
28 July 1997. The relevant ACE paper (35/97) is attached in Annex
2. The trade and the relevant government departments/bureaux (Annex
3) have since been further consulted, and the draft regulation
prepared.
REVISIONS
OF THE PROPOSED SCHEME
- Some revisions were
made to the endorsed control scheme as a result of further comments
from the trade and the relevant government departments/bureaux.
When compared with the old scheme proposed in 1997 (ACE Paper
35/97), the major revisions are:
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New Dry-cleaning
machines
- To facilitate
the dry-cleaning operators to purchase a machine meeting
the standards of 300 ppmv in the drum, the Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) will type-approve a list of
machines which have been certified by the machine manufacturers
to meet the specified standards. The approved model list
will be put on a register for public inspection.
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Existing dry-cleaning
machines
- As the non-vented
substandard machines are usually much newer and emitting
60% less PCE as compared with the vented type machines,
a longer grace period of 7 years instead of 5 years is
allowed for the replacement or modification of these substandard
non-vented machines to comply with the new standards.
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- The modified
machines will also need to comply with the standards for
new machines (i.e. 300 ppmv in the drum). This will simplify
the system for having a unified standard on one hand,
and better protect the environment on the other.
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CONSULTATION
- The trades and the
concerned Government Departments and Bureaux have been consulted.
They in general supported the revised scheme of control, though
some of them still have concern on the following issues:
- the grace period
of 5 years for the vented machines and 7 years for the non-vented
machines should be further extended; and
- the Government
should subsidize the machine modification or replacement through
compensation or low interest loan.
- The initial grace
period proposed in 1997 was 5 years. After taking into consideration
views expressed by the trade, the grace periods have been extended
to the current proposed 5 years and 7 years. We consider that
further extension of the grace periods is inappropriate because
of the following reasons:
- based on the information
obtained by EPD, it is estimated that over 90% of the existing
vented machines will approach their normal retirement age,
i.e. 10 years old, at the expiry of the 5-year grace period
for vented machines, and have to be replaced anyway;
- a longer grace
period of 7 years is proposed for the non-vented machines
because they emit around 60% less PCE than vented machines
and they are in general younger in age. However, further extension
of the grace period beyond 7 years is not recommended due
to the potential health risk to the public from long term
exposure; and
- in fact, most
of the PCE will be recovered and can be reused in the non-vented
dry-cleaning machines which comply with our proposed standards,
this will lead to a substantial saving in PCE consumption.
The dry-cleaners will benefit in the long run.
IMPLEMENTATION
- Subject to the Council's
endorsement, the plan is to introduce the proposed regulation
to the Legislative Council in November 2000.
PUBLIC
REACTION
- As the proposed regulation
will reduce the exposure of the public to air toxic pollutants,
it should be welcomed by the public.
ADVICE
SOUGHT
- Members are requested
to advise whether they endorse the draft Regulation as attached
in Annex 1.
Environment
and Food Bureau
September 2000
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