About the VOC Regulation
Notification Letter to Importers and Manufacturers about the VOC Regulation
Controls and Requirements of the VOC Regulation
Advisory Notices for Regulated Control of VOC Products
More Information about the VOC Regulation
Sales and Use Reporting to the EPD by Importers and Manufacturers
Prior Notification to the EPD of Regulated Paints
Links to Relevant VOC Testing Methods
Other Useful Links
About the VOC Regulation
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are found in wide variety of everyday products such as solvent-based paints, printing inks, many consumer products, organic solvents and petroleum products.
VOC-containing products
In addition to motor vehicles, the use of these products releases VOCs which cause air pollution and smog. To improve the air quality and achieve the 55% VOC reduction target to below 1997 level by 2010 under the joint regional air quality management plan with Guangdong, the Government has implemented a series of various control measures. The Air Pollution Control Ordinance (Volatile Organic Compounds) Regulation, effective from 1 April 2007, is one of these measures that controls the VOC emissions from architectural paints/coatings, printing inks and selected consumer products.
With effect from 1 April 2007, the new VOC Regulation imposes maximum limits on the VOC content of architectural paints/coatings, printing inks and six selected consumer products - air fresheners, hairsprays, multi-purpose lubricants, floor wax strippers, insecticides and insect repellents. The limits will be enforced in phases from 1 April 2007, putting Hong Kong on a par with the internationally most stringent Californian standards, and in a leading position in the region to impose VOC limits on selected products. It is expected that the VOC Regulation would help reduce about 8,000 tonnes of VOC emission a year.
Notification Letter to Importers and Manufacturers about the VOC Regulation
To inform the importers and manufacturers about the newly enacted VOC Regulation, the EPD has sent a Notification to the concerned importers and manufacturers. If you have not received it, you may click this link
for the Notification to understand how the VOC Regulation affects you.
Controls and Requirements of the VOC Regulation
The VOC Regulation:
(a) sets limits on the VOC content of 51 types of architectural paints/coatings, 7 types of printing inks and 6 broad categories of consumer products, which will be implemented in phases between 1 April 2007 and 1 January 2010. No person shall import to or manufacture in Hong Kong for local sale or use any of the regulated products containing VOCs in excess of the prescribed limits in the Regulation. Please check the following links for details of the VOC limits:
VOC limits for regulated paints
VOC limits for regulated printing inks
VOC limits for regulated consumer products
(b) requires annual reporting by 31 March of the year of sales amount for these regulated products for the previous calendar year, starting in the year following the respective prescribed limits become effective.
(c) requires proper labeling for regulated paints not meeting their future prescribed VOC limits, and product information display and prior notification for regulated paints from 1 April 2007 onwards.
(d) requires installation of emission control devices for all lithographic heatset web printing machines to limit VOC in the waste gases to no more than 100 mg Carbon/m3 (without dilution, at reference conditions of 0oC and 101.325 kPa) from 1 January 2009 onwards.
More Information about the VOC Regulation
You may download the Air Pollution Control (Volatile Organic Compounds) Regulation at Bilingual Law Information System (look for the Regulation under 'Chapter 311, Air Pollution Control Ordinance') or view the guidance notes for the Regulation in A Guide to the Air Pollution Control (Volatile Orgainc Compounds) Regulation.
For further information, please contact us at:
Environmental Protection Department
Territorial Control Office
24/F, Southorn Centre
130 Hennessy Road
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Enquiry Hotline: 2838 3111 Fax: 2838 3111 Email: enquiry@epd.gov.hk
Sales and Use Reporting to the EPD by Importers and Manufacturers
By 31 March of each year, importers or manufacturers shall submit to the EPD a report with the sales amount and specific information of the regulated products imported or locally manufactured in the previous calendar year (1 January to 31 December), starting in the year following the respective VOC limits in the Regulation become effective. For the purpose of submission, please use the Sales and Use Reporting Form at this link or this link
. Guidance notes for completing and submitting the Form can be found at this link.
Prior Notification to the EPD of Regulated Paints
With effect from 1 April 2007, importers or manufacturers of regulated paints shall notify the EPD of the particulars of any imported or locally manufactured regulated paints prior to the sale or use in Hong Kong. For the purpose of submission, please use the Notification Form at this link or this link. Guidance notes for completing and submitting the Form can be found at this link.
Links to Relevant VOC Testing Methods
USEPA Test Methods
South Coast Air Quality Management District Method 303
California Air Resources Board Method 310
ASTM Methods
NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods
Other Useful Links
Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
California Air Resources Board
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