Pollution Complaint Statistics

The EPD Hotline has been operating since 1986, serving as a focal point for the public to report pollution complaints to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). In November 1995, the department extended its hotline service to six Local Hotlines to provide even better service to the public, on a more local basis. This service was further enhanced in 2002 with the establishment of the Customer Service Centre to provide a single-call-number service to the public for pollution complaints, smoky vehicle complaints, beach water grading enquiries and waste recycling enquiries. The Customer Service Centre (CSC) is backed up by a sophisticated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and operated by well-trained hotline staff to provide an instant response to customer calls. The CRM system is further supported by a GIS (Geographic Information System)-based module that allows for spatial analysis of complaint information provided by the public, as well as an on-screen knowledge database system. A 24-hour service is maintained by hotline staff during office hours and by a telephone recording service after office hours. Pollution complaints that fall within the EPD's jurisdiction and require investigation are referred to the relevant staff. Other complaints or issues are referred to the relevant government departments. In 2010, there was a decrease of 3% in pollution complaints (from 24 498 cases in 2009 to 23 678 cases in 2010). Air pollution constituted 46% of the total complaints, followed by noise pollution (29%), waste & water pollution (22%) and miscellaneous pollution complaints (3%). Most of the air pollution complaints concerned emissions from vehicles (45%). Most complaints reported to the EPD were by phone in 2010 (48%). Another 22% were received through internet or email, 26% were referred by Police and other government departments, 2% were sent by mail and 2% came through the news media and other channels. The Local Hotlines received 30 436 enquiries in 2010.

Top Six Types of Pollution Complaints in 2010 See Data

Number of Pollution Complaints   See Data

Channels of Pollution Complaints in 2010 See Data

Change in Number of Pollution Complaints in 2010 Nature   2009 2010 % Change Air   11 103 10 953 -1% Noise -EPD cases 5 030 4 952 -2%   -Police cases 2 146 1 875 -13% Water   1 864 1 772 -5% Waste   3 940 3 438 -13% Miscellaneous   415 688 66% Total   24 498 23 678 -3%

Complaint Statistics Breakdown by District and Nature in 2010 District Total % Air Noise Water Waste Misc Islands 612 2.6 126 138 169 167 12 Kwai Tsing 841 3.6 182 297 31 320 11 North 708 3.0    202 194 98 188 26 Sai Kung 1 986 8.4 1 045 278 177 176 310 Sha Tin  974 4.1 316 376 119 114 49 Tai Po 790 3.3 186 198 156 230 20 Tsuen Wan 1 409 6.0 244 980 88 89 8 Tuen Mun 779 3.3 257 271 97 140 14 Yuen Long 1 705 7.2 598 399 214 447 47 Subtotal  9 804 41.4 3 156 3 131 1 149 1 871 497 Central & Western 1 122 4.7 319 546 75 152 30 Eastern 1 188 5.0 437 470 79 185 17 Southern 465 2.0 121 124 41 177 2 Wan Chai 1 171 4.9 305 552 72 219 23 Subtotal 3 946 16.7 1 182 1 692 267 733 72 Kowloon City 1 202 5.1 390 518 87 187 20 Kwun Tong 700 3.0 263 261 61 105 10 Yau Tsim Mong 1 586 6.7 527 678 109 224 48 Sham Shui Po 1 102 4.7 350 365 76 279 32 Wong Tai Sin 402 1.7 152 182 23 39 6 Subtotal 4 992 21.1 1 682 2 004 356 834 116 Vehicles  4929 20.8 4 929 0 0 0 0 Others 7 <0.1 4 0 0 0 3 Grand Total 23 678 100.0 10 953 6 827 1 772 3 438 688 Remarks : 1. Others - include territory-wide issues and other mobile sources which cannot be regionalised. 2. Noise cases include police cases.

Pollution Complaints by Trade Type in 2010   Air Noise Water Waste Misc Total Commercial             Restaurants / food shop  1 207 1 211 147 14 31 2 610 Land Transport 44 327 26 17 2 416 Retail Shops 164 287 42 8 11 512 Garage 192 75 118 43 4 432 Repair Services 6 6 6 6 0 24 School & Institutions 5 161 5 1 4 176 Car Parks 32 23 11 4 10 80 Laundries 59 15 3 1 0 78 Recreation Services 8 56 0 0 3 67 Religious Organisations 68 29 7 0 2 106 Sanitary Services 20 23 11 1 0 55 Hotels 9 45 5 2 11 72 Photo Finishing 0 0 0 0 0 0 Others 454  869 147 59 140 1 669 Industrial             Construction Site & Renovation 1 117 1 480 225 2 731 317 5 870 Livestock Farm 50 2 13 15 1 81 Food Manufacturing 68 10 16 0 1 95 Godown 33 56 7 3 4 103 Textile Industries 12 5 2 1 0 20 Chemical Products 3 0 0 1 0 4 Fabricated Metal Products 6 5 0 1 1 13 Other manufacturing industries 13 1 0 2 0 16 Basic Metal 34 25 0 0 0 59 Cement / Concrete / Batching Plants etc 19 2 13 63 4 101 Furniture and Fixtures 1 1 0 0 0 2 Printing 8 4 2 0 0 14 Rubber & Plastics 13 0 0 1 0 14 Paper Products 0 1 0 0 0 1 Others 405 103 32 39 8 587 Government / Public Facilities             Refuse Collection Point 6 9 7 4 0 26 Landfill 837 1 2 0 12 852 Sewage Treatment Plant 15 0 1 0 0 16 Refuse Transfer Station 4 2 2 1 1 10 Crematorium 1 0 0 0 0 1 Other Facilities 66 101 29 7 11 214               Domestic & Public place  762  1 370 878 411 108 3 529               Others 283 73 15 2 2 375               Intruder Alarm 0 449 0 0 0 449               Vehicle emissions 4 929 0 0 0 0 4 929               Total 10 953 6 827 1 772 3 438 688 23 678 Remarks :  Noise cases include police cases.

Pollution Complaints by Subject Categories in 2010 Breakdown by Pollutant / Activities Air Pollution   Vehicle emission 4 929 Ship emission 4 Open burning 181 Paint spraying 165 Asbestos 136 Cement dust 14 Dark smoke 32 Construction dust / air nuisance 1 117 Greasy fumes / cooking odour 1 335 Malodour 2 141 Mysterious gas incident / Gas leakage 0 Burning of incense paper, etc 163 Others 736 Sub-total 10 953     Noise Pollution   Construction      General works  1 246    Percussive piling 234 Neighbourhood & public place 1 370 Transport      Road traffic 215    Aircraft / Helicopter (flight) 1    Marine traffic 2 Ind & comm      Restaurants 1 211    MTRC 60    Ferry facilities 0    Ind & within same building 1    Others - (Industrial, Commercial, etc) 2 009 Product noise (NCO) 1 Intruder alarm 449 Others 28 Sub-total 6 827     Water Pollution   Effluent from construction sites 225 Effluent from restaurant / food shops 147 Effluent from septic tanks 53 Illegal pipe connection 136 Beach water quality 1 Domestic / public place discharge 743 Effluent from industrial activities other than construction activities 83 Effluent from commercial other than from restaurants or food shops 328 Others 56 Sub-total 1 772     Waste Pollution   Flytipping 3 079 Marine dumping 1 Pig waste 10 Chicken waste 5 Pigeon waste 1 Mixed livestock waste 0 Chemical waste (lube. oil) 74 Chemical waste (asbestos) 45 Chemical waste (misc) 102 Oily waste 22 Livestock rearing in prohibition area / restriction area 64 Others 35 Sub-total 3 438     Miscellanenous 688 Sub-total 688     Total: 23 678  Remarks :  Noise cases include police cases.

Incoming Calls to Customer Service Centre from Year 1986 to 2010 See Data