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 2008, there was a decrease of 8% in pollution complaints (from 27 531 cases in 2007 to 25 206 cases in 2008). Air pollution constituted 47% of the total complaints, followed by noise pollution (30%) and waste & water pollution (22%). Most of the air pollution complaints concerned emissions from vehicles (48%).
Most complaints reported to the EPD were by phone in 2008 (53%). Another 22% were referred by other government departments, 18% were received through internet, 5% were sent by mail and 1% came through the news media.
The Local Hotlines received 33 482 enquiries in 2008.
Top Six Types of Pollution Complaints in 2008
Number of Pollution Complaints from Year 1986 to 2008
Channels of Pollution Complaints in 2008
Change in Number of Pollution Complaints in 2008
| Nature | 2007 | 2008 | % Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | 14 304 | 11 968 | -16% | |
| Noise | -EPD cases | 5 589 | 5 116 | -8% |
| -Police cases | 2 381 | 2 380 | < 0.1% | |
| Water | 1 838 | 1 803 | -2% | |
| Waste | 3 228 | 3 632 | 13% | |
| Miscellaneous | 191 | 307 | 61% | |
| Total | 27 531 | 25 206 | -8.4% |
Complaint Statistics Breakdown by District and Nature in 2008
| District | Total | % | Air | Noise | Water | Waste | Misc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islands | 477 | 1.9 | 100 | 101 | 121 | 142 | 13 |
| Kwai Tsing |
1 920 |
7.6 | 217 | 1 127 | 53 | 518 | 5 |
| North | 608 | 2.4 | 198 | 190 | 74 | 131 | 15 |
| Sai Kung | 1 759 | 7.0 | 1 205 | 248 | 141 | 146 | 19 |
| Sha Tin | 828 | 3.3 | 237 |
379 |
115 | 83 | 14 |
| Tai Po | 714 | 2.8 | 216 | 148 | 133 | 197 | 20 |
| Tsuen Wan | 1 060 | 4.2 | 244 | 606 | 83 | 112 | 15 |
| Tuen Mun | 706 | 2.8 | 240 | 247 | 85 | 119 | 15 |
| Yuen Long | 1 585 | 6.3 | 553 | 360 | 271 | 369 | 32 |
|
Subtotal |
9 657 | 38.3 | 3 210 | 3 406 | 1 076 | 1 817 | 148 |
| Central & Western | 1 242 | 4.9 | 390 | 662 | 73 | 96 | 21 |
| Eastern | 1 232 | 4.9 | 475 | 513 | 84 | 150 | 10 |
| Southern | 466 | 1.8 | 105 | 151 | 48 | 160 | 2 |
| Wan Chai | 1 203 | 4.8 | 380 | 543 | 99 | 155 | 26 |
|
Subtotal |
4 143 | 16.4 | 1 350 | 1 869 | 304 | 561 | 59 |
| Kowloon City | 1 137 | 4.5 | 361 | 498 | 93 | 171 | 14 |
| Kwun Tong | 696 | 2.8 | 245 | 316 | 63 | 66 | 6 |
| Yau Tsim Mong | 1 776 | 7.0 | 487 | 898 | 119 | 236 | 36 |
| Sham Shui Po | 1 615 | 6.4 | 382 | 336 | 120 | 740 | 37 |
| Wong Tai Sin | 372 | 1.5 | 139 | 168 | 28 | 31 | 6 |
|
Subtotal |
5 596 | 22.2 | 1 614 | 2 216 | 423 | 1 244 | 99 |
| Vehicles | 5 788 | 23.0 | 5 788 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Others | 22 | 0.09 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Grand Total | 25 206 | 100.0 | 11 968 | 7 496 | 1 803 | 3 632 | 307 |
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 2008
| Air | Noise | Water | Waste | Misc | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial | ||||||
| Restaurants / food shop | 1 197 | 1 587 | 150 | 19 | 9 | 2 962 |
| Land Transport | 38 | 294 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 366 |
| Retail Shops | 210 | 168 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 409 |
| Garage | 208 | 76 | 126 | 57 | 7 | 474 |
| Repair Services | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 23 |
| School & Institutions | 8 | 177 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 192 |
| Car Parks | 35 | 37 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 86 |
| Laundries | 72 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 89 |
| Recreation Services | 6 | 126 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 140 |
| Religious Organisations | 56 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 98 |
| Sanitary Services | 28 | 18 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 58 |
| Hotels | 6 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 41 |
| Photo Finishing | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Others | 475 | 1 041 | 198 | 69 | 111 | 1 894 |
| Industrial | ||||||
| Construction Site & Renovation | 1 202 | 1 502 | 182 | 2 832 | 27 | 5 745 |
| Livestock Farm | 59 | 8 | 42 | 51 | 2 | 162 |
| Food Manufacturing | 65 | 5 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 99 |
| Godown | 16 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 46 |
| Textile Industries | 19 |
5 |
7 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Chemical Products | 5 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 17 |
| Fabricated Metal Products | 13 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| Other manufacturing industries | 13 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 28 |
| Basic Metal | 37 | 39 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 83 |
| Cement / Concrete / Batching Plants etc | 5 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Furniture and Fixtures | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Printing | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Rubber & Plastics | 13 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Paper Products | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Others | 340 | 150 | 66 | 30 | 6 | 592 |
| Government / Public Facilities | ||||||
| Refuse Collection Point | 7 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 22 |
| Landfill | 758 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 773 |
| Sewage Treatment Plant | 11 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Refuse Transfer Station | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| Crematorium | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Other Facilities | 103 | 100 | 31 | 24 | 20 | 278 |
| Domestic & Public place | 639 | 1 617 | 857 | 476 | 83 | 3 672 |
| Others | 497 | 60 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 568 |
| Intruder Alarm | 0 | 346 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 346 |
| Vehicle emissions | 5 788 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 788 |
| Total | 11 968 | 7 496 | 1 803 | 3 632 | 307 | 25 206 |
Remarks : Noise cases include police cases.
Pollution Complaints by Subject Categories in 2008
| Breakdown by Pollutant / Activities | |
| Air Pollution | |
| Vehicle emission | 5 788 |
| Ship emission | 2 |
| Open burning | 164 |
| Paint spraying | 170 |
| Asbestos | 119 |
| Cement dust | 8 |
| Dark smoke | 27 |
| Construction dust / air nuisance | 1 202 |
| Greasy fumes / cooking odour | 1 197 |
| Malodour | 2 549 |
| Mysterious gas incident / Gas leakage | 1 |
| Burning of incense paper, etc | 151 |
| Others | 590 |
| Sub-total | 11 968 |
| Noise Pollution | |
| Construction | |
| General works | 1 266 |
| Percussive piling | 236 |
| Neighbourhood & public place | 1 617 |
| Transport | |
| Road traffic | 252 |
| Aircraft / Helicopter (flight) | 6 |
| Marine traffic | 0 |
| Ind & comm | |
| Restaurants | 1 587 |
| MTRC | 43 |
| Ferry facilities | 1 |
| Ind & within same building | 4 |
| Others - (Industrial, Commercial, etc) | 2 124 |
| Product noise (NCO) | 3 |
| Intruder alarm | 346 |
| Others | 11 |
| Sub-total | 7 496 |
| Water Pollution | |
| Effluent from construction sites | 182 |
| Effluent from restaurant / food shops | 150 |
| Effluent from septic tanks | 65 |
| Illegal pipe connection | 166 |
| Beach water quality | 0 |
| Domestic / public place discharge | 648 |
| Effluent from industrial activities other than construction activities | 164 |
| Effluent from commercial other than from restaurants or food shops | 375 |
| Others | 53 |
| Sub-total | 1 803 |
| Waste Pollution | |
| Flytipping | 3 167 |
| Marine dumping | 10 |
| Pig waste | 26 |
| Chicken waste | 11 |
| Pigeon waste | 1 |
| Mixed livestock waste | 2 |
| Chemical waste (lube. oil) | 101 |
| Chemical waste (asbestos) | 50 |
| Chemical waste (misc) | 97 |
| Oily waste |
22 |
| Livestock rearing in prohibition area / restriction area | 78 |
| Others | 67 |
| Sub-total | 3 632 |
| Miscellanenous | 307 |
| Sub-total | 307 |
| Total: | 25 206 |
Remarks : Noise cases include police cases.
Incoming Calls to Customer Service Centre from Year 1986 to 2008
