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The
EPD aims to deter pollution offences through regulation (such as
licensing specific polluting industries) and enforcement against
offenders. It has also developed a partnership programme to improve
operators’ understanding of the law and their compliance (see 5.4
Building Partnerships for details). The department has also strengthened its
complaints response system to ensure complaints about pollution
are dealt with promptly.
Licensing
The EPD has set up one-stop shops that accept applications for all
types of pollution control licences. Applicants may either visit
one of the nine one-stop offices in person or apply on-line.
Licences
and Permits Issued in 2003
Ordinance |
Activities |
No.
Issued |
APCO |
Chimney
Approval |
304 |
Specified
Process Licence |
12 |
Open
Burning Permit |
1 |
Sub
Total: |
317 |
NCO |
Construction
Noise Permit (PP) |
342 |
Construction
Noise Permit (GW-Total) |
2
430 |
Sub
Total: |
2
772 |
WDO |
Registration
of Chemical Waste Producer |
1
103 |
Chemical
Waste Disposal Licence |
21 |
Chemical
Waste Collection Licence |
28 |
Waste
Import and Export Permit |
2 |
Sub
Total: |
1
154 |
WPCO |
New
Licence |
2
039 |
Licence
Renewal |
2
457
|
Sub
Total: |
4
496 |
DASO |
Marine
Dumping Permit |
140 |
Sub
Total: |
140 |
Other |
Clinical
Waste Disposal Permit |
179 |
Sub
Total: |
179 |
|
Total: |
9
058 |
Our
Performance in Processing Applications for Permit/Licence/Approval
in 2003
Our
Service |
Target
for 2003 |
Achievement*
in 2003 |
Waste |
Registration
of Chemical Waste Producer |
95%
in 30 days |
100% |
Marine
Dumping Permit |
90%
in 18 days |
100% |
Clinical
Waste Disposal Permit |
95%
in 9 calendar days |
100% |
Water |
Water
Pollution Control Ordinance licence
(Excluding licences requiring public notification)
|
95%
in 14 working days after receipt of payment |
100% |
*This
refers to the percentage achieved against the targets, with 100%
representing full compliance or exceeding the targets.
Note: All the
above pledges met their respective targets.
Inspections
The EPD’s inspection system has undergone changes due to fewer
resources. Previously, polluters were inspected a preset number
of times per year. In 2003, a “beat” system was introduced
in which officers patrolled areas and carried out routine inspections,
with prioritised response to complaints. Targeted enforcement was
also stepped up against known polluting activities, mainly illegal
livestock waste and oil discharges. Although with fewer resources,
Local Control Offices still maintained the same standard of service
to the public and carried out a total of 64 309 targeted
and routine inspections in 2003. The department is also trying to
save time through greater use of portable digital assistants. These
are somewhat limited in their application, for example in recording
statements, so it is hoped mobile computing capabilities can be
developed in 2004.
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An
EPD inspector tries out a palm-held device in enforcement work. |
Complaints
In
2002 the EPD Customer Service Centre was set up to ensure callers
can speak promptly to one of our trained telephone operators. In
2003 more than 95% of callers spoke to an operator before hanging
up. The average waiting time was four seconds, as against a target
of 12 seconds. 40% of complaints and 98% of enquiries were resolved
over the phone. The complaints information database used by the
Service Centre is based on a geographical information system and
it received a Special Achievement in GIS Award at the 23rd Annual
ESRI International User Conference held in July 2003 in San Diego,
USA. |
We
aim to establish an effective legislative and efficient control framework
in order to safeguard the health and welfare of the community from
any adverse environmental effects.
We will
actively encourage businesses and other organisations to adopt pollution
control measures.
We
have an emergency response system for handling environmental
incidents and are prepared to respond quickly to minimise the damage
to the environment. |
In
2003 the EPD investigated 19 889 complaints, similar to 2002 when
19 449 complaints were investigated. The Police investigated
another 4 010 complaints. There was a major increase
in complaints to the department about waste and water pollution
due to heightened concerns during the outbreak of severe acute respiratory
syndrome. Noise complaints decreased as more operators complied;
economic factors may have also had an influence as less construction
work was carried out on Sundays. Air complaints were also up, with
more complaints being aired through the media. Reports of smoky
vehicles continued to drop due to the motor vehicle emissions control
programme.
Complaints
Breakdown by Media
Nature
|
2003 |
Air |
Smoky
Vehicle |
4
729 |
Other |
5
516 |
Noise |
Cases handled by EPD |
5
698 |
Cases handled by Police |
4
010 |
Waste
|
|
1
193 |
Water
|
|
2
696 |
Miscellaneous |
|
57 |
|
Total
|
23
899 |
Prosecutions
The
EPD published its Prosecution Policy on its website in 2003. This
is not a requirement, but was carried out in the spirit of greater
transparency and in pursuance of the cause of justice, and to make
the prosecution process more understandable to the public.
Prosecutions
are handled by a Central Prosecution Section (CPS), which was set
up in 2001 under the leadership of a barrister who is also a chartered
building surveyor and an Authorized Person. The section deals with
not-guilty pleas and in 2003 this involved 74 cases.
The
CPS trains in-house prosecutors and provides advice to enforcement
staff on legal matters, case preparation and the gathering of evidence.
In 2003, a Legal Information System (LIS) was introduced to enable
local control officers to download information from a centralised
source, including court judgements and legal circulars such as "The
Disclosure of Material to the Defence in Legal Proceedings"
and "How to be a prosecution witness in Magistrate's court".
The
number of prosecutions has dropped since 2000 due to the success
of the partnership programmes, better awareness of the legal requirements
among operators and a downturn in economic activity. In 2003 there
were 535 convictions, as against 1 689 convictions in 2000. Convictions
were down for all four of our formal partners – the construction
industry, restaurants, vehicle repair workshops and property management.
An offender was jailed for exporting hazardous waste without a permit,
and that was the only anti-pollution imprisonment sentence imposed
during the year. |
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Other
Work
The EPD and the Police co-operate in enforcement against smoky vehicles.
The Police have the authority to hand out $1,000 fixed-penalty tickets
to offending vehicles. The number of offenders has dropped due to
the EPD’s vehicle emission control programme.
The
Sewerage Connection Programme involves connecting unsewered villages
in the New Territories to a proper sewerage system. In 2003, 333
village houses and 2 800 villagers were connected. Since 1995, 3
675 village houses and 26 900 villagers have been connected.
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Response
to Emergency Incidents
The EPD works closely with other government departments such as
the Fire Services Department, Marine Department and Government Laboratory
to provide a speedy response to environmental incidents. Comprehensive
response plans are in place for dealing with 36 different types
of emergency situations on land and at sea, including oil and chemical
spills.
The
EPD provides dedicated support for all emergency situations and
the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre contractor provides chemical
waste collection and disposal services for incidents involving chemicals.
In 2003 the EPD was involved in 26 land-based incidents and 4 marine-based
incidents. Clean-up work was required in these incidents and was
carried out satisfactorily.
An Emergency Response Drill team was set up in 1999 to enhance staff
performance and readiness in emergency situations. In 2003 it conducted
2 drills. |
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