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Our Responsibilities
Noise Exposure
Achievements in 2004
Our
Responsibilities
We aim
to prevent, minimise and resolve environmental noise problems through
intervention in the planning process, implementation of noise abatement
measures and enforcement of the Noise Control Ordinance.
Noise
Exposure
Noise has an
enormous social impact in Hong Kong. More than one million people
are affected by excessive traffic noise alone. Thousands of others
are affected by construction, rail, commercial and other noise sources.
The EPD is working hard to minimise the impacts on these receivers.
Achievements
in 2004
Traffic Noise
Construction Noise
Raising Awareness
Active Participation in the Planning Process
Traffic
Noise
Traffic noise
is addressed in two ways: by preventing noise from new roads through
input in the planning process, and by reducing noise from existing
roads.
| New
roads |
| • |
Since
1986, 45 kilometres of noise barriers and enclosures have
been installed on new roads, protecting
173 000 people. Yearly cumulative length of screening structure
and number of people benefited are shown in Figure 1.
|
| • |
Since 1995,
7 400 flats have been insulated from noise through acoustic
insulation and air-conditioning as seen in Figure 2. |
| • |
Low-noise
surfaces are the standard for new roads with speeds of 70 kilometres
per hour or higher. |
| Figure
1 - Screening Structure to Reduce Traffic Noise |
 |
| See
Data |
| Figure
2 - Accumulated Number of Dwellings Insulated in 2004 |
 |
| See
Data |
| Existing
roads |
| • |
Construction
of about three kilometres of barriers along Fanling Highway
was commenced in 2004, to ease traffic noise for about 2 000
dwellings in Fanling and Sheung Shui. This is part of a retrofitting
programme to erect barriers and enclosures on over 30 roads
(see programme details at Table 1). The Fanling project will
cost $139 million, be completed by the end of 2005 and reduce
traffic noise by up to 17 dB(A). |
| • |
Seventy-two
road sections are to be re-surfaced with a low-noise surface.
Work on the first batch of 24 road sections began in 2002. In
2004, work began on the second batch of 22 road sections. |
Table
1 -
Retrofitting Noise Barriers - Tentative Implementation Programme |
Construction
Noise
An amendment
to the Noise Control Ordinance came into effect on 8 October 2004,
making corporate directors liable for repeated noise offences by
their companies. This followed publication of two Codes of Practice
describing good management practices for avoiding noise violations.
Directors receive a warning letter after a first offence. If another
offence occurs within two years, they can be prosecuted. Defendants
can use a due diligence defence if they have put an environmental
management system in place and are operating it effectively. Information
seminars on the matter were held in October and attended by more
than 500 people.
| 
A
seminar addresses queries and misunderstandings
about directors'
liability under the Noise Control Ordinance.
|
 |
Codes
of Practice help company directors understand their liability
regarding compliance with the Noise Control Ordinance.
|
Raising
Awareness
3-D tool:
The EPD aims to enhance people's understanding of noise and the
impacts of proposed new projects and mitigation measures. A significant
achievement in 2004 was the introduction of a three-dimensional
visualisation tool. This easy-to-understand visual guide lets people
see the noise impacts of proposed projects from different angles,
and enables more informed public input during consultation. Two
hypothetical examples were posted on the EPD website to demonstrate
how the tool works.
| 
This
digital 3-D image visualises traffic noise
levels
in
a city.
|
|
A
road erected with noise barriers in 3-D display.
|
Education
package: Greater understanding of environmental noise is also
being promoted through an interactive education package. A website,
with sections targeted at the general public and at young people,
was launched in December 2003. The second part of the package, a
CD-ROM, was distributed to schools, libraries and other users in
2004.
Noise study:
A study on noise in Hong Kong, initiated in late 2003, proceeded
in 2004 and will provide detailed information on the many sources
of noise and the effects on receivers. It will be completed in 2005
and the results will be used to help formulate new policies and
measures to control noise.
Staff exchange:
A six-month staff exchange with the Highways Department was completed
in 2004, enabling a better understanding of the priorities and constraints
each department faces.
Active
Participation in the Planning Process
Since 1986,
over 140 000 flats have been protected from excess noise through
EPD intervention in the planning process.
The EPD provides
professional advice to minimise noise through land use and planning
activities. In 2004 we provided input on 1 418 advice/cases. See
breakdown at Figure 3.
Input is also
provided on strategic-level noise improvement measures, as identified
in the Third Comprehensive Transport Study published in 1999,
and progress can be viewed at Table 2.
| Figure
3 - Breakdown of 1 418 Noise Planning Advice/Cases in 2004 |
 |
| ODP |
Outline
Development Plans, Outline Zoning Plans, Layout
Plans, Planning Briefs, School Sites/Layouts/Abatement
Measures, Residential Development/Schemes |
| LM |
Grants,
Leases, Short Term Tenancies, Allocations, etc. |
| TT |
Transport
and Traffic Projects Studies |
| MPS |
Major
Planning Studies (Reclamations, Environmental Impact
Assessments, Environmental Assessments, etc.) |
| AA |
Acoustic
Advice to other Departments/Bodies |
|
| |
|
|
Table
2 - Report and Progress on Various Improvement Measures Identified
in CTS-3
| Type of Measures |
Recommended Strategic Level Noise Improvement Measures |
Current Progress |
| Policy |
More extensive use of rail service |
About 13 km of railways were put into operation in 2004. 11 km of railways
are being constructed and others are being planned. |
| Putting new roads underground as far as practicable |
The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance requires exhausting direct mitigation
measures which would include underground road alignment. |
| Pedestrianisation |
Several schemes implemented and additional schemes are being studied. |
| Engineering |
More stringent vehicle noise emission standards |
Regulation was amended in 2002 to follow latest European Union and Japanese
requirements. |
| Trolley buses |
In
light of the feasibility study findings, the merits of implementing
a pilot trolley bus scheme in a southeast Kowloon development
vis-a-vis other environmentally friendly transport modes will
be examined. |
| Measures at Source |
More extensive use of low noise road surfacing |
72 local road sections will be resurfaced under the new policy endorsed in
November 2000. |
| Retrofitting existing roads with barriers or enclosures |
Construction of Fanling Highway retrofitting projects commenced in August 2004.
Design work for other retrofitted barriers in the first batch
of projects is in progress. |
| Management Possibilities |
Traffic management on noise
ground |
Trial of traffic management scheme at Texaco Road Flyover was carried out in
mid-2004. |
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