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 public complaints and enquiries. The CRM system has been 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 2021, there was an increase of 16% in the total number of pollution complaints received compared with that in 2020 (from 19 669 cases in 2020 to 22 753 cases in 2021). Air pollution complaints constituted 41.0% of the total number of complaints received, followed by waste & water pollution complaints (28.6%), noise pollution complaints (27.7%), and miscellaneous pollution complaints (2.7%). Most of the air pollution complaints concerned emissions from vehicles (48.2%).
Most complaints reported to the EPD were by phone in 2021 (37.0%). Another 30.9% were received through 1823, 17.3% were received through internet or email, 12.3% were referred by Police and other government departments, 1.4% were sent by mail, and 1.1% came through the news media and other channels .
The CSC and Local Hotlines received a total of 37 127 enquiries in 2021.
Top Six Types of Pollution Complaints in 2021
* Remarks : New category introduced in 2011
Number of Pollution Complaints from Year 1986 to 2021
Channels of Pollution Complaints in 2021
Change in Number of Pollution Complaints in 2021
| Nature | 2020 | 2021 | % Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | 7 872 | 9 329 | 19% | |
| Noise | -EPD cases | 5 265 | 5 617 | 7% |
| -Police cases | 22 | 677 | 2 977% | |
| Water | 3 026 | 3 616 | 19% | |
| Waste | 2 905 | 2 889 | -1% | |
| Miscellaneous | 579 | 625 | 8% | |
| Total | 19 669 | 22 753 | 16% |
Complaint Statistics Breakdown by District and Nature in 2021
| District | Total | % | Air | Noise | Water | Waste | Misc |
| Islands | 633 | 2.8 | 145 | 110 | 258 | 107 | 13 |
| Kwai Tsing | 565 | 2.5 | 191 | 161 | 86 | 105 | 22 |
| North | 1 269 | 5.6 | 547 | 207 | 220 | 240 | 55 |
| Sai Kung | 1 169 | 5.1 | 275 | 352 | 315 | 175 | 52 |
| Sha Tin | 969 | 4.3 | 267 | 306 | 235 | 123 | 38 |
| Tai Po | 984 | 4.3 | 203 | 266 | 294 | 183 | 38 |
| Tsuen Wan | 1 291 | 5.7 | 183 | 867 | 119 | 97 | 25 |
| Tuen Mun | 830 | 3.6 | 270 | 251 | 171 | 123 | 15 |
| Yuen Long | 2 375 | 10.4 | 703 | 554 | 638 | 360 | 120 |
|
Subtotal |
10 085 | 42.0 | 2 784 | 3 074 | 2 336 | 1 513 | 378 |
| Central & Western | 897 | 3.9 | 233 | 356 | 123 | 152 | 33 |
| Eastern | 856 | 3.8 | 278 | 302 | 120 | 129 | 27 |
| Southern | 375 | 1.6 | 91 | 97 | 98 | 79 | 10 |
| Wan Chai | 823 | 3.6 | 201 | 325 | 121 | 139 | 37 |
|
Subtotal |
2 951 | 13.0 | 803 | 1 080 | 462 | 499 | 107 |
| Kowloon City | 1 166 | 5.1 | 332 | 378 | 170 | 248 | 38 |
| Kwun Tong | 887 | 3.9 | 232 | 374 | 161 | 89 | 31 |
| Yau Tsim Mong | 1 430 | 6.3 | 325 | 513 | 257 | 293 | 42 |
| Sham Shui Po | 1 354 | 6.0 | 251 | 709 | 169 | 206 | 19 |
| Wong Tai Sin | 376 | 1.7 | 103 | 166 | 61 | 38 | 8 |
|
Subtotal |
5 213 | 22.9 | 1 243 | 2 140 | 818 | 874 | 138 |
| Vehicles | 4 498 | 19.8 | 4 498 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Others | 6 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Grand Total | 22 753 | 100.0 | 9 329 | 6 294 | 3 616 | 2 889 | 625 |
Remarks :
1. Others - include territory-wide issues and other mobile sources which cannot be regionalised.
2.Starting from 2015, light nuisance cases handled by CSC with issue of advisory letters were grouped under respective district rather than 'Others'
3. Noise cases include police cases.
Pollution Complaints by Trade in 2021
| Air | Noise | Water | Waste | Misc | Total | |
| Commercial | ||||||
| Restaurants / food shops | 862 | 508 | 230 | 22 | 27 | 1 649 |
| Land Transport | 71 | 282 | 51 | 27 | 8 | 439 |
| Retail Shops | 106 | 804 | 89 | 79 | 28 | 1 106 |
| Garage | 129 | 82 | 229 | 46 | 4 | 490 |
| Repair Services | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| School & Institutions | 3 | 52 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 71 |
| Car Parks | 17 | 31 | 19 | 4 | 13 | 84 |
| Laundries | 26 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 41 |
| Recreation Services | 9 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 55 |
| Religious Organisations | 80 | 21 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 119 |
| Sanitary Services | 11 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Hotels | 10 | 32 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 55 |
| Photo Finishing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Private Hospital / Clinic * | 3 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| Others | 594 | 1 025 | 413 | 70 | 217 | 2 319 |
| Industrial | ||||||
| Construction Site & Renovation | 1 045 | 1 959 | 370 | 1 828 | 52 | 5 254 |
| Livestock Farm | 174 | 2 | 64 | 51 | 4 | 295 |
| Food Manufacturing | 58 | 6 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 85 |
| Godown | 54 | 57 | 23 | 5 | 7 | 146 |
| Textile Industries | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chemical Products | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Fabricated Metal Products | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 |
| Other manufacturing industries | 28 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 52 |
| Basic Metal | 13 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 |
| Cement / Concrete / Batching Plants etc | 42 | 22 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 86 |
| Furniture and Fixtures | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Printing | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Rubber & Plastics | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Paper Products | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Others | 143 | 123 | 53 | 10 | 9 | 338 |
| Government / Public Facilities | ||||||
| Public Hospital / Clinic * | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| Refuse Collection Point | 0 | 9 | 3 | 85 | 0 | 97 |
| Landfill | 175 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 184 |
| Sewage Treatment Plant | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| Refuse Transfer Station | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 21 |
| Crematorium | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Other Facilities | 36 | 68 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 136 |
| Domestic & Public place | 825 | 877 | 1 574 | 511 | 55 | 3 842 |
| Others | 273 | 203 | 382 | 122 | 153 | 1 133 |
| Intruder Alarm | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Vehicle emissions/Idling Engine* | 4 498 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 498 |
| Total | 9 329 | 6 294 | 3 616 | 2 889 | 625 | 22 753 |
Remarks : Noise cases include police cases.
* New categories introduced in 2011
Complaints By Subject Categories in 2021
| Breakdown by Pollutant / Activities | |
|---|---|
| Air Pollution | |
| Vehicle Emissions / Idling Engine* | 4 498 |
| Ship Emissions | 8 |
| Open Burning | 250 |
| Paint Spraying | 117 |
| Asbestos | 123 |
| Cement Dust | 22 |
| Dark Smoke | 79 |
| Construction Dust / Air Nuisance | 963 |
| Greasy Fumes / Cooking Odour | 1 018 |
| Malodour | 1 248 |
| Mysterious Gas Incident / Gas Leakage | 1 |
| Burning of Incense Paper, etc | 321 |
| Others | 681 |
| Sub-total | 9 329 |
| Noise Pollution | |
| Construction | |
| General Works | 1 824 |
| Percussive Piling | 127 |
| Neighbourhood & Public Place | 1 091 |
| Transport | |
| Road Traffic | 150 |
| Aircraft / Helicopter (flight) | 0 |
| Marine Traffic | 0 |
| Industrial & Commercial | |
| Restaurants / Food Shops | 507 |
| MTRC | 58 |
| Ferry Facilities | 0 |
| Industrial Noise within Same Building | 2 |
| Others - (Industrial, Commercial, etc) | 2 441 |
| Product Noise (NCO) | 0 |
| Intruder Alarm | 11 |
| Others | 83 |
| Sub-total | 6 294 |
| Water Pollution | |
| Effluent from Construction Sites | 370 |
| Effluent from Restaurants / Food Shops | 229 |
| Effluent from Septic Tanks | 138 |
| Illegal Pipe Connection | 222 |
| Beach Water Quality | 2 |
| Domestic / Public Place Discharge | 1 700 |
| Effluent from Industrial Activities other than Construction Activities | 180 |
| Effluent from Commercial Activities other than Restaurants or Food Shops | 743 |
| Others | 32 |
| Sub-total | 3 616 |
| Waste Pollution | |
| Flytipping | 1 981 |
| Marine Dumping | 2 |
| Pig Waste | 42 |
| Chicken Waste | 2 |
| Pigeon Waste | 1 |
| Mixed Livestock Waste | 1 |
| Chemical Waste (Lubricating Oil) | 104 |
| Chemical Waste (Asbestos) | 31 |
| Chemical Waste (Miscellaneous) | 490 |
| Clinical Waste* | 9 |
| Oily Waste | 27 |
| Livestock Rearing in Prohibition Area / Restriction Area / Control Area | 35 |
| Others | 164 |
| Sub-total | 2 889 |
| Light Nuisance | |
| External Lighting for Decorative, Promotional and Advertising Purposes | 205 |
| External Lighting for Functional Purposes | 148 |
| Sub-total | 353 |
| Miscellaneous | 272 |
| Sub-total | 272 |
| Total: | 22 753 |
Remarks : Noise cases include police cases.
* New categories introduced in 2011
