Vehicle repair workshops, totaling to around 2,000, are essential to maintaining the efficient transportation system in Hong Kong. Many vehicle repair workshops are located in urban areas or in composite buildings. If manage improperly, noise, waste water, chemical waste and polluted air generated from vehicle repair processes may cause environmental pollution and nuisance to nearby residents.
Noise is generated from hammering of vehicle bodies, engine testing and pneumatic equipment. The washing of cars and their components produces waste water containing grease and other contaminants. Chemical waste includes spent lubricating oil, engine coolant, waste paint and their containers. Polluted air is generated from engine testing, paint spraying, and dry polishing processes.
This video aims at introducing environmental protection equipment and practices suitable for the vehicle repair trade to help the trade in combating pollution problems.
Environmental Guidelines and Facilities to Reduce Impact of Vehicle Repair Workshops to the Environment
The setting up of a vehicle repair workshop has to meet a number of statutory requirements, including those of the Buildings Department, the Fire Services Department and the Labours Department. If repairing work covers LPG vehicles such as LPG taxis and minibuses, then relevant requirements of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) is necessary before repairing work on LPG vehicles can be carried out. A license from EMSD is also mandatory for carrying out repairing work on LPG vehicles.
It is suggested that vehicle repair workshops should be housed in industrial buildings to prevent causing nuisance to others.
To have a vehicle repair workshop in open ground in say, the New Territories, the leveling of the ground, covering the ground by an impervious layer and the installation of drainage system must be done.
To conduct vehicle repairing in public places and pedestrian walkway is both polluting and against the law.
Equipment and works procedure to reduce pollution from the following processes are described in the video:
Paint spraying
Changing of lubricating oil, gear box oil, and transmission oil
Engine testing which produces both fume gas and noise
Cleansing of components and parts
Dry polishing
Cleaning of brake discs
Body works
Maintenance on air-conditioning systems
The video also highlights the proper methods to deal with :
Chemical waste
Wastewater
The video also talks about the importance of good workshop management including the provision of sufficient lighting and ventilation; and the proper storage of tools and equipment for efficient operation of a vehicle repair workshop.
How to apply licences or permits from the Environmental Protection Department
The person-in-charge of a vehicle repair workshop can obtain from EPD an application form for registering as a chemical waste producer. By submitting a duly completed form (including the provision of information on chemical wastes) and the prescribed fee to EPD, the registration process can be done.
If your vehicle repair workshop produces waste water, you should obtain a discharge license from EPD before you can discharge your waste water into communal drainage system. Application forms can be obtained from EPD. Please submit the duly completed application form together with relevant document to EPD for processing.
Since 2000, EPD has formed partnership programme with the vehicle repair workshop trade. The purposes of the partnership programme are to enhance communication with the trade, to uplift their environmental awareness, and to provide support to help them reducing environmental pollution.
In the past years, collaboration with the Hong Kong Vehicle Repair Merchants Association and the Environmental Vehicle Repairers Association, EPD has conducted technical studies, seminars, workshops and the environmental ambassador scheme with a view to promoting the environmental awareness of the trade under the partnership programme.
Previously held seminars and workshops include odour discharge control, control of pollution from paint spraying, surface treatment using water based paints, the principles and applications of activated carbon adsorption systems.
The partnership programme also serves as a link between the government and the trade. Trade practitioners can provide their views to EPD either directly or through their respective trade associations.
Please approach regional offices of EPD or browse EPD's website for information on license applications and legislative requirements.
Please contact the following organizations for further information on how to build a green garage:
Hong Kong Vehicle Repair Merchants Association
Environmental Vehicle Repairers Association
For vocational education or technical support, please contact the following organizations:
Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Lee Wai Lee)
Hong Kong Productivity Council (Environmental Management Division)
Hope that you will build a green garage and contribute to the betterment of the Hong Kong environment.
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