Executive SUMMARY

 

 

This is the third monthly Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) report prepared by ETS-Testconsult Ltd (ET) for the “Contract No. CV/2005/12 Operation of Public Fill Reception Facilities at Tseung Kwan O Area 137, Quarry Bay and Mui Wo” (The Project).

 

This report documented the findings of EM&A Works conducted during the operation phase of Fill Bank at Tseung Kwan O Area 137 in March 2006.

 

 

Construction Progress

 

As informed by the Contractor, the construction activities in this reporting month were as below:

§          Manage the incoming public fill dump trucks arriving through land access;

§          Transport temporary stockpiled public fill from the Barge Handling Area (BHA) to Stockpile Areas or the Sorting Facility for Penny’s Bay Reclamation Stage 2 (PBR2);

§          Transport stockpile public fill from Stockpile Areas to the Sorting Facility for Penny’s Bay Reclamation Stage 2 (PBR2);

§          Direct some incoming public fill dump trucks to the Sorting Facility for Penny’s Bay Reclamation Stage 2 (PBR2) for unloading;

§          Routine site cleaning and maintenance of internal haul roads and access roads; and

§          Routine implementation of environmental mitigation measures such as dust suppression by water spraying, cleaning of nearby public roads by using road sweeper and collection of floating debris inside a berthing basin within the site boundary; and

§          Landscaping works in the vicinity of the main entrance of the Fill Bank at Tseung Kwan O Area 137 and in front of the Engineer’s Site Office.

 

Environmental Monitoring Progress

 

The summary of the monitoring activities in this monitoring month is listed below:

·                      Noise Monitoring (Day-time): 1 Occasion at 1 designated location

·                      24-hour TSP Monitoring: 6 Occasions at 2 designated locations

·                      1-hour TSP Monitoring: 18 Occasions at 2 designated locations

·                      Marine Water Quality Monitoring: 14 Occasions at 2 designated locations

·                      Weekly-site inspection: 5 Occasions

 

Noise Monitoring

 

No exceedances of Action and Limit levels for noise monitoring were recorded in the reporting month.

 

Air Monitoring

 

No exceedances of Action and Limit levels were recorded for 24-hr and 1-hr TSP monitoring in the reporting month.

 

Marine Water Quality Monitoring

 

According to the summary of marine water monitoring results, one exceedance of Turbidity on Action Level at Monitoring Stations M4 was recorded at 29 March 2006 (mid-ebb). According to the site observation, no abnormal site activities were observed at the Fill Bank. As there was no sediment plume observed from the Fill Bank and no wastewater discharge was noted from the Fill Bank and the TKO Basin, the exceedance was considered not due to the Fill Bank. The exceedance might be due to natural fluctuation of Turbidity in the water body around the area. Hence, no further actions were required.

 

Site Inspection

 

Environmental site inspections conducted in this reporting month are presented as follows:

 

Concerned Parties

Dates of Audit / Inspection

ET Weekly site inspection

02, 08, 14, 20, 30

IEC site inspection

27

 

In general, performance on environmental mitigation measures implemented was found to be satisfactory in this reporting month. The major findings observed during site inspections are presented in the Section 7.0.

 

Landscape and Visual

 

The germination rate on the panel at Portion A, B, G, H and I was satisfactory in this reporting month. The Contractor should properly maintain the panel properly.

 

Environmental Complaints, Notification of summons and successful prosecutions

 

No notification of summons and prosecutions with respect to environmental issues were received in this monitoring month.

 

One complaint was received from Public through EPD on 27 March 2006, concerning the dust and debris on Wan Po Road near TVB City Caused by dump trucks from CEDD site. In the response to the complaint, ET undertook a site investigation as stipulated in the EM&A manual. According to the site investigation, it confirmed that mitigation measures such as providing the wheel washing facilities, cleaning and watering the site regularly had been implemented by the Contractor. No violation relating to the depositing of debris and mud on haul road near the exit point and public road (e.g. Wan Po Road) was observed from the Fill Bank vehicles during the site investigation. Hence, it was concluded that the complaint was not related to the operation of Fill Bank and no further action was required to be implemented. At the same time, it was believed that traffic other than Fill Bank (such as dump tracks from the Construction Waste Sorting Facility) may have deposited the mud and debris onto the road surface as they traveled on Wan Po Road. This was reported to have been observed by the Contractor during an inspection of Wan Po Road after the complaint was received. Although the complaint was not related to the operation of Fill Bank, the Contractor was still reminded to arrange road sweeper to carry out routine cleaning the haul road and the public roads outside the Fill Bank including the section of Wan Po Road nearby the TVB City. Ad-hoc additional cleaning may be required if necessary. Since the investigation report was still being prepared at the end of the reporting month, it will be submitted to relevant parties in the coming month.

 

Permits and Licenses

 

An Amended Environmental Permit (No.: EP-134/2002/F) (the EP) was granted to the Project by EPD on 26 January 2006. Effluent discharge licence (Ref. No.: TE/D1152/839/1) for the site toilet and shower room issued on 06 June 2003 obtained from the previous contract continued to be valid in this Project. Chemical Waste Producer Licence (WPN No.: 5213-839-P2800-23) was also valid from 04 August 2005.

 

Future Key Issues

 

Based on the site inspections and forecast of engineering works in the coming month, key issues to be considered are as follows:

·          Noise and air quality impact due to construction works;

·          Maintain wheel washing facilities properly;

·          Maintain all drainage and desilting facilities properly;

·          Use and maintain silt curtain properly;

·          Clean up the fill material on concrete pavement along the BHA frequently;

·          Watering, hydroseeding or covering all opening slopes and stockpiles with tarpaulin to avoid wind and water erosion;

·          Sufficient drip trays for all oil drums / chemical containers;

·          Implement all necessary preventive measures to avoid oil leakage. In the event an oil leakage happens, the Contractor should properly remove the leaked oil and handle the contaminated soil and all materials using for this cleaning works as chemical waste;

·          Maintain good site practice and waste management to minimize environmental impacts at the site; and

·          Follow-up improvements on waste management issues.