To promote environmental awareness, the Environmental Protection Department has produced promotional leaflets, posters, etc. and organized seminars and workshops on environmental protection.
Besides, the Environmental Protection Department has been embarking on partnership programme for the motor vehicle repair trade since December 2000. The objectives of the programme are to encourage trade practitioners to participate in environmental protection activities through a closer tie with them; and to provide generic guides to the trade on pollution abatement measures so as to reduce pollution and to improve the environment.
Licence for Effluents
According to the "Water Pollution Control Ordinance", any person discharging commercial or industrial waste water (including those produced by car washing shops or vehicle repair workshops) in a Water Control Zone should apply for a discharge licence from the Environmental Protection Department. In determining the conditions of a discharge licence, the Environmental Protection Department will refer to the "Technical Memorandum - Standards for Effluents Discharged into Drainage and Sewerage Systems, Inland and Coastal Waters", the volume and the pollutants of the waste water.
Waste water from car washing shops or vehicle repair workshops must be connected to sewer leading to waste water treatment facilities.
The size of any waste water control facility should correspond to the maximum discharge rate, and should be able to hold waste water for 20 minutes. You can hire experienced contractor to design one for you.
Chemical Waste Producers
According to the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation, all materials classified as "chemical waste", including solid and liquid materials, must be handled properly.
In general, vehicle repair workshops produce the following chemical wastes : spent lubricating oil, wiping cloths or cleaning rags stained with lubricating oil, and sand, waste refrigerants, organic solvents and their containers, waste paints and their containers, used oil filters with lubricating oil residues, waste batteries, engine coolants, brake linings with asbestos.
Vehicle repair workshops producing the above chemical wastes in their operations must registered as chemical waste producers with the Environmental Protection Department. Chemical wastes must be properly stored, labeled and packed. Finally, they must be collected by licenced chemical waste collectors to approved treatment facilities for proper disposal. Records of delivery must be kept for 12 months and be available for inspection by law enforcement personnels.
The Hong Kong Vehicle Repair Merchants Association Limited (HKVRMA) and the Environmental Vehicle Repairers Association Limited (EVRA) are participating in the "Partnership programme" for the vehicle repair trade.
The contents of the "Guide to Environmental Protection for the Vehicle Repair Trade" are comprehensive, including an overview of environmental pollution issues commonly encountered by vehicle repair workshops, practical tips on reduction of environmental pollution, introduction to the partnership programme and its contents, procedures for applying environmental protection licences and permits, and so on.
The Guide also .includes an introduction to requirements of environmental protection legislation relevant to the vehicle repair trade so as to let trade practitioners have a full grasp of information and guidelines to enable them to improve the environment of their vehicle repair workshops and to reduce nuisance to nearby residents.
Small-sized vehicle repair workshops.
Select locations away from residential premises.
For enquiries about the partnership programme.
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Phone "Compliance Assistance Hotline" (852) 2838-3111 press [5] |