Pollution Complaint Statistics 2006

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 customer calls. The CRM system is 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 2006, there was an increase of 14% in pollution complaints (from 24 086 cases in 2005 to 27 553 cases in 2006). Air pollution constituted 48% of the total complaints, followed by noise pollution (32%) and waste & water pollution (19%). Most of the air pollution complaints concerned emissions from vehicles (53%).  About 25% of all complaints concerned mobile or territory-wide issues.

Most complaints reported to the EPD were by phone in 2006 (57%). Another 18% were received through internet,  17% were referred by other government departments, 6% were sent by mail, 1% came through the news media and 1% were received from other sources.

The Local Hotlines received 43 314 enquiries in 2006.



 

Top Six Types of Pollution Complaints in 2006

 

Top Six Types of Pollution Complaints in 2006

See Data

 

Number of Pollution Complaints from Year 1986 to 2006

Number of Pollution Complaints from Year 1986 to 2006

 See Data

 

Channels of Pollution Complaints in 2006

Channels of Pollution Complaints in 2006

 

See Data

 

Change in Number of Pollution Complaints in 2006

Nature   2005 2016 % Change
Air   12 343 13 264 7%
Noise -EPD cases 5 034 5 738 14%
  -Police cases 3 410 3 017 -12%
Water   1 991 1 939 -3%
Waste   1 153 3 375 193%
Miscellaneous   155 220 42%
Total   24 086 27 553 14%

 

Complaint Statistics Breakdown by District and Nature in 2006

District Total % Air Noise Water Waste Misc
Islands 508 1.8 99 146 131 117 15
Kwai Tsing 1 182 4.3 248 634 50 246 4
North 765  2.8 270 236 85 141 33
Sai Kung 988 3.6 400 247 143 196 2
Sha Tin  1 145 4.2 240 638 142 108 17
Tai Po 880 3.2 265 255 104 241 15
Tsuen Wan 935 3.4 316 402 122 91 4
Tuen Mun 884 3.2 335 301 110 114 24
Yuen Long 1 655 6.0 637 440 205 342 31

Subtotal

8 942 32.5 2 810 3 299 1 092 1 596 145
Central & Western 1 378 5.0 395 762 88 123 10
Eastern 1 310 4.8 470 589 95 153 3
Southern 463 1.7 130 177 63 91 2
Wan Chai 1 781 6.5 428 1 180 74 87 12

Subtotal

4 932 17.9 1 423 2 708 320 454 27
Kowloon City 1 572 5.7 458 597 122 386 9
Kwun Tong 1 049 3.8 365 485 91 98 10
Yau Tsim Mong< 2 118 7.7 637 904 176 395 6
Sham Shui Po 1 362 4.9 345 471 109 417 20
Wong Tai Sin 585 2.1 237 287 29 29 3

Subtotal

6 686 24.3 2 042 2 744 527 1 325 48
Vehicles 6 976 25.3 6 976 0 0 0 0
Others 17 0.6 13 4 0 0 0
Grand Total 27 553 100.0 13 264 8 755 1 939 3 375 220

 Remarks :
1. Others - include territory-wide issues and other mobile sources which cannot be regionalised.
2. Noise cases include police cases.

 

Pollution Complaints by Trade Type in 2006

  Air Noise Water Waste Misc Total
Commercial            
Restaurants / food shop 1 440 1 662 192 10 6 3 310
Land Transport 58 406 27 17 2 510
Retail Shops 163 442 47 9 1 662
Garage 211 95 119 40 2 467
Repair Services 12 7 11 4 0 34
School & Institutions 4 222 13 2 3 244
Car Parks 40 45 6 9 9 109
Laundries 67 8 10 0 1 86
Recreation Services 15 34 7 5 1 62
Religious Organisations 92 28 4 6 2 132
Sanitary Services 31 29 6 1 1 68
Hotels 14 38 5 3 2 62
Photo Finishing 0 0 1 0 0 1
Others 562 895 224 82 44 1807
Industrial            
Construction Site & Renovation 1 230 1 627 167 2 063 11 5 098
Livestock Farm 109 5 38 59 4 215
Food Manufacturing 99 18 18 2 0 137
Godown/td> 42 62 8 10 1 123
Textile Industries 47 0 7 1 0 55
Chemical Products 15 6 2 3 0 26
Fabricated Metal Products 11 8 1 0 0 20
Other manufacturing industries 36 9 4 2 0 51
Basic Metal 39 48 4 1 1 93
Cement / Concrete / Batching Plants etc 20 4 2 2 0 28
Furniture and Fixtures 11 5 0 0 0 16
Printing 28 6 1 1 0 36
Rubber & Plastics 22 4 3 0 0 29
Paper Products 4 1 1 0 0 6
Others 312 160 62 29 6 569
Government / Public Facilities            
Refuse Collection Point 7 9 0 33 0 49
Landfill 131 0 0 1 1 133
Sewage Treatment Plant 6 1 6 0 0 13
Refuse Transfer Station 11 2 5 8 0 26
Crematorium 5 1 0 1 0 7
Other Facilities 66 74 7 14 15 176
             
Domestic & Public place 1 112 2 117 872 936 89 5 126
             
Others 216 40 59 21 18 354
             
Intruder Alarm 0 637 0 0 0 637
             
Vehicle emissions 6 976 0 0 0 0 6 976
             
Total 13 264 8 755 1 939 3 375 220 27 553

 Remarks :  Noise cases include police cases.

 

Pollution Complaints by Subject Categories in 2006

Breakdown by Pollutant / Activities
Air Pollution  
Vehicle emission 6 976
Ship emission 7
Open burning 209
Paint spraying 158
Asbestos 225
Cement dust 7
Dark smoke 40
Construction dust / air nuisance 1 230
Greasy fumes / cooking odour 1 440
Malodour 2 107
Mysterious gas incident / Gas leakage 7
Burning of incense paper, etc 162
Others 696
Sub-total 13 264
   
Noise Pollution  
Construction  
   General works  1 365
   Percussive piling 262
Neighbourhood & public place 2 117
Transport  
   Road traffic 337
   Aircraft / Helicopter (flight) 7
   Marine traffic 1
Ind & comm  
   Restaurants 1 662
   MTRC 25
   KCRC 27
   LRT 12
   Ferry facilities 6
   Ind & within same building 4
   Others - (Industrial, Commercial, etc) 2 250
Product noise (NCO) 7
Intruder alarm 637
Others 36
Sub-total 8 755
   
Water Pollution  
Effluent from construction sites 167
Effluent from restaurant / food shops 192
Effluent from septic tanks 53
Illegal pipe connection 205
Beach water quality 4
Domestic / public place discharge 715
Effluent from industrial activities other than construction activities 127
Effluent from commercial other than from restaurants or food shops 419
Others 57
Sub-total 1 939
   
Waste Pollution  
Flytipping 2 542
Marine dumping 12
Pig waste 35
Chicken waste 16
Pigeon waste 5
Mixed livestock waste 4
Chemical waste (lube. oil) 109
Chemical waste (misc.) 101
Chemical waste (asbestos) 52
Oily waste

27

Livestock rearing in prohibition areas / restriction areas 422
Others 50
Sub-total 3 375
   
Miscellanenous 220 
Sub-total 220
   
Total: 27 553

  Remarks :  Noise cases include police cases.

Incoming Calls to Customer Service Centre from Year 1986 to 2006

 

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