Pollution Complaint Statistics 2007

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 2007, the number of pollution complaints were more or less the same as that of the previous year (from 27 553 cases in 2006 to 27 531 cases in 2007). Air pollution constituted 52% of the total complaints, followed by noise pollution (29%) and waste & water pollution (18%). Most of the air pollution complaints concerned emissions from vehicles (55%).

Most complaints reported to the EPD were by phone in 2007 (57%). Another 18% were referred by other government departments, 17% were received through internet, 6% were sent by mail, 1% came through the news media and 1% were received from other sources.

The Local Hotlines received 35 811 enquiries in 2007.

Top Six Types of Pollution Complaints in 2007

Top Six Types of Pollution Complaints in 2007
See Data

 

Number of Pollution Complaints from Year 1986 to 2007

Number of Pollution Complaints from Year 1986 to 2007

 See Data

 

Channels of Pollution Complaints in 2007

Channels of Pollution Complaints in 2007

See Data

 

Change in Number of Pollution Complaints in 2007 

Nature   2006 2007 % Change
Air   13 264 14 304 8%
Noise -EPD cases 5 738 5 589 -3%
  -Police cases 3 017 2 381 -21%
Water   1 939 1 838 -5%
Waste   3 375 3 228 -4%
Miscellaneous   220 191 -13%
Total   27 553 27 531 -0.1

 

Complaint Statistics Breakdown by District and Nature in 2007

District Total % Air Noise Water Waste Misc
Islands 463 1.7 110 104 118 122 9
Kwai Tsing

1 627

5.9 330 830 54 406 7
North 718  2.6 239 245 83 141 10
Sai Kung 1 305 4.7 708 282 144 149 22
Sha Tin  970 3.5 306 467 101 82 14
Tai Po 726 2.6 213 199 121 189 4
Tsuen Wan 879 3.2 313 340 113 104 9
Tuen Mun 813 3.0 308 277 94 123 11
Yuen Long 1 641 6.0 639 430 201 349 22

Subtotal

 9 142 33.2 3 166 3 174 1 029 1 665 108
Central & Western 1 195 4.3 377 634 77 101 6
Eastern 1 370 5.0 525 533 95 210 7
Southern 549 2.0 107 191 88 158 5
Wan Chai 1 643 6.0 443 974 87 131 8

Subtotal

4 757 17.3 1 452 2 332 347 600 26
Kowloon City 1 267 4.6 447 589 96 126 9
Kwun Tong 909 3.3 338 424 81 56 10
Yau Tsim Mong 1 725 6.3 574 735 155 243 18
Sham Shui Po 1 399 5.1 355 440 85 505 14
Wong Tai Sin 514 1.9 163 274 45 27 5

Subtotal

5 814 21.1 1 877 2 462 462 957 56
Vehicles  7 801 28.3 7 801 0 0 0 0
Others 17 0.1 8 2 0 6 1
Grand Total 27 531 100.0 14 304 7 970 1 838 3 228 191

 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 2007

  Air Noise Water Waste Misc Total
Commercial            
Restaurants / food shop  1 383 1 658 142 25 7 3 215
Land Transport 66 343 15 23 4 451
Retail Shops 220 418 46 3 1 688
Garage 228 78 117 67 2 492
Repair Services 14 2 7 6 0 29
School & Institutions 14 216 6 2 2 240
Car Parks 40 24 5 12 5 86
Laundries 93 0 5 0 0 98
Recreation Services 18 97 1 2 2 120
Religious Organisations 73 27 4 0 1 105
Sanitary Services 38 22 14 0 0 74
Hotels 15 30 4 0 2 51
Photo Finishing 0 2 0 0 0 2
Others 537  1 011 237 74 53 1 912
Industrial            
Construction Site & Renovation 1 277 1 454 167 2 410 22 5 330
Livestock Farm 73 0 27 27 1 128
Food Manufacturing 85 18 15 1 1 120
Godown 35 48 4 8 0 95
Textile Industries 56

13

6 1 0 76
Chemical Products 12 0 1 5 0 18
Fabricated Metal Products 14 10 0 2 1 27
Other manufacturing industries 19 10 1 2 0 32
Basic Metal 33 26 0 0 2 61
Cement / Concrete / Batching Plants etc 12 4 3 16 0 35
Furniture and Fixtures 10 4 0 0 0 14
Printing 15 6 5 0 0 26
Rubber & Plastics 16 5 3 0 0 24
Paper Products 2 0 0 0 0 2
Others 509 227 78 31 3 848
Government / Public Facilities            
Refuse Collection Point 3 4 0 7 0 14
Landfill 330 0 3 3 11 347
Sewage Treatment Plant 15 1 12 1 0 29
Refuse Transfer Station 7 4 0 12 0 23
Crematorium 2 0 0 1 0 3
Other Facilities 70 104 17 17 11 219
             
Domestic & Public place  858  1 460 725 376 35 3 454
             
Others 311 41 168 94 25 639
             
Intruder Alarm 0 603 0 0 0 603
             
Vehicle emissions 7 801 0 0 0 0 7 801
             
Total 14 304 7 970 1 838 3 228 191 27 531

 Remarks :  Noise cases include police cases.

 

Pollution Complaints by Subject Categories in 2007

Breakdown by Pollutant / Activities
Air Pollution  
Vehicle emission 7 801
Ship emission 4
Open burning 171
Paint spraying 181
Asbestos 185
Cement dust 6
Dark smoke 46
Construction dust / air nuisance 1 277
Greasy fumes / cooking odour 1 383
Malodour 2 361
Mysterious gas incident / Gas leakage 4
Burning of incense paper, etc 152
Others 733
Sub-total 14 304
   
Noise Pollution  
Construction  
   General works  1 209
   Percussive piling 245
Neighbourhood & public place 1 460
Transport  
   Road traffic 292
   Aircraft / Helicopter (flight) 3
   Marine traffic 2
Ind & comm  
   Restaurants 1 658
   MTRC 17
   KCRC 23
   LRT 11
   Ferry facilities 2
   Ind & within same building 3
   Others - (Industrial, Commercial, etc) 2 401
Product noise (NCO) 9
Intruder alarm 603
Others 32
Sub-total 7 970
   
Water Pollution  
Effluent from construction sites 167
Effluent from restaurant / food shops 142
Effluent from septic tanks 61
Illegal pipe connection 175
Beach water quality 1
Domestic / public place discharge 638
Effluent from industrial activities other than construction activities 143
Effluent from commercial other than from restaurants or food shops 432
Others 79
Sub-total 1 838
   
Waste Pollution  
Flytipping 2 703 
Marine dumping
Pig waste 24 
Chicken waste
Pigeon waste
Mixed livestock waste
Chemical waste (lube. oil) 138 
Chemical waste (misc.) 111 
Chemical waste (asbestos) 61 
Oily waste

30 

Livestock rearing in prohibition areas / restriction areas 74 
Others 71 
Sub-total 3 228
   
Miscellanenous 191 
Sub-total 191
   
Total: 27 531

  >Remarks :  Noise cases include police cases.

Incoming Calls to Customer Service Centre from Year 1986 to 2007

 
 

 

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