Pollution Complaint Statistics 2017

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 public complaints and enquiries. The CRM system has been 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 2017, there was an increase of 9% in the total number of pollution complaints received compared that in 2016 (from 20 480 cases in 2016 to 22 376 cases in 2017). Air pollution complaints constituted 45.1% of the total number of complaints received, followed by waste & water pollution complaints (29.2%), noise pollution complaints (23.2%),  and miscellaneous pollution complaints (2.5%). Most of the air pollution complaints concerned emissions from vehicles (55.4%).

Most complaints reported to the EPD were by phone in 2017 (46.1%). Another 26.7% were received through 1823, 12.8% were referred by Police and other government departments, 12.1% were received through internet or email, 1.2% were sent by mail, and 1.1% came through the news media and other channels .

The CSC and Local Hotlines received a total of 24 625 enquiries in 2017.

 

Top Six Types of Pollution Complaints in 2017

Top Six Types of Pollution Complaints in 2017

* Remarks : New category introduced in 2011

See Data

 

Number of Pollution Complaints from Year 1986 to 2017
Number of Pollution Complaints from Year 1986 to 2017

 

See Data

 

Channels of Pollution Complaints in 2017

 

Channels of Pollution Complaints in 2017

See Data

 

Change in Number of Pollution Complaints in 2017

Nature 2016 2017 % Change
Air 9 611 10 080 5%
Noise -EPD cases 4 211 4 785 14%
  -Police cases 525 407 -22%
Water 2 353 2 684 14%
Water 3 225 3 855 20%
Water 555 565 2%
Total 20 480 22 376 9%

 

 

Complaint Statistics Breakdown by District and Nature in 2017

 

 

District Total % Air Noise Water Waste Misc
Islands 521 2.3 101 %5 227 103 29
Kwai Tsing 646 2.9 249 %5 65 171 26
North 868 3.9 288 %5 142 243 38
Sai Kung 980 4.4 279 %5 187 204 60
Sha Tin 943 4.2 217 %5 238 132 33
Tai Po 825 3.7 214 %5 178 210 22
Tsuen Wan 691 3.1 217 %5 96 176 4
Tuen Mun 767 3.4 254 %5 147 141 19
Yuen Long 1 741 7.8 441 %5 380 462 34

Subtotal

7 982 35.7 2 260 1 955 1 660 1 842 265
Central & Western 1 326 5.9 313 %5 123 253 38
Eastern 927 4.1 311 %5 115 131 31
Southern 534 2.4 83 %5 60 84 7
Wan Chai 1000 4.5 252 %5 97 216 56

Subtotal

3 787 16.9 959 1 617 395 684 132
Kowloon City 1 160 5.2 323 %5 129 254 41
Kwun Tong 796 3.6 267 %5 91 141 18
Yau Tsim Mong 1 644 7.3 350 %5 214 559 58
Sham Shui Po 983 4.4 198 %5 112 315 36
Wong Tai Sin 437 2.0 139 %5 83 57 15

Subtotal

5 020 22.4 1 277 1 620 629 1 326 168
Vehicles 5 580 24.9 5 580 %5 0 0 0
Others 7 0.0 4 %5 0 3 0
Grand Total 22 376 100.0 10 080 5 192 2 684 3 855 565

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

2.Starting from 2015, light nuisance cases handled by CSC with issue of advisory letters were grouped under respective district rather than 'Others'

3. Noise cases include police cases.

Pollution Complaints by Trade in 2017

  Air Noise Water Waste Misc Total
Commercial            
Restaurants / food shops 1 041 890 196 19 38 2 184
Land Transport 49 254 40 35 5 383
Retail Shops 97 357 49 101 25 629
Garage 176 71 229 42 5 523
Repair Services 2 2 1 1 0 6
School & Institutions 10 103 6 1 15 135
Car Parks 17 27 12 3 3 62
Laundries 41 12 6 0 2 61
Recreation Services 13 79 10 1 5 108
Religious Organisations 88 30 4 1 5 128
Sanitary Services 12 12 7 1 0 32
Hotels 8 27 6 0 13 54
Photo Finishing 0 0 1 0 0 1
Private Hospital / Clinic * 5 2 1 5 0 13
Others 385 798 309 91 193 1 776
Industrial            
Construction Site & Renovation 979 1 512 316 2 803 65 5 675
Livestock Farm 34 1 18 33 0 86
Food Manufacturing 77 18 11 0 0 106
Godown 43 56 16 1 5 121
Textile Industries 1 0 0 0 0 1
Chemical Products 4 1 2 1 0 8
Fabricated Metal Products 7 3 2 0 0 12
Other manufacturing industries 61 22 15 1 2 101
Basic Metal 25 21 1 2 1 50
Cement / Concrete / Batching Plants etc 78 21 20 1 3 123
Furniture and Fixtures 1 1 0 0 0 2
Printing 3 0 1 0 0 4
Rubber & Plastics 7 1 0 0 0 8
Paper Products 0 0 0 0 0 0
Others 229 80 33 19 7 368
Government / Public Facilities            
Public Hospital / Clinic * 0 10 1 0 1 12
Refuse Collection Point 2 6 4 31 0 43
Landfill 81 8 4 1 4 98
Sewage Treatment Plant 6 3 2 0 0 11
Refuse Transfer Station 6 9 1 0 1 17
Crematorium 3 0 0 0 0 3
Other Facilities 42 78 17 2 7 146
             
Domestic & Public place 735 510 1 199 620 112 3 176
             
Others 132 154 144 39 48 517
             
Intruder Alarm 0 13 0 0 0 13
             
Vehicle emissions/Idling Engine* 5 580 0 0 0 0 5 580
             
Total 10 080 5 192 2 684 3 855 565 22 376

Remarks : Noise cases include police cases.

* New categories introduced in 2011

 

Pollution Complaints By Subject Categories in 2017

 

Breakdown by Pollutant / Activities
Air Pollution  
Vehicle Emissions / Idling Engine* 5 580
Ship Emissions 3
Open Burning 190
Paint Spraying 148
Asbestos 168
Cement Dust 27
Dark Smoke 52
Construction Dust / Air Nuisance 979
Greasy Fumes / Cooking Odour 1 169
Malodour 891
Mysterious Gas Incident / Gas Leakage 0
Burning of Incense Paper, etc 223
Others 650
Sub-total 10 080
   
Noise Pollution  
Construction  
     General Works 1 327
     Percussive Piling 185
Neighbourhood & Public Place 704
Transport  
     Road Traffic 142
     Aircraft / Helicopter (flight) 1
     Marine Traffic 2
Industrial & Commercial  
     Restaurants / Food Shops 890
     MTRC 76
     Ferry Facilities 0
     Industrial Noise within Same Building 6
     Others - (Industrial, Commercial, etc) 1 770
Product Noise (NCO) 0
Intruder Alarm 13
Others 76
Sub-total 5 192
   
Water Pollution  
Effluent from Construction Sites 316
Effluent from Restaurants / Food Shops 196
Effluent from Septic Tanks 81
Illegal Pipe Connection 231
Beach Water Quality 0
Domestic / Public Place Discharge 1 119
Effluent from Industrial Activities other than Construction Activities 123
Effluent from Commercial Activities other than Restaurants or Food Shops 596
Others 22
Sub-total 2 684
   
Waste Pollution  
Flytipping 2 962
Marine Dumping 8
Pig Waste 23
Chicken Waste 3
Pigeon Waste 2
Mixed Livestock Waste 3
Chemical Waste (Lubricating Oil) 98
Chemical Waste (Asbestos) 59
Chemical Waste (Miscellaneous) 447
Clinical Waste* 14
Oily Waste 24
Livestock Rearing in Prohibition Area / Restriction Area / Control Area 32
Others 180
Sub-total 3 855
   
Miscellaneous 565
Sub-total 565
   
Total: 22 376

Remarks : Noise cases include police cases.

* New categories introduced in 2011

 

 

Incoming Calls to Customer Service Centre from Year 1986 to 2017