New Air Pollution Control Bill Aims to Combat Unlicensed Operations and Enhance Air Quality Standards

Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 2024 gazetted today

The Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 2024(Amendment Bill) was published in the Gazette today (November 15) to more effectively combat unlicensed specified process (SP) operations and implement recommendations of the latest Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) review.

A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau indicated that SPs are major sources of serious air pollution. Currently, 31 types of SPs are specified in Schedule 1 to the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (Cap. 311) (APCO). All SP operations are required to have an SP licence issued by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). All unlicensed SP operations are illegal. They cause persistent air pollution problems and a large number of complaints and must be immediately stopped.

The spokesman said, "To provide an effective legal means to stop ongoing unlicensed SP operations as soon as possible, the Amendment Bill proposes to introduce a statutory closure notification mechanism to empower the Director of Environmental Protection to issue a closure notice in respect of the premises where he has reasonable cause to believe that an unlicensed SP is being carried out. The Amendment Bill also proposes to revise the scope of 'cement works' and the definition of 'premises' under the APCO to include cement works carried out at sea in order to enhance regulatory clarity. After the enactment and commencement of the Amendment Bill, we will provide a six-month transitional period for relevant existing operators to apply to the EPD for the required SP licences."

The Amendment Bill also proposes to implement recommendations of the latest AQOs review in order to set out measures and requirements to tackle air pollution problems. The proposed AQOs updates include tightening the five objectives for sulphur dioxide (SO2), respirable suspended particulates (PM10) and fine suspended particulates (PM2.5), and adding three new objectives for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) introduced by the World Health Organization.

The spokesman said, "The updated AQOs will be on par with relevant standards of other advance economies. A transitional period of 36 months will be provided for designated projects for which environmental permits (EP) have been issued under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499) before the new AQOs take effect, starting from the enactment and commencement of the Amendment Bill. During the transition period, the pre-amended AQOs continue to apply to applications for variation of conditions of the EP. Meanwhile, the Amendment Bill also proposes to update the AQOs and provide corresponding transitional arrangements by 'negative vetting' in the future to streamline relevant procedures."

The Amendment Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for first and second readings on November 27.

Taxi Service Commendation Scheme 2024 opens for public nominations

The Transport Department (TD) today (November 15) said that, to promote the quality services and image of the taxi industry, and compliment quality taxi drivers and taxi service management teams, the Committee on Taxi Service Quality (CTSQ) and the TD are jointly organising the Taxi Service Commendation Scheme 2024.

To recognise the quality services provided by drivers and management teams, a total of 24 awards will be granted under the scheme, including 20 Quality Taxi Drivers, one Most Popular Taxi Driver, two Good Driver, Good Service awards, and one Quality Taxi Service Management Team. To encourage public participation, the scheme is open for nominations throughout the year.

Members of the public can nominate quality taxi drivers and service management teams, and share their Good Driver, Good Service riding experiences provided by a taxi driver via the CTSQ's webpage (www.ctsq.org.hk/voting) by scanning the QR code on the publicity material of the scheme (see Annex). They can also download the nomination form from the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/public_transport/taxi/index.html) or the CTSQ's website (www.ctsq.org.hk) and send the completed form to the TD by post or email.

The TD will issue letters to the taxi trade and publish content in the Taxi Newsletter to introduce the scheme. Promotional materials will be exhibited inside taxi compartments, at other public transport modes and the information plates of taxi stands. The scheme will also be publicised through the TD's website, the HKeMobility mobile application and collaboration with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to invite public and tourists' nominations on drivers and management teams.