The Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link, which features the world's largest air purification system of its kind, will open on January 20.
News.gov.hk found out more from the Highways Department about how the system clears most of the pollutants from the tunnel exhaust and about its efforts in greening the urban environment.
The story appears on news.gov.hk today (January 1) in text and video format.
The Air Pollution Control (Fuel for Vessels) Regulation (Cap. 311AB) (the Regulation) came into effect today (January 1). All vessels, except for specified vessel types as set out in the Regulation, are required to use compliant fuel within Hong Kong waters, irrespective of whether they are sailing or berthing.
Compliant fuel includes low-sulphur marine fuel with sulphur content not exceeding 0.5 per cent, liquefied natural gas or any other fuel approved by the Director of Environmental Protection. If a vessel uses emission reduction technology that can achieve the same or less emission of sulphur dioxide when compared with using low-sulphur marine fuel, it may be exempted from using compliant fuel.
A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said that from today, ocean-going vessels (OGVs) that are using heavy fuel oil (with an average sulphur content of 2.6 per cent) must switch to compliant fuel before entering Hong Kong waters. The Regulation also requires the OGVs to:
(a) record the time when the vessel enters or exits the waters of Hong Kong, and the particulars about the fuel switch operations in its log book;
(b) keep the written procedures for conducting fuel switch operations on board; and
(c) keep the ship log book and bunker delivery notes on board for a period of three years and have them readily available for inspection.
The master and owner concerned of any vessel using non-compliant fuel within the waters of Hong Kong will be liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months. Shipmasters and ship owners of OGVs who fail to record or keep the required particulars will also be liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for three months.
The Government has been implementing the Air Pollution Control (Ocean Going Vessels) (Fuel at Berth) Regulation (the Fuel at Berth Regulation) (Cap. 311AA) since July 1, 2015, requiring OGVs to switch to compliant fuel while berthing in Hong Kong. Since the Regulation covers the scope of control under the Fuel at Berth Regulation, the Fuel at Berth Regulation is now repealed.
"It is anticipated that implementing the Regulation will reduce the emissions of sulphur dioxide and respirable suspended particulates from OGVs by about 76 per cent and 71 per cent respectively in 2020 as compared with 2016 emission levels. This will help improve air quality and reduce health risks of the population. The implementation of the Regulation would also enhance regional collaboration on the establishment of a domestic marine emission control area in Mainland waters," the spokesman added.
For enquiries, please contact the EPD on 2594 6430 or at decainhk@epd.gov.hk.
The Air Pollution Control (Fuel for Vessels) Regulation (Cap. 311AB) (the Regulation) came into effect today (January 1). All vessels, except for specified vessel types as set out in the Regulation, are required to use compliant fuel within Hong Kong waters, irrespective of whether they are sailing or berthing.
Compliant fuel includes low-sulphur marine fuel with sulphur content not exceeding 0.5 per cent, liquefied natural gas or any other fuel approved by the Director of Environmental Protection. If a vessel uses emission reduction technology that can achieve the same or less emission of sulphur dioxide when compared with using low-sulphur marine fuel, it may be exempted from using compliant fuel.
A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said that from today, ocean-going vessels (OGVs) that are using heavy fuel oil (with an average sulphur content of 2.6 per cent) must switch to compliant fuel before entering Hong Kong waters. The Regulation also requires the OGVs to:
(a) record the time when the vessel enters or exits the waters of Hong Kong, and the particulars about the fuel switch operations in its log book;
(b) keep the written procedures for conducting fuel switch operations on board; and
(c) keep the ship log book and bunker delivery notes on board for a period of three years and have them readily available for inspection.
The master and owner concerned of any vessel using non-compliant fuel within the waters of Hong Kong will be liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months. Shipmasters and ship owners of OGVs who fail to record or keep the required particulars will also be liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for three months.
The Government has been implementing the Air Pollution Control (Ocean Going Vessels) (Fuel at Berth) Regulation (the Fuel at Berth Regulation) (Cap. 311AA) since July 1, 2015, requiring OGVs to switch to compliant fuel while berthing in Hong Kong. Since the Regulation covers the scope of control under the Fuel at Berth Regulation, the Fuel at Berth Regulation is now repealed.
"It is anticipated that implementing the Regulation will reduce the emissions of sulphur dioxide and respirable suspended particulates from OGVs by about 76 per cent and 71 per cent respectively in 2020 as compared with 2016 emission levels. This will help improve air quality and reduce health risks of the population. The implementation of the Regulation would also enhance regional collaboration on the establishment of a domestic marine emission control area in Mainland waters," the spokesman added.
For enquiries, please contact the EPD on 2594 6430 or at decainhk@epd.gov.hk.
A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department said today (January 1) that the Air Pollution Control (Non-road Mobile Machinery) (Emission) (Amendment) Regulation 2018, which aims to tighten the statutory emission standards in phases for newly approved non-road vehicles to improve air quality, came into effect today. Details of the Amendment Regulation are as follows:
(a) newly approved non-road goods vehicles, petrol private cars, buses with design weight of more than 9 tonnes and light buses with design weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes are required to comply with Euro VI emission standards;
(b) newly approved non-road diesel private cars are required to comply with California LEV III emission standards; and
(c) the emission standards for other non-road vehicle classes, including buses with design weight not exceeding 9 tonnes, light buses with design weight of more than 3.5 tonnes and special purpose vehicles remain unchanged.
The spokesman added that to prevent the transfer of old road vehicles which are no longer roadworthy into use for non-road applications, it is the Government's standing policy to adopt the same emission standards for non-road vehicles as those for road vehicles. The Government had tightened the emission standards for newly registered road vehicles to Euro VI in phases since July 1, 2017. The Amendment Regulation tightens the emission standards of the same classes of newly approved non-road vehicles in line with the latest emission standards for road vehicles.
Compared with their Euro V counterparts, Euro VI heavy duty diesel vehicles emit about 80 per cent less nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 50 per cent less respirable suspended particulates, while Euro VI light duty diesel vehicles emit about 55 per cent less NOx.
For enquiries, please contact the EPD on 2594 6590 or at nonroadenq@epd.gov.hk.
The Home Affairs Department (HAD) published today (January 1) the Administrative Guidelines on Best Practices on Building Management. The Administrative Guidelines contain best practices related to different areas of building management for the reference of owners, owners' corporations (OCs), owners' committees (OComms), Deed of Mutual Covenant (DMC) managers and property management companies (PMCs), etc, with a view to assisting them in better fulfilling the responsibilities in managing their buildings.
The Administrative Guidelines contain the updated best practices in building management issued by the HAD, and have incorporated the proposals in the public consultation on the review of the Building Management Ordinance (Cap. 344) (BMO) conducted in 2014-15 and the enhanced proposals presented to the Legislative Council Panel on Home Affairs in November 2017 by the Home Affairs Bureau and HAD.
The Administrative Guidelines cover the following areas:
(i) formation of an OC;
(ii) procurement process, including preparation of invitation to tender, consideration and decision on acceptance of tenders and actions after the acceptance of tenders;
(iii) general meeting and use of proxy instruments, including the convening of a general meeting and issuance of notice of meeting, submission of proxy instruments, conduct of a general meeting and actions after the conclusion of a general meeting; and
(iv) financial arrangement.
The HAD encourages owners, OCs, OComms, DMC managers and PMCs to follow the Administrative Guidelines above. The Administrative Guidelines can be downloaded from the dedicated homepage on building management of the HAD. To facilitate relevant parties in following the requirements, the HAD will also issue shortly a Checklist on Procedural Propriety, which is a checklist consolidating the requirements under the BMO and the Codes of Practice (CoP) issued by the Secretary for Home Affairs under the BMO and the Administrative Guidelines. Meanwhile, the HAD will also provide to OCs in need the "Advisory Services to OCs", with a view to assisting them in complying with the requirements under the BMO and the CoP and following the Administrative Guidelines.