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Environmental Audit on Air Pollution Prevention in Hong Kong

Explore audit reports and recommendations on climate change, air pollution prevention, and diesel vehicle emissions controls in Hong Kong. Recommendations for improving inspection procedures and promoting LPG vehicle use are highlighted.

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Environmental Audit on Air Pollution Prevention in Hong Kong

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  1. 2008 ASOSAI Seminar • on Environmental Audit • Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China • Theme 1: Audit on climate change • and air pollution prevention Audit Commission, Hong Kong

  2. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China Area: 1,104 square kilometres Population: 7 million, over 90% Chinese July 1997: Reunification Official languages: Chinese & English

  3. Audit Commission • Set up under Basic Law • 180 staff • Conducts financial audits & value for money audits • 82 accounts certified • 20 value-for-money audit reports • Reports submitted to Public Accounts Committee

  4. Environmental audits • Environmental Protection Department: annual budget of US$430 million • Air: standards - respiratory suspended particulates (RSPs), nitrogen oxides, etc • Water: standards - ammonia, inorganic nitrogen & E. coli mainly through sewage treatment plants • Land: solid waste management • Energy conservation: adopting lower tariff schemes • Methodology: Targets setting, attainment of targets, reasons for failure, reporting of achievements

  5. Audit of diesel vehicle emission controls (Mar 2005) Part 1: Background Part 2: Diesel vehicle inspection & maintenance programme Part 3: Smoky vehicle control programme Part 4: Use of liquefied petroleum gas

  6. Part 1: Background • 630,000 vehicles • Public transport: 11 million passenger journeys per day (mostly by Mass Transit Railway system) • Air pollutants at roadside level aggravates respiratory illnesses • 90% of pollutants emitted by diesel vehicles • 1987: 14 air quality objectives (AQOs) established in Hong Kong

  7. Average RSPs & nitrogen oxides exceeded safety levels (1999- 2004) AQO limit for nitrogen dioxide = 80 AQO limit for RSPs = 55 RSPs Nitrogen dioxide

  8. Part 2: Diesel vehicle inspection & maintenance programme • Transport Department (TD) smoke test procedures • Free acceleration smoke test procedures: accelerator pedal pressed, engine accelerated from low idle speed to maximum engine speed • Smokemeter to obtain emission level

  9. A smokemeter

  10. Test procedures required by US Environmental Protection Agency not adopted by TD • Check that devices which may alter normal acceleration are deactivated • Check that engine within normal operating conditions • Positioning of sampling probe of smokemeter specified • Engine speed monitored using a tachometer • Smoke opacity readings adjusted with air test conditions

  11. Audit recommendation • TD should update smoke tests procedures with reference to standards of advanced countries

  12. Improper procedures • Drivers involved in actuating engine throttle • Drivers involved in setting up smoke test equipment (sampling probe) • Improper positioning affected test results • TD should conduct periodic verification inspections & prohibit drivers from participating in setting up smoke test equipment

  13. Dynamometer test Emissions assessed under simulated driving conditions

  14. Low utilisation of dynamometer • Vehicles selected for dynamometer smoke test dropped from 9.4% in 2002 to 0.4% in 2004 • Utilisation dropped from 55% in 2002 to 2.4% in 2004 • TD planned to install another dynamometer • TD should require more vehicles to undergo dynamometer smoke test

  15. Smoke test standard • TD adopted 60 Hartridge Smoke Units (HSUs) as smoke opacity standard • Too lenient & not effective in screening vehicles with improper maintenance • TD should tighten smoke opacity standard

  16. Part 3: Smoky vehicle control programme • Environmental Protection Department (EPD) inspectors should conduct monitoring inspections of testing centres on a quarterly basis • 11 centres inspected three times in 2004 • smoke test procedures not observed in 25 (76%) of 33 inspections as no vehicle presented for smoke test • EPD should ensure quarterly inspections & re-inspect centres with no procedures observed

  17. Recruitment of spotters • Dec 2004: 4,718 spotters • 90% did not make a report to EPD • EPD should take publicity action

  18. Part 4: Use of liquefied petroleum gas • Dec 2004: 20,000 LPG vehicles compared with 129,000 diesel vehicles • Spare capacity of LPG storage terminals to support more LPG vehicles • Providing an LPG storage terminal on Hong Kong Island could reduce risks (e.g. risk to population near existing terminals & risk of running out of supply on Hong Kong Island)

  19. Audit recommendations • Environmental Bureau should • examine feasibility of building a new LPG storage terminal on Hong Kong Island • consider extending use of LPG to other diesel vehicles

  20. Website: www.aud.gov.hk Thank you

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