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Following is a question by Ir Dr Hon Raymond HO Chung-tai and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, in the Legislative Council today (June 17):
Question:
Regarding the control of emission of oily fumes and cooking odour from restaurants, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the number of complaints about restaurants emitting oily fumes or cooking odour received by the authorities from members of the public in each of the past 12 months;
(b) of the number of regular inspection conducted by the Environmental Protection Department ("EPD") and the number of cases in which the offending restaurant owners were prosecuted by EPD in each of the past three years;
(c) whether at present the authorities adopts, in exercising control over restaurants emitting oily fumes and cooking odour, different standards according to the types of districts (such as business districts) in which the restaurants are located; and
(d) whether it will adopt new measures to step up the control of emission of oily fumes and cooking odour from restaurants; if it will, of the details?
Reply:
President,
Hong Kong has a total of about 12,000 restaurants of various sizes throughout the territory. To prevent environmental pollution or nuisance to the neighbourhood due to emission of oily fumes or cooking odour during operation of a restaurant, restaurant owners must, taking into account the environment of the surrounding area, adopt appropriate measures such as the installation of emission control equipment and proper design of chimneys and exhaust facilities. Apart from exercising regulatory control over emission of oily fumes and cooking odour from restaurants under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (the Ordinance) over the years, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has worked actively in partnership with the restaurant trade to solve the problem.
My reply to the four-part question is as follows:
(a) Please see Annex 1 for the number of complaints about restaurants emitting oily fumes or cooking odour received by the EPD from members of the public in each of the past 12 months.
(b) Please see Annex 2 for the number of inspections conducted and enforcement actions taken by EPD against restaurants emitting oily fumes and cooking odour in each of the past three years.
(c) The emission of oily fumes and cooking odour from restaurants is governed by the Ordinance. The same standards of control are applicable across the territory. They do not vary according to land use zoning of different districts.
If emission of oily fumes or cooking odour from a restaurant causes nuisance to the public or other air pollution problems because of inadequate pollution abatement facilities, improper operation or other factors, EPD can serve a notice to the restaurant under the Ordinance requiring it to take remedial measures to abate the emission and prevent air pollution.
A restaurant operator who fails to comply with the above notice commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $100,000 on first conviction and to a fine of $200,000 and to imprisonment for 6 months on a second or subsequent conviction.
(d) Over the years, apart from inspection of restaurants for enforcement under the Ordinance, EPD has collaborated with major catering associations and stakeholders, to improve the environmental performance of the catering industry and help solve the pollution problem during operation. We believe that the two-pronged approach of enforcement and providing assistance to the industry can address most effectively the problem of oily fumes and cooking odour from restaurants.
Since the launch of the Restaurant Partnership Programme in 2000, EPD has organised various kinds of exhibitions, talks and seminars to provide technical support and promote good management and practices to the industry. EPD has also drawn up various environmental guidelines and set up a "Green Restaurant Website" (www.greenrestaurant-hk.org) to provide the industry with the latest information on environmental protection. Targeting the pollution by oily fumes from restaurants, EPD has produced a technical leaflet on "Cooking Fume Emission Control for Restaurants and Catering Business" to provide the industry with technical information on the control of oily fumes and cooking odour.
The numbers of complaints about the oily fumes or cooking odour from restaurants over the past three years indicate that the problem is under control. Please see Annex 3 for the numbers of complaints.
EPD will continue to inspect restaurants for enforcement under the Ordinance. In parallel, EPD will strengthen its partnership with the industry, in particular assisting the industry in upgrading its technologies in controlling oily fumes and cooking odour.
Ends/Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:40
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