Ombudsman announces results of direct investigation operation into illegal disposal of construction waste and "HoHoSkips" recycling service (with photo)
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The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (September 12) announced the completion of a direct investigation operation into the illegal disposal of construction waste and the "HoHoSkips" recycling service, with 15 improvement recommendations made to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD).
Construction works and general renovation works inevitably generate a considerable amount of construction waste. Under the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme implemented since 2006, construction waste producers are required to pay for waste disposal and have a duty to dispose of waste properly. Nevertheless, there have been media reports and public complaints from time to time about illegal disposal of construction waste in public places. Such illegal activities not only cause inconvenience and safety hazards for the public and road users but also affect environmental hygiene. In this connection, the EPD has adopted multipronged measures against illegal disposal of construction waste. In February 2021, it also launched a pilot scheme to provide the public and small-to-medium renovators with an effective way for collection of construction waste. Through the "HoHoSkips" mobile application, members of the public and the trade can book the service of the recycler subsidised by the Recycling Fund for proper disposal of construction waste.
The Office's investigation revealed that the EPD has spared no effort over the years which included the installation of surveillance camera systems, establishment of a drone fleet, enhanced patrolling, collaboration with other departments, and compilation of a list of priority sites for reinforced surveillance. Coupled with the current-term Government's more stringent enforcement and hiking the fixed penalty from $1,500 to $6,000 in 2023, the quantity of illegally disposed construction waste cleared by the Government dropped substantially from 9 000 tonnes in 2017 to around 1 000 tonnes per year between 2022 and 2024. The number of illegal disposal cases confirmed by the EPD fell by 38 per cent, from 4 612 cases in 2022 to 2 841 cases in 2024. These figures reflect the substantive results of the enforcement efforts of the Administration, which are certainly commendable.
Mr Chan said, "The illegal disposal of construction waste on the roadside has been a problem widely concerned by the public. I notice the marked improvement in recent years, which indicates that the authorities' efforts are effective. The usage rate of the 'HoHoSkips' scheme increased to 76 per cent last year, meaning more people have used the service to dispose of construction waste."
The Office's direct investigation operation revealed that public complaints about illegal disposal of construction waste stand at over 1 000 cases annually. Among the complaints, the number of illegal disposal cases confirmed by the EPD increased to nearly 800 in 2024 from the level of 500 to 600 a few years ago. Furthermore, during the Office's site inspections and shadowing of the EPD's operations, it was not uncommon to find construction waste dumped on streets. Statistics also show that between 2019 and 2024, the EPD instigated an average of around 102 prosecution cases annually. Even in 2019, the year with the highest number of prosecution cases, the prosecution rate was only 3.8 per cent, indicating that the EPD's prosecution rate against illegal disposal of construction waste is extremely low. The Office urges the EPD to review how to further strengthen its enforcement and evidence-gathering effectiveness to improve deterrence against illegal disposal of construction waste.
The EPD's data shows that the usage rate of "HoHoSkips" service was 62.5 per cent in 2023, but 27.8 per cent of the cancelled bookings in the same year were due to insufficient capacity of the recycler to meet the demand at peak times, reflecting a mismatch between the operational planning and resource allocation under the scheme and the actual needs of users at that time. Following the launch of this investigation, the EPD has improved the booking process by allowing users to view whether a time slot has been fully booked and showing alternative available slots for their consideration.
In 2024, the recycler made 1 062 more collections than in 2023, raising the service usage rate to 76 per cent. The percentage of cancellations due to overbooking also dropped to 12.1 per cent in 2024, indicating a significant improvement in the usage of "HoHoSkips" resources recently. The increase in the number of collections and usage rate in 2024 shows that public demand for the "HoHoSkips" service remains strong. The Office recommends that the EPD conduct timely review of the usage rate after the takeover of "HoHoSkips" service by a new recycler, and explore ways of better resource allocation, including shortening the average handling time per case to increase available service under the scheme. This will ensure better use of public funds for the benefit of more users. The Office also recommends that the EPD closely monitor changes in the demand for the "HoHoSkips" service. If demand continues to rise, the EPD should consider increasing the number of collection vehicles and manpower to meet the growing demand.
Mr Chan said, "Despite the positive results achieved by the authorities against illegal disposal of construction waste, there is still room for improvement in the EPD's enforcement effectiveness and prosecution, as well as the operation and procedures of the 'HoHoSkips' service, in view of the extremely low rate of prosecution, increase rather than decrease in the number of illegal disposal complaints confirmed by the EPD, and the actual statistics of the 'HoHoSkips' service. We urge the EPD to continue stepping up enforcement and enhance the operation of the 'HoHoSkips' scheme and the supply and demand for its service, thereby further combating illegal disposal of construction waste and optimising the use of resources."
The Office's major recommendations for improvement to the EPD include:
- explore how to further strengthen its enforcement and evidence-gathering effectiveness, such as by making greater use of more advanced technologies to assist and optimise evidence collection, and flexibly deploying staff for targeted inspections and blitz operations, so as to improve prosecution rate and deterrence;
- consider reinforcing patrols and surveillance in areas where offences are more likely to occur (such as in the vicinity of newly completed housing estates, and buildings and shops with renovation or repair works in progress) to achieve more targeted enforcement;
- work with the recycler of the "HoHoSkips" scheme to explore feasible ways of shifting service demand from peak to off-peak times;
- conduct timely review of the usage rate after the takeover of "HoHoSkips" service by a new recycler, and explore ways of better resource allocation to increase available service at peak times and minimise cancellations;
- work with the recycler to shorten the average handling time per case (such as shortening the travel time per case by better route planning), so as to optimise the use of resources and accommodate more bookings; analyse the geographic distribution of past bookings, and consider offering collection service at fixed times and locations in districts with high demand;
- closely monitor changes in the demand for the "HoHoSkips" service; if demand continues to rise, consider increasing the number of collection vehicles and manpower to meet the growing demand, particularly the number of light goods vehicles that are easier to park by the roadside;
- consider engaging with "HoHoSkips" users and the trade, or incorporate a feedback feature into the "HoHoSkips" mobile app to gather useful input for service improvement;
- review and improve the content of both the user guidelines on the "HoHoSkips" mobile app and its website, adding important information for the attention of users (including the consequences of cancelling a booking) to minimise cancellations, as well as to ensure correct and smooth use of the recycling service; and
- remind and supervise the recycler to promptly announce any service-related changes via both website and mobile app to minimise disruption to users.
The Office is pleased to note that the EPD has accepted all of the improvement recommendations.
The full investigation report is available on the website of the Office of The Ombudsman at www.ombudsman.hk for public information.
Ends/Friday, September 12, 2025
Issued at HKT 11:00
Issued at HKT 11:00
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