The owner of a pig farm at Lin Fa Tei in Pat Heung, Yuen Long, was convicted of violating the Waste Disposal (Livestock Waste) Regulations by discharging improperly treated livestock waste into a nearby watercourse, and was fined $12,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (September 1). The owner concerned has previously been convicted of the same unlawful act and this is a repeated case.

     During a previous surprise inspection in Yuen Long, Environmental Protection Department (EPD) staff found that brownish-yellow wastewater carrying an odour of pig manure was being discharged from the pig farm concerned into a nearby watercourse, causing serious pollution of the downstream water quality of the Kam Tin River. EPD staff immediately collected wastewater samples for analysis. Given the concealed location of the wastewater discharge point, it was difficult to determine its position by visual inspection. The EPD staff applied smart technology to assist in positioning, including using a drone for aerial detection with image analysis, with a view to confirming that the wastewater discharge originated from a plant-covered pond within the concerned pig farm. Since the analysis results of the wastewater samples indicated exceedance of the legal discharge standards, the EPD subsequently instigated prosecution against the pig farm owner involved in the case in accordance with the Waste Disposal (Livestock Waste) Regulations, and notified the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the case for follow-up action.

     An EPD spokesman said that the department is highly concerned about illegal wastewater discharge from livestock farms along the Kam Tin River. Livestock waste without proper treatment contains high concentrations of pollutants. Its discharge into rivers not only causes serious water pollution, but also an odour nuisance. According to the abovementioned Regulations, liquid livestock waste generated by livestock farms must be properly treated to meet the statutory requirements before discharge. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and a fine of $5,000 for each day on which the offence continues. Operators and staff of livestock farms must strictly comply with the law, properly operate and maintain wastewater treatment facilities for livestock waste, and must not, for the sake of convenience, discharge untreated livestock waste into nearby rivers or water bodies. Any contravention will be subject to prosecution.

     This case marks the second successful prosecution in recent times, following the EPD's announcement on August 20, 2026, of a similar conviction involving illegal discharge from a pig farm at Sheung Che in Pat Heung, Yuen Long. It reaffirms the Department's "zero-tolerance" enforcement stance against illegal discharge of livestock waste. The EPD spokesman reiterated that the Department will continue to combat any illegal wastewater discharge activity by surprise inspections, smart technology applications and interdepartmental collaboration to safeguard environmental health and river water quality.

Ends/Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:20

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