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SCMP Reporter

Many of the worst repeat polluters in Hong Kong's construction industry have been fined yet again, but way below the maximum.

The Environmental Protection Department's July list of convictions show four of the 'top 10 polluting construction companies', exposed in a report in the Sunday Morning Post last month, had once again been found guilty of a range of offences.

The companies are Chun Wo Construction and Engineering Company, China State Construction Engineering Corporation, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company.

The news prompted calls from the Conservancy Association for an urgent government review of penalties for contractors.

Chun Wo Construction and Engineering Company, which was ranked in the  Post report as the second-worst repeat polluter, having breached the EPD's pollution laws 37 times since January 2000, notched up another conviction related to water pollution.

The offence, which occurred in Yuen Long on November 15  last year, was its 11th breach of water pollution laws since January 2000. Fines of up to $1 million can be issued under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance, but the company was fined just $20,000.

According to the EPD's record of convictions, the company has also breached noise regulations 27 times since January 2000, although it has disputed this record.

A spokesman said the company  was keen to protect the environment and had implemented an environmental management system.

Another repeat offender, China State Construction Engineering Corporation, last month recorded its 26th conviction since January 2000 for breaching anti-pollution laws, with two new offences under the Noise Control Ordinance.

The company claimed fifth place on the 'worst repeat polluters list' compiled from department data.

The latest breaches, which occurred on December 29  in Sha Tin, brought the company's tally of noise-related breaches to 16. The fine for each offence was only $15,000, whereas the department's anti-pollution laws specify fines of up to $100,000 for a first offence and $200,000 for a second or subsequent conviction under the Noise Control Ordinance.

A spokeswoman for the company said it had since established procedures to control noise.

Another frequent polluter, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, resurfaced on July's list of convictions for an offence under the Dumping at Sea Ordinance. The construction group has racked up 15 pollution-related convictions since January 2000, mostly related to noise pollution, earning it a shared 7th place on the 'top 10 polluters list'.

In the latest incident, the company, which is in a joint venture with Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company for the $10 billion Container Terminal 9 development, breached the conditions of a permit for loading contaminated marine mud for dumping on January 7.

A $15,000 fine was levied under the Dumping at Sea Ordinance. Hyundai Engineering & Construction was also found guilty and fined $15,000.

The latest case brought the company's record of convictions under anti-pollution laws to 16 since January 2000, with its previous infringements including 11 under noise control laws and four under water pollution laws.

Lister Cheung Lai-ping, chief executive of the Conservancy Association, said  the fines seemed to have little effect on contractors. He said the government should order polluters to suspend all work until they cleaned up  their acts.



Construction industry's top polluters fined again