Smoke detector benchmark will aid crackdown on dirty vessels
Plans to amend law to introduce visual benchmark system to beat marine polluters
A new system will put an end to grey areas of the law when enforcement agencies crack down on vessels spewing unacceptable levels of smoke in the harbour.
The government is planning to introduce a visual benchmark, called the Ringelmann Smoke Chart, that is used to measure the apparent density of smoke emerging from a ship's funnel.
The plan to amend the law to bring in the Ringelmann chart was submitted to the panel on economic development yesterday for discussion at the Legislative Council.
The amendment bills would be presented to the legislature later this year.
Green groups welcomed the proposal, which will provide an objective benchmark for prosecutions of polluters.
The chart shows the colour of smoke in four shades, from white (shade one) to black (shade four).