Pig farm at Sheung Che in Pat Heung, Yuen Long convicted of illegal livestock waste discharge
The owner of a pig farm in Sheung Che at Pat Heung, Yuen Long, was convicted of violating the Waste Disposal (Livestock Waste) Regulations by discharging improperly treated livestock waste into nearby watercourse, and was fined $8,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts on August 18.
During a previous surprise inspection in Yuen Long, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) staff applied smart technology to assist in monitoring and gathering evidence, including conducting aerial surveillance of the pig farm concerned using a drone, and spotted that a large amount of brownish wastewater with foam carrying odour of pig manure was being discharged into a nearby watercourse from a pipe of the pig farm concerned, causing serious pollution to the downstream water quality of Kam Tin River. The EPD staff immediately collected a wastewater sample for analysis, and the result indicated an exceedance of the legal discharge standard. The EPD subsequently instigated a 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 Kam Tin River. Livestock waste without proper treatment contains high concentration of pollutants. Its discharge into rivers not only causes serious water pollution, but also odour nuisance. According to the Waste Disposal (Livestock Waste) 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.
The EPD spokesman reiterated that the department will continue to combat any illegal wastewater discharge activity by surprise inspections, smart technology application and inter-departmental collaboration to safeguard environmental health and river water quality.
A pig farm at Sheung Che in Pat Heung, Yuen Long, discharged livestock waste that had not been properly treated into a nearby watercourse. Photo shows a large amount of brownish wastewater with foam forming on the surface with an odour of pig waste, as found by Environmental Protection Department staff, being discharged via a pipe from the pig farm into a nearby watercourse during an inspection. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD reviews this year's efforts to tackle dripping air conditioners
A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (November 10) that the department has continued to adopt a multipronged approach to tackle the problem of dripping air conditioners, combining enhanced inspections and enforcement with publicity and education, innovative technology and adjustments to operational strategies. This year, the FEHD has fully deployed the third-generation Air-conditioning Water Dripping Inspection System, featuring infrared night-vision technology and artificial intelligence (AI) image recognition, across all districts to detect dripping locations quickly and accurately, significantly enhancing enforcement effectiveness.
The spokesman said, "As of September 30, the FEHD had issued about 8 100 nuisance notices concerning dripping air conditioners this year, representing an increase of about 16 per cent and 54 per cent over the corresponding periods last year and in 2024 respectively. The figure was about four times that for the same period in 2023. Over 99 per cent of the households that received the notices have addressed the dripping problem as required. Significant improvements have also been recorded at the locations of concern identified by the department."
In recent years, the FEHD has adopted a new operational strategy. In addition to handling public complaints, officers proactively conduct door-to-door inspections and take enforcement action, focusing on around 300 locations of concern with more serious dripping problems across districts, including bus stops, minibus stops and pedestrian passages. Each location is inspected at least once a week. By August, dripping problems at about half of these locations had been resolved or had shown significant improvement. As conditions improved at some locations, the FEHD extended its operations to more than 110 additional locations with less serious problems. As of September 30, the number of locations being followed up by the FEHD had increased from around 300 to more than 400.
The FEHD has also actively applied innovative technology, collaborating with a local innovation and technology institution to develop the Air-conditioning Water Dripping Inspection System. Using infrared night-vision technology, the system enables officers to detect dripping locations quickly in low-light conditions without entering residents' premises. The enhanced second-generation system features a remote-controlled pan-tilt head and autofocus functions. Its detection range has been extended to 120 metres, enabling it to cover buildings around 40 storeys high. In April this year, the system won a bronze award in thecategory of Engineering and Robotics – Optical Sensing and Spatial Intelligence at the Edison Awards 2026, gaining international recognition for its innovative technology. This year, the department has fully deployed the third-generation system, featuring AI image recognition, across all districts. The system uses high-precision image recognition to detect dripping locations automatically and pinpoint their sources quickly and accurately, further reducing the time required for observation and evidence collection.
In addition to strengthening enforcement, the FEHD actively collaborates with the property management sector to tackle dripping air conditioners. The department continues to promote the Scheme of Participation by Property Management Agents in Tackling Dripping Air-conditioners, inviting staff of property management companies serving private housing estates to help identify dripping sources and advise residents to rectify the problem. More than 300 private housing estates across the territory currently participate in the scheme, helping to complete follow-up and handling of an average of over 4 000 dripping complaints each year. The department also works closely with the Property Management Services Authority to provide relevant guidelines for licensed property management companies and property management personnel, and encourages more licensed companies to join the scheme.
The FEHD calls on all sectors to work together to tackle dripping air conditioners. Property management companies should regularly repair and maintain building drainage systems and remind residents to inspect and repair their air conditioners. Members of the public should also inspect and maintain their air conditioners regularly and address any dripping problems promptly to avoid causing a nuisance. For more information, please refer to the leaflet on the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/library/aircon/Pamphlet_water_dripping_from_air_conditioner.pdf).
Source: AI-found images
