Appeal against rejection of licence renewal of concrete batching plant dismissed
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The Air Pollution Control Appeal Board yesterday (January 27) dismissed an appeal lodged by the China Concrete Co. Limited against the refusal of its application for renewal of a Specified Process Licence (SPL) for a concrete batching plant (CBP) at 22 Tung Yuen Street, Yau Tong by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). The EPD welcomed the ruling by the Appeal Board.
A spokesman for the EPD said today (January 28) that the department has all along been concerned about the operation of the CBPs in Yau Tong, and would not allow any environmental nuisance caused to nearby residents. As the China Concrete Co. Limited had failed to submit adequate information to demonstrate that the plant possesses the capability to provide, install and effectively operate the necessary practicable measures for preventing pollutant emissions and nuisance caused to the nearby residents, the department thereby refused the application for renewal of the SPL for the plant on April 29, 2021. The company then lodged an appeal to the Appeal Board on May 18, 2021.
The spokesman said that the Appeal Board had accepted the Government’s submission and dismissed the appeal. According to the Air Pollution Control (Specified Processes) Regulations, the CBP’s licence will cease to be in force when the appeal is dismissed, and the plant must cease the concrete production and associated operation of the relevant specified process. The department will require the CBP to remove all cementitious materials in the plant within 60 days. To ensure that the clearing operation of cementitious materials in the CBP complies with relevant pollution control ordinances, the EPD had issued a letter to the CBP requesting the details for removal of cementitious materials and related facilities.
The China Concrete Co. Limited also submitted an SPL renewal application to the EPD for another CBP at 20 Tung Yuen Street, Yau Tong. The EPD will strictly follow the requirements under the relevant ordinance in handling the application for licence renewal.