Executive
summary
This Quarterly EM&A Report
presents the monitoring works at Zone 2A conducted from 1 November 2020 to 31 January
2021.
The impact stage EM&A
programme for the Project includes air quality, noise, water quality, waste,
landscape and visual monitoring. The recommended environmental mitigation
measures were implemented on site and regular inspections were carried out to
ensure that the environmental conditions are acceptable.
The EM&A programme was
carried out by the ET in accordance with the EM&A Manual requirements. It
is concluded from the environmental monitoring and audit works that adequate
environmental mitigation measures have been implemented by the contractors
where appropriate in the reporting quarter.
Exceedance of Action and Limit Levels
There was no
breach of Action or Limit levels for Air Quality (1-hour TSP and 24-hour TSP)
in the reporting quarter.
One Action
Level exceedance (due to noise related environmental complaint) with no Limit
Level exceedance of construction noise was recorded in the reporting quarter.
Implementation of Mitigation Measures
Construction phase weekly site
inspections were carried out to confirm the implementation measures undertaken
by the Contractors in the reporting quarter. The status of implementation of
mitigation measures during the reporting quarter is shown in Appendix C.
Landscape and visual impact inspections were conducted as part of
the abovementioned weekly site inspections during the reporting quarter. No
adverse comment on landscape and visual aspects were made during these
inspections.
FEHD site inspection was conducted on 8
December 2020. General site condition was inspection. No adverse comment was
made.
Record of Complaints
Three
environmental complaints were received during
the reporting quarter.
Record of Notifications of Summons and Successful Prosecutions
No notifications of summons and successful prosecutions were recorded
in the reporting quarter.
1.1
Background
Apex Testing & Certification Limited (Apex) was commissioned to
undertake the Environmental Team (ET) services (including environmental
monitoring and audit (EM&A)) for the construction activities in Zone 2A at
WKCD, consisting of Foundation, Excavation and Lateral Support Works for
Integrated Basement and Underground Road (Contract No.: GW/2020/05/073).
The construction works and EM&A programme for Zone 2A commenced on 3
October 2020.
The overall works for the
WKCD fall under two separate categories of Designated Project (DP) of the
Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO), namely an “engineering
feasibility study of urban development projects with a study area covering more
than 20 ha or involving a total population of more than 100 000” (Item 1 of
Schedule 3) and “an underpass more than 100m in length under the built areas”
(Item A.9, Part I, Schedule 2). An Environmental Permit No. EP-453/2013/B (EP)
was issued with respect to the “Underpass Road and Austin Road Flyover Serving
the West Kowloon Cultural District” which specifically includes the
abovementioned category of DP under Item A.9, Part I, Schedule 2 of the EIAO.
The captioned projects include part of the abovementioned underpass road
located within the site boundary falls under this same category.
The purpose of the development in
Zone 2A is to reserve for Integrated Basement (IB) and Underground Road (UR).
The Zone 2A construction activities involve the foundation, excavation and
lateral support (ELS) works, road works, drainage diversion works, and
temporary car parking.
The Quarterly EM&A Report is
prepared in accordance with the Clause 3.4 of the Environmental Permit No.
EP-453/2013/B. This Quarterly EM&A Report presents the monitoring works at
Zone 2A from 1 November
2020 to 31 January 2021. The purpose of this report is to summarise the findings in the EM&A
of the project over the reporting period.
The organisation chart and lines of
communication with respect to the on-site environmental management structure
together with the contact information of the key personnel are shown in Appendix A.
During the reporting period,
construction works at Zone 2A undertaken include:
● Grouting Curtain Works (Trial 1 & Trial 2)
–
Pipe Pile Construction
–
Trial Grouting
● Bored Pile Works
–
Bored Pile Works (Predrilling)
–
Bored Pile Construction
● ELS (Stage 1)
–
Grouting Works
–
Pipe Pile Construction
The Construction Works Programme of the
Project is provided in Appendix B. A
layout plan of the Project is provided in Figure 1.
In accordance with the EM&A Manual,
environmental parameters including air quality, noise, landscape and visual have
been monitored. The specific parameters, monitoring frequency and the
respective Action and Limit levels are given in Table 2.1. Locations of the monitoring stations are provided in Figure 1.
Table 2.1: Summary of Impact
EM&A Requirements
|
Parameters
|
Descriptions
|
Locations
|
Frequencies
|
Action
level
|
Limit
level
|
|
Air Quality
|
24-Hour TSP
|
AM3 - The Victoria Towers Tower 1
|
At
least once every 6 days
|
152.4 μg/m3
|
260
μg/m3
|
|
1-Hour TSP
|
AM3 - The Victoria Towers Tower 1
|
At
least 3 times every 6 days
|
280.4 μg/m3
|
500
μg/m3
|
|
24-Hour
TSP
|
AM4
- Canton Road Government Primary School
|
At
least once every 6 days
|
152.6 μg/m3
|
260
μg/m3
|
|
1-Hour
TSP
|
AM4
- Canton Road Government Primary School
|
At
least 3 times every 6 days
|
278.5 μg/m3
|
500
μg/m3
|
|
24-Hour
TSP
|
AM5
- Topside Developments at West Kowloon Terminus Site
|
At
least once every 6 days
|
141.1 μg/m3
|
260
μg/m3
|
|
1-Hour
TSP
|
AM5
- Topside Developments at West Kowloon Terminus Site
|
At
least 3 times every 6 days
|
275.4 μg/m3
|
500
μg/m3
|
|
Noise
|
Leq,
30 minutes
|
NM2 - The Arch, Sun Tower
|
Weekly
|
When one documented complaint is received
from any one of the sensitive receivers
|
75
dB(A)
|
|
Leq,
30 minutes
|
NM3 - The Victoria Towers Tower 1
|
Weekly
|
When one documented complaint is received
from any one of the sensitive receivers
|
75
dB(A)
|
|
Leq,
30 minutes
|
NM4 - Canton Road Government Primary
School
|
Weekly
|
When one documented complaint is received
from any one of the sensitive receivers
|
70/65
dB(A)^
|
|
Leq,
30 minutes
|
NM5 -Development next to Austin Station
|
Weekly
|
When one documented complaint is received
from any one of the sensitive receivers
|
75
dB(A)
|
|
Landscape & Visual
|
Monitor implementation of proposed
mitigation measures during the construction stage
|
As described in Table 9.1 and 9.2 of the
EM&A Manual
|
Bi-weekly
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Note:
^70 dB(A) for schools
and 65 dB(A) during school examination periods.
The EM&A programme
for the Project require 5 air monitoring stations and 5 noise quality
monitoring stations located closest to the Project area. With regard to the
monitoring activities at M+ Museum and the Lyric Complex, three monitoring
stations had been considered, including AM1, AM2 for air monitoring, and NM1
for noise monitoring. In the context of the construction activities in Zone 2A,
all other monitoring locations including AM3, AM4, and AM5 for air monitoring;
and NM2, NM3, NM4 and NM5 for noise monitoring, have been taken into account.
However, access to all these originally designated monitoring stations was
declined. Therefore, alternative monitoring stations was identified and
proposed.
With regard to air monitoring, alternative
monitoring locations (AM3A, AM4A, and AM5A) were identified at ground floor at
the Northeast corner of West Kowloon Station’s station box, at ground floor at
the Southeast corner of West Kowloon Station’s station box, and at ground floor
at the North of West Kowloon Station’s station box respectively. AM3A, AM4A,
and AM5A were set in same direction to the area of major construction site
activities in Zone 2A. These alternative air monitoring locations (AM3A, AM4A,
and AM5A) were approved by EPD on 29 September 2020.
For noise monitoring, alternative noise monitoring
location (NM2A) was identified at the ground floor in front of The Arch - Sun
Tower, which is at the same location as stated in the EM&A Manual for
consistency. This alternative noise monitoring location was approved by EPD on
29 September 2020. Other alternative noise monitoring locations (NM3A, NM4A,
and NM5A) were identified at the ground floor in front of the Xiqu Centre, at the ground floor next to Tsim Sha Tsui Fire Station, and
at the Pedestrian road (ground floor) outside West Kowloon Station
respectively. NM3A, NM4A and NM5A were set closer to the construction site
boundary with more direct line sight to the major site activities and higher
exposure to the construction noise with no disturbance to the premises’ occupants
during noise monitoring activities. These alternative noise monitoring
locations (NM3A, NM4A, and NM5A) were approved by EPD on 29 September 2020.
Therefore, 3 air quality monitoring stations and 4
noise impact monitoring station were confirmed for the impact monitoring for
construction activities in Zone 2A.
2.2
Environmental Mitigation Measures
Environmental mitigation measures have been recommended in the
EM&A Manual. Summary of implementation status of the environmental
mitigation measures is provided in Appendix C.
In accordance with the EM&A Manual, impact
monitoring has been conducted in the reporting quarter. Meteorological data for
the reporting quarter have been extracted from Hong Kong Observatory and
presented in Appendix D.
Monitoring data with graphical presentation for the reporting quarter are shown
in Appendix E.
A summary on the monitoring results are presented in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1: Summary of Monitoring Data
|
Parameter
|
Monitoring Location
|
Minimum
|
Maximum
|
Average
|
|
Air
Quality
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 hour TSP
|
AM3A
|
38
|
95
|
57
|
|
1 hour TSP
|
AM4A
|
38
|
97
|
57
|
|
1 hour TSP
|
AM5A
|
39
|
97
|
58
|
|
24 hour TSP
|
AM3A
|
35
|
85
|
54
|
|
24 hour TSP
|
AM4A
|
38
|
82
|
54
|
|
24 hour TSP
|
AM5A
|
38
|
84
|
54
|
|
Construction
Noise
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leq(30min)
|
NM2A
|
63
|
65
|
64
|
|
Leq(30min)
|
NM3A
|
71
|
74
|
73
|
|
Leq(30min)
|
NM4A
|
63
|
69
|
67
|
|
Leq(30min)
|
NM5A
|
63
|
66
|
65
|
Summary of the exceedances in the reporting
quarter is tabulated in Table 3.2.
Table 3.2: Summary
of Exceedances
|
Monitoring
Station
|
Parameter
|
No. of Exceedance
|
Action Taken
|
|
Action
Level
|
Limit
Level
|
|
Air
Quality
|
|
|
|
|
|
AM3A
|
1
hour TSP
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
24
hour TSP
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
AM4A
|
1
hour TSP
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
24
hour TSP
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
AM5A
|
1
hour TSP
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
24
hour TSP
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
Construction
Noise
|
|
|
|
|
|
NM2A
|
Leq(30min)
|
1 exceedance
due to one complaint
|
0
|
Strengthen the implementation of
noise mitigation measures
|
|
NM3A
|
Leq(30min)
|
0
|
|
NM4A
|
Leq(30min)
|
0
|
|
NM5A
|
Leq(30min)
|
0
|
All 1-hour TSP monitoring was conducted as scheduled in the
reporting quarter. No Action/ Limit Level exceedance was recorded.
All 24-hour TSP monitoring was conducted as scheduled in the
reporting quarter. No exceedance of Action Level of 24-hour TSP for Air Quality
was recorded, while there was no Limit Level exceedance.
All construction noise monitoring was
conducted as scheduled in the reporting quarter. One Action Level exceedance due to one complaint with no Limit Level
exceedance of Noise was recorded in the reporting quarter.
All landscape and visual impact inspections were conducted as
scheduled in the reporting quarter. No adverse comment on landscape and visual
aspects were recorded.
As advised by the Contractor, 63.84 tonnes, 829.53 tonnes, 19563.19 tonnes of inert C&D material were disposed of as public fill to Chai Wan Public Fill Barging Point, Tseung Kwan O Area 137 Public Fill, and Tuen Mun Area 38 respectively
in the reporting quarter,
while 49.18 tonnes of general refuse were
disposed of at SENT and WENT landfill. 0.0 tonne of metals, 0.0 tonne of paper/cardboard packaging,
0.0 tonne of plastic and 0.0 tonne of timber were collected by recycling
contractors in the reporting quarter. 1248.72 tonnes of inert C&D materials
were reused on site. 1246.44 tonnes of fill materials were imported for use at
site and 2873.77 tonnes of inert C&D materials was reused in other
projects. 0.0 tonne of inert C&D materials was disposed to sorting
facility and 0.0 tonne of chemical wastes was collected by licensed
contractors in the reporting quarter.
The actual amounts of different
types of waste generated by the activities of construction works at Zone 2A in
the reporting quarter are shown in Appendix F.
No exceedance of Action Level for Air
Quality was recorded at monitoring station, while there was no breach of Limit
Level for Air Quality in the reporting quarter.
One Action
Level exceedance (due to noise related environmental complaint) with no Limit
Level exceedance of Noise was recorded in the reporting quarter.
Three
complaints were received in the reporting quarter. No notifications
of summons and successful prosecutions were received in the reporting quarter.
The first complaint was a
letter dated 11 November 2020 from the office of District Council Member Mr.
Derek Hung. The letter mentioned that they had received complaint from the
Harbourside’s resident about the construction noise generated from the WKCD
construction site, occurring often as early as 7:00 am recently and the noise
disturbance sometimes happens 6 consecutive days in a week. Investigation
result revealed that no noisy works including drilling / piling works were
conducted during 7:00 – 8:30 am during the concerned period at Zone 2A site. The
complaint could not be therefore attributable to Zone 2A site.
The second environmental
complaint was referred by EPD. On 10 December 2020, EPD sent a photo taken by
the public complainant showing the drilling machine installed at WKCD site
area. EPD officer requested to advise the type of Powered Mechanical Equipment
(PME) adopted and any noise mitigation measure was adopted in the photo. After
investigation, it is noticed that the PME shown on attached photo to the
complaint was a drilling machine located at WKCD-Zone 2A site. As recommended
in Appendices 4.10a to 4.10i, and Table 14.4.15 of the EIA Report (Register
No.: AEIAR-178/2013), the drilling rig has been set with noise insulating
fabric as noise mitigation measure to screen noise. In addition, the drilling
rig is set and operated with an enclosure for both dust and noise reduction. In
this regard, the noise mitigation measures have been implemented to minimize
construction noise impact in accordance with the Section 2.7 of the
Environmental Permit (EP-453/2013/B). The Contractor has also displayed QPME
labels for generators and air compressors to show the commitment to the noise
reduction on site. In addition, noise barriers are implemented to enhance the
noise reduction during construction activities. The Contractor is however
recommended to strengthen the implementation of the noise mitigation measures
to reduce impacts to the nearby residents.
The third environmental complaint was received
on 27 January 2021. WKCD has received an enquiry from
the office of District Council Member Mr.
Derek Hung about the noise from WKCD site. A resident from
The Harbourside, who has reflected the noise
problem since March 2020, expressed that he/she has been affected by the
construction noise around 7:15 am on 27 January 2021. Investigation
result revealed that no construction works were formally carried out in
Zone 2A site in the morning over 7:00-7:30 am. Thus, the complaint could not be
attributable to Zone 2A site. Nevertheless, the Contractor is recommended to
enhance the site management and maintain on-site noise control measures
in order to minimize disturbance to site neighbors.
The cumulative statistics
on complaints, notifications of summons and successful prosecutions were
provided in Appendix G.
Based on the observations made during site audits and landscape
inspections, and construction dust and noise monitoring results, no
non-compliances and exceedances of air quality limits were recorded, one action
level exceedance due to one complaint with no limit level exceedance of noise
was recorded in the reporting quarter.
Reviewing the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures
in the EM&A Manual, it was observed that they were effective and efficient
in controlling the potential impacts due to construction of the project during
the reporting period. Review of the effectiveness and efficiency of the
EM&A programme will continue, and recommendations will be provided to
remediate any potential impacts due to the project and to improve the EM&A
programme if deficiencies of the existing EM&A programme are identified.
The EM&A programme as recommended in the EM&A Manual has
been undertaken since the construction works of Zone 2A commenced on 3 October 2020.
Monitoring of air quality and noise with respect to the
Project is underway. In particular, the 1-hour TSP, 24-hour TSP, noise level
(as Leq, 30 minutes) under monitoring have been
checked against established Action and Limit levels. No exceedance of Action
Level for Air Quality was recorded, while there was no breach of Limit Level
for Air Quality (1-hour TSP and 24-hour TSP) in the reporting quarter. One Action Level exceedance due to one complaint with no Limit Level
exceedance of Noise was recorded in the reporting quarter.
Three complaints were received in the
reporting quarter. No notifications of
summons and successful prosecutions were received during the reporting quarter.
Weekly
construction phase site inspections and bi-weekly landscape and visual impact
inspections were conducted during the reporting quarter as required. It was
observed that the Contractor had implemented all possible and feasible
mitigation measures to mitigate the potential environmental impacts during
construction phase works.
