Executive
summary
This Quarterly EM&A Report
presents the monitoring works conducted at Zone 2A from 1 February 2023 to 31
March 2023 and Zone 2B & 2C from 1 February 2023 to 30 April 2023. The
construction work for Zone 2A (Contract No.: GW/2020/05/073) was completed and
handover to WKCDA on 31 March 2023. No construction work and only maintenance
work is carried out by Zone 2B & 2C Contractor at Zone 2A.
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)
and Noise in this 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 above-mentioned weekly site inspections during the reporting quarter. No
adverse comment on landscape and visual aspects were made during these
inspections.
Record of
Complaints
Two 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,
consisting of Foundation, Excavation and Lateral Support Works for Integrated
Basement and Underground Road (Contract No.: GW/2020/05/073) ; and Zone 2B
& 2C consisting of Piling Works for Integrated Basement and Underground
Road (Contract No.: CC/2020/2B/088) at WKCD. The major construction works and EM&A
programme for Zone 2A and Zone 2B & 2C commenced on 3 October 2020 and 30
September 2021 respectively. The major construction work for Zone 2A (Contract
No.: GW/2020/05/073) was completed and handover to WKCDA on 31 March 2023. No
construction work and only maintenance work is carried out by Zone 2B & 2C
Contractor at Zone 2A.
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 and Zone 2B & 2C 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 Zone 2B & 2C construction
activities involve the piling works.
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 February 2023 to 31 March 2023 and Zone 2B & 2C from 1 February 2023 to 30 April 2023. 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:
Zone 2A A&A Works
● WEK
B1/F
–
Sand Removal
● WEK
G/F
–
Dismantling the Metal Roof
Trusses at the Subcontractor's Works Area
Zone 2A
●
Maintenance Work
During the reporting period, construction works
at Zone 2B & 2C undertaken include:
KD05
(Section 1), KD06 (Section 2), KD07 (Section 3), KD08 (Section 4), KD09
(Section 5)
●
Bored Pile
Works
–
RCD Drilling, Airlifting, Cage Installation &
Concreting and Excavation
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 and Zone 2B & 2C, 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 and Zone 2B & 2C.
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
|
43
|
107
|
70
|
|
1 hour TSP
|
AM4A
|
43
|
107
|
70
|
|
1 hour TSP
|
AM5A
|
42
|
106
|
69
|
|
24 hour TSP
|
AM3A
|
43
|
109
|
66
|
|
24 hour TSP
|
AM4A
|
43
|
100
|
66
|
|
24 hour TSP
|
AM5A
|
41
|
102
|
64
|
|
Construction Noise
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leq(30min)
|
NM2A
|
61
|
62
|
62
|
|
Leq(30min)
|
NM3A
|
62
|
63
|
62
|
|
Leq(30min)
|
NM4A
|
61
|
62
|
62
|
|
Leq(30min)
|
NM5A
|
64
|
65
|
64
|
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)
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
NM3A
|
Leq(30min)
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
NM4A
|
Leq(30min)
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
NM5A
|
Leq(30min)
|
0
|
0
|
N/A
|
All 1-hour TSP monitoring was conducted as scheduled in the
reporting quarter. No Action/ Limit Level exceedance of 1-hour TSP for Air
Quality was recorded.
All 24-hour TSP monitoring was conducted as scheduled in the
reporting quarter. No Action/ Limit Level exceedance of 24-hour TSP for Air
Quality was recorded.
All construction noise monitoring was
conducted as scheduled in the reporting quarter. No Action/ 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, 0 tonne and 0 tonne of
inert C&D material were disposed of as public fill to Tseung Kwan O Area
137 and Tuen Mun Area 38 respectively in the reporting quarter, while 23.67 tonnes of general refuse
were disposed of at SENT 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. 0 tonne of inert C&D materials were reused on site. 0.0
tonne of fill materials were imported for use at site and 641.32 tonnes of
inert C&D materials was reused in other projects. 0 tonne of inert C&D
materials were disposed to sorting facility and 0.0 tonne of chemical wastes
was collected by licensed contractors in the reporting quarter.
As advised
by the Zone 2B & 2C Contractor, 48875.09 tonnes and 43196.98 tonnes of
inert C&D material were disposed of as public fill to Tseung Kwan O Area 137 and Tuen Mun
Area 38 respectively in the reporting quarter, while 103.65
tonnes and 1.98 tonnes of general refuse were disposed of at SENT and WENT landfill respectively. 48.00
tonnes of metals, 0.0 tonne of paper/cardboard packaging, 0.0 tonne of plastics
and 0.0 tonne of timber was collected by recycling contractors in the reporting
quarter. 12585.25 tonnes of inert C&D material were reused on site. 0.0
tonne of inert C&D material was imported for reuse at site and 6776.73 tonnes
of inert C&D material were reused in other projects. 0.0 tonne of inert
C&D material was disposed to sorting facility and 4.80 tonnes of chemical
waste 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 and
Zone 2B & 2C in the reporting quarter are shown in Appendix F.
There was no breach of Action or Limit Levels for Air Quality (1-hour
TSP and 24-hour TSP) and Noise in the reporting quarter.
Two complaints
in March 2023 were received in the reporting quarter. No notifications of summons and successful prosecutions were received in
the reporting quarter.
The EPD
has received a recent water pollution complaint lodged by the district
councillor against construction site of WKCD, and referred to the WKCDA on 21
March 2023. The original context of the complaint is quoted below: “本辦事處近日再次收到有九龍站居民投訴，指西九文化區地盤多日排出污水至維港，不少污濁的泡沫在海面漂浮” (The
complainant claimed that the construction site of WKCD has discharged polluted
water into the Victoria Harbour for days, and some turbid bubble was floating
on the sea surface). The complainant has also provided a video clip demonstrating
the concerned water pollution. Investigation at Zone 2A site revealed that the
concerned location was not within the site boundary of Zone 2A site. Thereby,
the complaint might not be attributable to the Zone 2A site. Nevertheless, the
Contractor has been reminded to strictly implement and maintain good site
practices to avoid water pollution to the nearby waterbody. Investigation at
Zone 2B & 2C site revealed that the complaint might not be attributable to
the Zone 2B & 2C site. Nonetheless, the Contractor has been reminded to
strictly implement and maintain good practice to avoid water pollution to the
nearby waterbody.
The EPD
has received a recent water pollution complaint lodged by a member of public
against construction site of WKCD, and referred to the WKCDA on 23 March 2023.
The original context of the complaint is quoted below: “地盤污水排出公眾地方” (The
complainant claimed that polluted water from construction site was discharged
into public area). A photo record was provided by the complainant. Investigation
at Zone 2A site revealed that the concerned location was not within the site
boundary of Zone 2A site. Thereby, the complaint might not be attributable to
the Zone 2A site. Nevertheless, the Contractor has been reminded to strictly
implement and maintain good site practices to reduce impacts to the nearby
residents. Investigation at Zone 2B & 2C site revealed that the concerned
water might possibly due to water runoff from the construction vehicles after
wheel washing and lead to ponding. Prompt actions have been taken immediately
by the Contractor to enhance the preventive and mitigation measures. The
Contractor is recommended to maintain good practice on site and strengthen the
implementation of mitigation measures to reduce impacts to the nearby
residents.
The cumulative statistics
on complaints, notifications of summons and successful prosecutions were
provided in Appendix G.
6
Comments, Recommendations and Conclusion
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 and construction noise were
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 and Zone 2B & 2C
commenced on 3
October 2020 and 30
September 2021 respectively. The
construction work for Zone 2A (Contract No.: GW/2020/05/073) was completed and
handover to WKCDA on 31 March 2023. No construction work and only maintenance
work is carried out by Zone 2B & 2C Contractor at Zone 2A.
Monitoring of air quality and noise with respect to the Project is
underway. In particular, the 1-hour TSP, 24-hour TSP and noise level (as Leq,
30 minutes) under monitoring have been checked against established Action and
Limit Levels. There was no breach of Action or Limit Levels for Air Quality
(1-hour TSP and 24-hour TSP) and Noise in this reporting quarter.
Two 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.
