Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Nuisance Orders by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Nuisance Orders by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how many nuisance orders have been issued to date under section 45(1) of the Environmental Public Health Act; (b) what is the complete list of nuisances for which nuisance orders have been issued; and (c) how many nuisance orders are issued specifically for nuisances falling under section 44(e) of the Environmental Public Health Act.

Answer:

1 Sections 44 and 45 of the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA) come under Part V of the EPHA. As mentioned in this House previously, Part V of the EPHA on the abatement of public nuisances through the use of nuisance orders, addresses public nuisances that affect the public at large. It does not apply to private nuisances, which interfere with another person’s use or enjoyment of his property.

2 977 nuisance orders were issued between 2011 and 2014. 97% were due to construction sites that caused dust nuisance. The remaining 3% were issued for cases including premises that had acute issues such as large numbers of kept animals or poorly maintained waste systems that caused nuisance to the public at large.

3 In the last 6 years, the number of nuisance orders issued declined to 21, as dust issues from construction sites were addressed under section 18 of the EPHA. During the same period, 3 orders were issued under section 44(e) to condominiums and shopping centres that caused public nuisance arising from badly maintained waste systems and poor refuse management.