以下為盧偉國議員的提問和環境局局長黃錦星的答覆：
申訴專員公署在上月公布的《環保雪種的安全規管主動調查報告》（下稱調查報告）指出，二○一三年，馬鞍山某酒樓的冷氣機房在冷氣系統維修期間發生爆炸和大火，傷及２０人。事故起因可能是有關的冷氣系統使用了不適合該類系統使用而且易燃的製冷劑（俗稱雪種）。調查報告又指出，冷氣系統使用不適合的易燃雪種具有風險，但三個有關的政府部門（即機電工程署、消防處及勞工處）均認為，此事宜不屬於其規管範圍。就此，政府可否告知本會：
（一）有否因應上述事件，檢討現行規管雪種安全的機制，並探討建立統一機制，以理順目前由不同政府部門負責規管雪種不同方面的情況；若有，詳情為何；若否，原因為何；
（二）鑑於調查報告指出，較易燃但較環保的新一代雪種在境外的一些地方漸多被使用，互聯網上也有廣告向本港用戶推銷該類雪種，當局有否因應此趨勢，了解其他地區對易燃雪種的規管安排，包括進出口管理、安裝和維修的安全規定、冷氣技工的培訓等；若有，詳情為何；若否，原因為何；及
（三）鑑於某些傳統雪種須按《蒙特利爾議定書》設有的時間表被淘汰，當局會否與相關業界合作，擬定一份合規格雪種的清單，以方便市民選擇，並加強向有關從業員和市民宣傳易燃雪種的安全事宜；若會，詳情為何；若否，原因為何？
答覆：
主席：
製冷劑（俗稱雪種）泛指可透過其物理特性製冷的物質。隨着技術發展，可作為製冷劑的物質常有改變，由於成分不同，除製冷功能外，亦有其他特性，例如可能會對安全、健康或環境構成影響。現時政府規管的制度是基於物質的成分而作出相應的規管要求。有部份製冷劑受《危險品條例》所規管，如果有關的成分符合《氣體安全條例》內氣體的定義，可引用《氣體安全條例》的適用條文作出規管。用作製冷劑的成分一般會顯示於冷氣系統的銘牌標籤和其化學品安全說明書中。大部分製冷劑不是石油氣。
有關規管製冷劑的安全及環保事宜的法例簡介如下：
《危險品條例》為本港危險品訂定陸上及海上管制架構，由消防處、海事處等部門負責執行。《危險品條例》第３條訂明該條例的適用範圍，包括所有爆炸品、壓縮氣體、及其他發出易著火蒸氣的物質、與水或空氣相互影響時會變為危險的物質、可自燃或隨時可能燃燒的物質等。唯該條例第６（２）條亦訂明，《危險品條例》不適用於屬《氣體安全條例》所指的石油氣的危險品。
《氣體安全條例》規管氣體安全事宜，確保煤氣、石油氣和天然氣的進口、製造、儲存、運輸、供應及使用等方面的安全。該條例由機電署（機電工程署）執行。「氣體」定義為煤氣、石油氣、天然氣；或該等氣體的混合物。機電署亦可引用《氣體安全條例》內用作規管燃氣的適用條文，規管符合定義的製冷劑。
《工廠及工業經營條例》及《職業安全及健康條例》由勞工處負責執行。該等法例雖無規管雪種的使用，但要求承辦商／僱主在進行任何冷氣設備的保養維修工作前，必須進行風險評估，包括考慮所涉及雪種的特性，並按評估的結果制定及實施相關的安全措施。
至於在二○一三年於馬鞍山某酒樓因改裝原有冷氣設備導致一宗火警事故的案件，消防處已經根據《危險品條例》，就無牌貯存危險品以及使用未經批准的氣瓶，成功檢控有關人士，罰款２２０００元。此外，勞工處亦成功檢控相關僱主沒有按《職業安全及健康條例》的規定為僱員提供所需的安全工作系統，以進行易燃製冷劑的轉移工作，罰款共３５０００元。
《保護臭氧層條例》的目的是履行香港根據《１９８５年保護臭氧層維也納公約》及《１９８７年關於消耗臭氧層的物質的蒙特利爾議定書》而承擔的國際責任，由環保署（環境保護署）執行，禁止生產消耗臭氧層的物質；以及透過註冊及許可證制度，管制該等物質的進出口，以致最終按《蒙特利爾議定書》訂定的時間表淘汰有關物質。至於不含消耗臭氧層物質的製冷劑，則不受該條例管制。
以下回應議員提出的三方面：
（一）香港現有法例可應用於規管用作製冷劑的物質的安全及環保要求。有關政策局及執法部門會不時檢討及留意社會上使用不同製冷劑的情況，以持續完善機制。相關部門會按申訴專員公署的建議，釐清有關部門的規管範疇和執法。
（二）《保護臭氧層條例》及《蒙特利爾議定書》所管制的氟氯烴（ＨＣＦＣ）常用作製冷劑，現正分階段被淘汰。氫氟碳化物（ＨＦＣ）是普遍的替代物質，屬不易燃亦不是受管制或被淘汰的製冷劑，完全符合相關安全及環保法例要求。
現時並沒有跡象顯示空調設備生產商停止生產以ＨＦＣ為製冷劑的設備。現時市面上售買的家用冷氣機，並沒有使用易燃製冷劑，亦沒有資料顯示香港市場會轉用易燃製冷劑。
（三）不屬消耗臭氧層物質的製冷劑，由於不受《保護臭氧層條例》的管制，因此環保署並沒有它們的清單。
香港普遍採用的製冷劑為ＨＦＣ，屬不易燃亦不是按《保護臭氧層條例》應被淘汰的製冷劑，符合相關安全及環保法例要求。空調設備生產商因應當時技術發展、其系統設計、銷售地區法規要求等多方面考慮，決定採用何種製冷劑。用家應遵照生產商說明書的指示安裝和使用設備，亦應使用原設計的製冷劑。
即使香港現時未有使用易燃製冷劑的趨勢，相關部門加強溝通協調和合作，務求可更聚焦地掌握易燃製冷劑的發展趨勢，並且繼續對公眾及冷氣安裝業界推行教育及宣傳，提醒業界不應使用易燃製冷劑，以避免產生意外。
Following is a question by the Hon Lo Wai-kwok and a reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, in the Legislative Council:
Question:
The Office of The Ombudsman has pointed out in its Direct Investigation Report on the Safety Regulation of Eco-friendly Refrigerants (the Report) published last month that in 2013, an explosion occurred and a fire broke out in the air-conditioning plant room of a restaurant in Ma On Shan during the repair of the air-conditioning systems, injuring 20 persons. The incident might have been caused by the use of unsuitable and flammable refrigerants for the relevant air-conditioning systems. The Report has also pointed out that the use of flammable refrigerants on unsuitable air-conditioning systems involves a degree of risks. However, the three government departments concerned (i.e. the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Fire Services Department and the Labour Department) all consider that this issue does not fall within their respective ambits of regulation. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has, in response to the aforesaid incident, reviewed the existing mechanism for regulating the safety of refrigerants and explored the establishment of a uniform mechanism to rationalise the present situation under which different government departments are responsible for regulating the different aspects of refrigerants; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) as the Report has pointed out that new-generation refrigerants that are more flammable but more eco-friendly are getting more commonly used in places outside Hong Kong, and some advertisements on the Internet also promote such refrigerants to Hong Kong users, whether the authorities have, in response to this trend, sought to understand the regulatory arrangements adopted by other places for flammable refrigerants, including import and export management, safety requirements for installation and repair, training of air-conditioning technicians, etc.; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) as some traditional refrigerants have to be phased out according to the timetables set out in the Montreal Protocol, whether the authorities will cooperate with the relevant industries to formulate a list of compliant refrigerants for convenient selection by the public and to step up publicity on the safety of refrigerants among employees in the relevant industries and the public; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Refrigerants generally refer to substances which produce cooling effect through its physical properties. The substances that are applied as refrigerants have been changing in tandem with technological developments. Depending on their compositions, such substances may contain other properties which may, for example, have implications on safety, health and the environment. The Government's existing regulatory system is to apply appropriate regulatory requirements to the substances on the basis of their composition. Some refrigerants are regulated by the Dangerous Goods Ordinance (DGO). If the composition of a substance meets the definition of "gas" under the Gas Safety Ordinance (GSO), appropriate provisions in the GSO may be applied to regulate such substance. Information about substances being applied as refrigerants is generally set out in the data plates of air-conditioning systems and the material safety data sheets. Most refrigerants are not liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Legislations regulating the safety and environmental matters of refrigerants are set out below.
The DGO stipulates for Hong Kong the framework for controlling dangerous goods on land and at sea and is enforced by the Fire Services Department (FSD) and the Marine Department, etc. Section 3 of the DGO provides that the Ordinance shall apply to all explosives, compressed gases, and other substances giving off inflammable vapours, substances which become dangerous by interaction with water or air, substances liable to spontaneous combustion or of a readily combustible nature, etc. Though section 6(2) of the Ordinance also provides that the Ordinance is not applicable to any dangerous goods which are LPG within the meaning of the GSO.
The GSO regulates gas safety matters to ensure the safety of importation, manufacture, storage, transport, supply and use of town gas, LPG and natural gas. The Ordinance is enforced by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD). "Gas" is defined as town gas; LPG; natural gas; or any mixture of such gases. The EMSD may invoke the applicable provisions on regulation of gases under the GSO to regulate refrigerants that fall within such definition.
The Factory and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (OSHO) are enforced by the Labour Department (LD). They do not regulate the use of refrigerants but require contractors/employers to, before the commencement of any maintenance and repair work of air-conditioning systems, assess the risk including the characteristics of the refrigerants involved, and formulate and implement appropriate safety measures based on the results of the risk assessments.
Regarding the fire incident at a restaurant in Ma On Shan in 2013 that was caused by modifications to an existing air-conditioning system, the FSD has successfully prosecuted the relevant party under the DGO for storage of dangerous goods without a licence and the use of gas cylinder without approval. The relevant party was fined $22,000. The LD has successfully prosecuted the employer who was fined $35,000 in total, for failing to provide employees with a safe system of work for transferring flammable refrigerants as required under the OSHO.
The purpose of the Ozone Layer Protection Ordinance (OLPO) is to give effect to Hong Kong's international obligations under the 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The OLPO is enforced by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). It prohibits the manufacture of substances that deplete the ozone layer, controls the import and export of such substances through the registration and licensing systems, and phases out eventually such substances according to the timeframe set out under the Montreal Protocol. Non-ozone-depleting refrigerants do not fall under the control of the OLPO.
The replies to the above three questions are as follows:
(1) Existing laws of Hong Kong can be applied to regulate the safety and environmental matters of substances being used as refrigerants. Relevant bureaux and enforcement departments will review and monitor the adoption of refrigerants from time to time, with a view to making continuous improvement to the regulatory mechanisms. Relevant departments will delineate clearly their respective regulatory and enforcement responsibilities as recommended by the Office of The Ombudsman.
(2) The hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) controlled under the OLPO and the Montreal Protocol are often used as refrigerants and are being phased out. Hydroflurocarbon (HFC) refrigerants are common replacements. They are non-flammable and are not subject to statutory control or the phase-out programme, and hence fully comply with the relevant safety and environmental statutory requirements.
There is no sign to show that air-conditioning manufacturers have stopped the production of air-conditioning equipment using HFC refrigerants. Domestic air-conditioners available in the local market do not use flammable refrigerants, and there is no information suggesting that the local market will turn to use flammable refrigerants.
(3) Refrigerants that are not ozone-depleting substance are not controlled under the OLPO, and thus the EPD has not maintained a list for such refrigerants.
HFCs are commonly used in Hong Kong. They are non-flammable and are not being phased out under the OLPO. They fully comply with the relevant safety and environmental statutory requirements. Air-conditioning manufacturers will choose the appropriate refrigerants having regard to various factors including the prevailing technological development, the system design, respective legal requirements of the targeted markets, etc. Users should install and apply air-conditioning system according to the manuals provided by manufacturers, and should also adopt the prescribed refrigerants.
While there is no market trend for using flammable refrigerants in Hong Kong, relevant departments have strengthened co-ordination and collaboration with a view to monitoring the development of flammable refrigerants in a more focused manner, promoting public education and publicity for the public and air-conditioning trade, and advising the trade not to adopt flammable refrigerants for the avoidance of accidents.
