Hong Kong steps up enforcement against air-conditioner dripping with new tech and legal powers
Hong Kong's acting environment chief told a LegCo committee that the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has intensified action against air-conditioner dripping. New strategies include targeted patrols, an AI-enhanced detection system and revised laws that have boosted compliance and enforceme
The acting Secretary for Environment and Ecology on 10 November 2026 updated the Legislative Council Subcommittee on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene on the government's stepped-up campaign against dripping air-conditioners, a public nuisance under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has adopted a multi-pronged approach, selecting over 300 priority locations for weekly inspections throughout the summer. By August, about half of these sites had shown improvement or resolution, leading to the identification of more than 110 additional hotspots for follow-up based on risk assessment.
Since 2024, the department has collaborated with local innovation partners to develop an infrared night-vision detection system that can pinpoint drips without entering private units. The second-generation system won a bronze at the 2026 Edison Awards in the Engineering and Robotics – Optical Sensing and Spatial Intelligence category. All district offices now use a third-generation version that incorporates artificial-intelligence image recognition to speed up observation and evidence gathering.
Legal amendments enacted in 2025 have further strengthened enforcement. They extend the hours during which officers may enter premises for inspections, make it an offence for owners or occupants to refuse entry without reasonable excuse within 14 days of receiving a notice of intended entry, and increase the maximum penalty for non-compliance with nuisance notices.
As of 30 September 2026, the department had issued about 8,100 nuisance notices in the year, a rise of approximately 16 per cent compared with the same period in 2025. Over 99 per cent of recipients have complied with the notice requirements, indicating a high level of public cooperation.
The department also runs a scheme with property management companies, whose staff help identify drip sources and advise residents. Over the past five years, participating firms have handled an average of more than 4,000 complaints annually. The department works closely with the Property Management Industry Authority to brief practitioners and encourage more licensed companies to join the scheme.