Four vehicle owners convicted for illegal disposal of waste from vehicles (with photo)

     Four vehicle owners, whose vehicles were involved in illegal waste disposal in Ping Che, New Territories, were convicted and fined a total of $8,000 at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (May 25) for contravening the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation. In addition to these four convictions, 13 other cases of the same kind that happened at the same location have been scheduled for hearings in the Fanling Magistrates' Courts.

     A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said that the department has been concerned about some public places, such as remote kerbsides or laybys, in the rural areas of the New Territories easily becoming illegal waste disposal sites. In December last year, the EPD installed two sets of surveillance camera systems with a night vision function at a fly-tipping black spot at the roadside of Ng Chow Road in Ping Che, North District, in order to step up monitoring and deterrence against illegal waste disposal, and to assist in evidence collection and prosecution. The waste deposited at this site, including some large-sized commercial and industrial (C&I) waste, not only created obstruction to passages, but also caused environmental hygiene problems.
 
     In addition to the installation of surveillance camera systems at various black spots, the EPD also displayed banners in the district to remind the public that anyone who engages in fly-tipping contravenes the law and may be prosecuted. The spokesman called on all sectors, especially members of the logistics and construction industries, to dispose of waste in accordance with relevant laws. The logistics sector and the C&I sector may contact recyclers to collect C&I waste with reusable or recycling value, while non-recyclable waste should be delivered to refuse transfer stations or landfills.

     According to the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation, it is an offence to dispose of waste on the streets or in public places from vehicles, including goods vehicles, private cars and motorcycles. The registered vehicle owners concerned may be prosecuted. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $25,000 and six months' imprisonment on first conviction.