Tag Archives: China

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is very concerned about the situation of large amount of recyclables piling up outside the GREEN@HUNG HOM Recycling Store during the Christmas holiday. The EPD immediately instructed the operator to rectify the situation upon learning of the incident. The operator had then cleaned up all the recyclables outside the Recycling Store yesterday morning (December 26).

     A spokesperson for the EPD said, “The department has issued instructions to all operators of Recycling Store, requesting them to pay special attention to handle potential accumulation of recyclables during holidays. The EPD will issue a warning letter to the operator of GREEN@HUNG HOM, requiring it to prevent similar incidents from happening.”

     To avoid recurrence of similar incidents, the EPD will mandate all operators of GREEN@COMMUNTY to provide additional service during holidays in future for regular cleanup of recyclables accumulated in the recycling cage trolleys/bins outside the stores. They are also obliged to enhance the remote access function of the closed-circuit television system to strengthen the monitoring of the situation outside the stores with a view to making prompt arrangements for their staff to clear up the recyclables.

     To prepare for the implementation of municipal solid waste charging, the EPD has been expanding the community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNTY to strengthen support for recycling facilities at the district level. Except for Christmas and Lunar New Year holidays, all Recycling Stores (currently 33 Recycling Stores including two mini Recycling Stores in Kwai Fong Estate and Tai Wo Hau Estate) are open around the year. The operating hours are from 9am to 7pm. During non-operating hours, each Recycling Store is equipped with recycling cage trolleys/bins outside the stores to provide self-service recycling for users’ convenience.  

     The EPD reminds the public that despite the recyclables can be placed into the self-service recycling cage trolleys/bins outside the GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities beyond operating hours, people should avoid leaving the recyclables outside the stores or even on the pavement when the recycling cage trolleys/bins are full so as to support clean recycling and avoid causing nuisance to the nearby residents and the surrounding. 

     Information on the operating hours of the GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities can be found from the website www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en-hk/waste-reduction-programme/greencommunity , or the dedicated facebook page of individual facility. read more

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will depart for Beijing tomorrow (December 27) evening to attend the press conference organised by the State Council Information Office on the topic of the deve… read more

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong (GDETO) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region received on December 25 evening report of a traffic accident that occurred in Shaoguan, Guangdon… read more

     â€‹The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a landfill in Ta Kwu Ling yesterday afternoon (December 25), in which a male worker, while assisting in refuse dumping work, was trapped between the rear of a refuse container tractor and a refuse tipper. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.

     The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued a suspension notice to the contractor concerned, suspending the use of the refuse tipper. The contractor cannot resume the use of the refuse tipper until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”

     The spokesman added, “We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”

     The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years on conviction on indictment; or $3 million and imprisonment for six months on summary conviction.

     In regard to yesterday’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and by email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.

     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers. read more

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     The fire danger situation today (December 26) is red and fire risk is extreme. The countryside is extremely vulnerable to fire. If you are planning to spend the day in the countryside, please take pre-cooked food for a picnic and take all measures to prevent hill fires. The penalty for lighting fires illegally in the countryside is $25,000 and a year’s imprisonment. read more