Tag Archives: China

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EPD to launch GO Recycling Campaign tomorrow to boost waste reduction for all

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 31) said the department strives to continuously strengthen publicity and education work, stepping up efforts in the promotion of community-wide participation in waste reduction and recycling. A GO Recycling Campaign will be launched tomorrow (June 1). Through a new round of promotional activities and extra GREEN$ rewards, it encourages members of the public to cultivate the habits of source separation and recycling and to integrate the habits into their daily lives. The GO Recycling Campaign is also one of the celebration events for the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

     From June 1 to July 31, members of the public who submit designated recyclables (including waste paper, metals, plastics, glass containers, regulated electrical equipment, small electrical appliances, fluorescent lamps/tubes, rechargeable batteries and beverage cartons) at the EPD’s community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY (including Recycling Stations, Recycling Stores, Recycling Spots, and Smart Recycling Bins) can earn six times the normal amount of GREEN$ points. Those who participate in food waste recycling using Smart Food Waste Recycling Bins can also gain an additional 10 GREEN$ points daily. In addition, to celebrate the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, limited edition gifts featuring Big Waster will be available for redemption from July 1 to 31.

     Residents of Public Rental Housing (PRH) estates account for about 30 per cent of the Hong Kong population. Starting from June 1, the EPD will progressively distribute designated bags to about 840 000 households in all 214 PRH estates. Each household will be provided with 20 designated bags free of charge every month for an initial period of six months (to be distributed in three batches, with a pack of 40 bags in each batch), with a view to educating and encouraging residents to learn about waste reduction and waste separation for recycling. The EPD hopes that residents can make good use of the recycling facilities in their estates and try to use the 20 designated bags provided to dispose of all monthly waste without using additional garbage bags, so as to achieve waste reduction and recycling. In addition, the EPD will also launch the Waste Reduction and Recycling Charter to encourage residential premises to provide sufficient and convenient recycling facilities and handle recyclables properly.

     Throughout the implementation of the GO Recycling Campaign, the Green Outreach and the operators of GREEN@COMMUNITY will organise waste reduction and recycling promotional activities in PRH estates, Recycling Spots, public markets and near public transport stations (e.g. MTR stations) across the territory. The Green Outreach will also offer assistance to schools to take forward the “We-recycle@School” activity launched on March 1. Over 300 primary and secondary schools have committed to participating in the activity. The EPD will launch online videos featuring interactions between key opinion leaders and Big Waster on social media to educate the public on source separation, clean recycling and the utilisation of community recycling facilities. 

     A spokesman for the EPD said that the department has rolled out a number of waste reduction and recycling schemes to improve the community recycling network progressively, thereby helping the public practise waste reduction at source, including the Programme on Source Separation of Waste that provides free waste separation bins to over 2 700 housing estates/residential buildings and about 1 300 commercial and industrial buildings; and the continuous expansion of the community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY. As of the end of May this year, GREEN@COMMUNITY has established 11 Recycling Stations, 77 Recycling Stores (including 45 in PRH estates), more than 130 Recycling Spots, 82 Smart Recycling Bins and an increasing number of Recycling Spots. It is anticipated to increase the number of public collection points to about 380 in June and further to about 500 in August. Together with about 1 100 sets of roadside recycling bins in rural areas, the recycling network comprising the above schemes has already covered over 80 per cent of the population in various districts of Hong Kong.

     Regarding food waste recycling, the EPD has been gradually expanding the domestic food waste collection services, including the implementation of various food waste collection schemes in PRH estates and private residential buildings. The EPD expected to complete the installation of more than 700 Smart Food Waste Recycling Bins in over 200 PRH estates across the territory by August 2024 and has planned to install additional Smart Food Waste Recycling Bins in PRH estates with higher quantity of food waste.

     Information on the extra rewards and limited edition gifts under the GO Recycling Campaign can be found on the EPD website at www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en-hk/article/go-recycling-campaign-extra-rewards. read more

Company director sentenced to suspended imprisonment for contravening Employment Ordinance

     A director of DME Microelectronics Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The director had pleaded guilty earlier at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts and was sentenced today (May 31) to two months’ imprisonment suspended for two years. The director was also ordered to pay an outstanding sum of about $510,000 in total via the court to the employees concerned.

     The company wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirements of the EO, failing to pay two employees wages and payment in lieu of notice totalling about $445,000 within seven days after the termination of employment in accordance with the EO, and also failing to pay the awarded sums of about $510,000 in total to the two employees within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). The director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.

     “The judgment will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO and the awarded sums as ordered by the LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board,” a spokesman for the LD said.

     “The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees’ statutory rights,” the spokesman added. read more

OFCA conducts enforcement action against suspected illegal use of walkie-talkies

     The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) conducted an enforcement operation yesterday evening (May 30) at Kennedy Town Swimming Pool against a suspected illegal use of walkie-talkies. During the operation, five sets of walkie-talkies were seized and notices of investigation were issued to five persons requesting them to assist in further investigations.
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     “The walkie-talkies seized in the operation may potentially interfere with existing FM sound broadcasting services. OFCA will conduct investigations according to established procedures and, based on the evidence collected, decide whether to instigate prosecution against the individuals concerned,” a spokesman for OFCA said.

     The spokesman stressed that OFCA will continue the enforcement work against unlicensed use of radiocommunications apparatus, which may cause harmful interference to legitimate spectrum users. According to the Telecommunications Ordinance (Cap. 106), save for radiocommunications apparatus exempted from licensing, it is an offence for any person to possess or use any apparatus for radiocommunications, or establish or maintain any means of telecommunications without an appropriate licence. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and imprisonment of five years.

     Members of the public are reminded not to use any illegal walkie-talkies causing interference to existing licensed radiocommunications services. If needed, they should choose walkie-talkies that are exempted from licensing in Hong Kong, such as those radiocommunications apparatus operating in the 409 MHz and 2.4 GHz bands.

     For information on the use of walkie-talkies in Hong Kong, please refer to OFCA’s website (www.ofca.gov.hk/en/consumer_focus/galley/information_leaflets/index_id_16.html). read more

Government announces release of three community isolation facilities sites

     The Government announced today (May 31) that the community isolation facilities (CIFs) sites at Hung Shui Kiu, the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) and Ma Sik Road in Fanling will be released for their original planned uses:

1. The site at Hung Shui Kiu will be developed into multi-storey buildings for modern industries (MSBs) in accordance with the development of sites for industries in the Northern Metropolis. The MSBs will provide floor space for relocation of some brownfield operators affected by development projects. The site is included in the 2024-25 Land Sale Programme as an industrial site. The Government will announce the specific disposal timeline for this site in due course; 

2. The site at the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island of the HZMB will be released to the Airport Authority Hong Kong to serve as back-up sites to support the operation of Hong Kong International Airport and AsiaWorld-Expo; and

3. The site at Ma Sik Road in Fanling will be returned to the land owner for private housing development to align with the development schedule of the Fanling North New Development Area.

     Drawing on the successful experience of transferring and reusing the CIFs in the southern end of the Loop early this year, the Government will transfer the CIFs at the aforementioned sites to other suitable locations for reconfiguration and reuse in an orderly manner in order to implement the principle of making good use of CIFs. They will mainly serve as site offices, rest rooms for site staff, material storage rooms and more in government works projects. The Development Bureau will arrange for the constructors to begin transferring the facilities soon, aiming to complete the process within the third quarter of this year.

     Up till now, the Government has announced the use of a number of community isolation and treatment facilities, and implemented the arrangements. They include:
 

  • The Hospital Authority has been providing medical diagnostic and investigation-related services at the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital in the Loop since last year, and will continue to make better use of the facility for healthcare-related purposes;
 
  • The transfer of the CIF in the southern end of the Loop to government works projects for reuse was completed in March this year. The Civil Engineering and Development Department is carrying out site formation works on the released site, so that the construction of the five buildings in batch one under Phase 1 of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park can commence as early as possible;
 
  • The CIF in Tam Mei, Yuen Long, has been used as centralised quarters for imported labour for the construction sector since last year;
 
  • The CIF in San Tin has been used for holding training courses and trade tests for the construction industry since last year; and
 
  • The CIF in Tsing Yi has become a base for youth development and national education, which provides a venue and ancillary facilities to youth uniformed groups for holding training on flag raising, foot drill and other youth development-related activities since April this year. 

     It is the Government’s goal to maintain the city’s capacity to respond to changes in an epidemic situation, while taking into account Hong Kong’s economic, livelihood and social needs. The Government will continue to make subsequent arrangements for other community isolation and treatment facilities, releasing the sites in phases or utilising the facilities for other purposes. Announcements will be made and the implementation of related work will be carried out in a timely and orderly manner. read more