環保工作報告ENVIRONMENTALPERFORMANCEREPORT

2014

環境局Environment Bureau

環境保護署Environmental Protection Department

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Contents

Foreword .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Scope of The Report 2

Our Profile 3

» Our Vision, Mission and Policy 3

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Our Organisation and Priorities 4

Managing the Environmental Impacts of our Operation ......................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Green Office 8

Operating Waste Management Facilities in Environmentally Sound and Effective Manner 19

Human Resources Development and Training 27

Targets for 2014 29

Appendix I Environmental and Energy Policy 31

Appendix II ENB / EPD Offices and Facilities 33

Appendix III Environmental Performance Reports of Government Bureau / Departments and Agencies 35

Verification Statement 36

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The Environment Bureau (ENB) and Environmental Protection Department (EPD) have a heavy responsibility in addressing Hong Kong’s environmental problems and ensuring future generations can enjoy a clean and healthy environment. Details of our programmes are outlined in the Environment Hong Kong 2014. However, there is also another topic that receives very little public attention: our commitment to reducing the impacts of our own operations.

We are acutely aware that we must lead by example in all of our operations, from offices to laboratories to waste management facilities.We have done this by setting high standards for ourselves, such as adhering to European Union emission standards at waste treatment facilities, and by implementing green management systems. Waste reduction and energy-efficiency measures have been introduced. Where appropriate, environmental equipment and technologies have been installed or upgraded, particularly in waste management facilities. All of these efforts have helped us achieve continual improvements in the environmental performances of our operations.

For example, the total electricity consumption of our offices and laboratories was reduced by 1.06% in 2013, as compared with 2012. We have managed to reduce consumption every year for more than five years now. Paper consumption has also fallen gradually and is 4% less than that in the year 2008. In this, as in other environmental programmes, it is often easier to make initial gains by eliminating the more obvious areas of waste; further gains can become more difficult. We are diligently monitoring and implementing energy and waste reduction programmes, and seeking new areas where we can make savings.

The impacts of our waste management facilities are much more obvious to the community. They have been the focus of public concern in recent years, particularly at the Southeast New Territories landfill. We have addressed concerns by tightening environmental requirements at facilities and strictly monitoring their performance.

That said, we are seeking new opportunities to improve. In 2013 we secured funding of $18.8 million to subsidise private owners of refuse collection vehicles in retrofitting their vehicles with metal tailgate covers and waste water sump tanks, in order to reduce their environmental nuisance.

These measures are an example of where ENB and EPD’s internal and external priorities meet. In fact, this is the case for any environmental impact. None of us can avoid using energy, generating waste or causing other environmental impacts. It is therefore imperative to keep a close watch on our performance, and make close examination of areas where we can improve. These are principles the ENB and EPD apply both to its work to protect Hong Kong’s environment, and to its internal operations.

I hope you will find this report informative and enlightening. Your feedback can help us do better so please make use of the feedback form at the end of this report. We need to work together to improve Hong Kong’s environment.

Ms Anissa Wong Sean-yee, JPPermanent Secretary for the Environment /

Director of Environmental Protection

Foreword

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This Environmental Performance Report covers 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013 unless otherwise stated. It seeks to provide an overview of the efforts of the Environment Bureau (ENB) and Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to reduce the impacts of our operations, and contribute to sustainable development in Hong Kong. Other sustainability considerations have also been incorporated where possible, making reference to the Global Reporting Initiative.

We have always been looking for ways to improve the reporting of our environmental performance. We acknowledge that readers want to see a concise report to enable easy monitoring of our environmental performance of our own operations. We therefore bring back the approach of producing a standalone environmental performance report, which we last produced for 2011. This year’s report covers all the issues that enable the measurement of our environmental performance of our own operations in a concise manner in the year 2013.

As ENB and EPD are responsible for developing government policies and programmes to protect Hong Kong’s environment, for those readers who want to have details of these policies and programmes in the year 2013, we recommend them to read our another publication, Environment Hong Kong 2014, which reports our works in details.

Our target readership includes members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, academics, green groups, local and overseas organisations and businesses, members of the general public with an interest in environmental protection and other government bodies.

This report is published in English and Chinese on our website to reduce paper consumption. All monetary figures are in Hong Kong dollars.

Scope of The Report

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Our Profile

Our Vision, Mission and Policy

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Our Vision

Is of a Hong Kong

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which enjoys an environment that is both healthy and pleasant;

in which the community places a premium on sustaining such anenvironment for both themselves and future generations, andpursues sustainable development; and

in which the community enjoys a reliable and safe energy supplyat reasonable prices, while improving energy efficiency, promotingenergy conservation and minimising the environmental impacts fromthe production and use of energy.

Our Mission

Is to contribute towards realising this vision by applying our professional knowledge and judgment and drawing on international experience

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to formulate policies and plans on environmental protection, energy, conservation and the promotion of sustainable development;

to provide first-class physical infrastructure for the treatment and disposal of waste and wastewater;

to raise community awareness of and promote public support for issues related to environmental protection, energy, conservation and sustainable development;

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to promote collaborative efforts through regional and international co-operation;

to implement environmental protection and energy related legislation and plans; and

to administer robust environmental impact assessment in the planning of new developments and major projects.

Environmental and Energy Policy

To realise our vision and mission, we have adopted an Environmental and Energy Policy that applies to our services, programs and internal operations (see full text at Appendix I). The policy has adopted the following guiding principles: compliance with the letter and spirit of environmental laws; pre-emption of environmental problems through planning and prevention; preparedness for dealing with emergency environmental incidents; minimisation of consumption; communication of our goals to our staff and the public; and training and professional development of our staff.

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Our Organisation and PrioritiesThe Environment Bureau (ENB) and Environmental Protection Department (EPD) are responsible for developing government policies and programs to protect Hong Kong’s environment. The Secretary for the Environment reports directly to the Chief Executive and Executive Council.

Organisation Structure

Secretary for the Environment

Under Secretary forthe Environment

Political Assistant toSecretary for the Environment

Permanent Secretary for theEnvironment / Director of Environmental Protection

Environmental ProtectionDepartment

Environment BureauEnergy and SustainableDevelopment Branch

Detail Detail

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Environmental Protection Department

Permanent Secretary for the Environment /Director of Environmental Protection Press Unit

Deputy Director of EnvironmentalProtection (1)

EnvironmentalAssesment Division

Environmental Impact Assessment & Planning MattersNoise Modelling & Abatement

Water Policy Division

Water Policy

EnvironmentalCompliance Division

Enforcement of Environmental Ordinance (i)Building Partnerships with Trades

Corporate Affairs Division

Management and Administrative Support (ii)

CommunityRelations Unit

Encouraging The Public to Switch to a greener lifestyle

Central Prosecution Unit

Prosecution

Deputy Director of EnvironmentalProtection (2)

Nature Conservation &

Infrastructure Planning Division

Nature ConservationInfrastructure Planning

Waste ManagementPolicy Division

Waste Policy

EnvironmentalInfrastructure Division

Waste FacilitiesEcoPark

Waste Reduction&

Recycling Division

Waste Reduction & Recycling PolicyWaste Reduction Programmes

Deputy Director of EnvironmentalProtection (3)

Air Policy Division

Air PolicyAir ScienceMobile Source Control

Cross-Boundary&

International Division

Cross-boundary & International MattersPOPS

Remarks: (i) Major enforcement duties under Air, Environment and Planning, Noise, Waste & Water Programmes are carried out by Environmental Compliance Division. (ii) Covers corporate environmental management,knowledge management, staff safety & health, human resources management & information technology.

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Environment BureauEnergy & Sustainable Development Branch

Deputy Secretary for the Environment

Sustainable Development Division

Sustainability Assesment and Sustainable DevelopmentSecretariat to Council for Sustainable Development

Energy Division

Scheme of Control AgreementsFuture Development Electricity MarketEnergy Efficiency & ConservationRenewable EnergyReliability of Electricity, Gas & Oil SupplyGas Market DevelopmentElectrical & Gas SafetyEnergy Advisory Commitee

Financial Monitoring Division

Financial Monitoring of Energy UtilitiesInformation & Consultation AgreementMonitoring of Retail Prices of Auto-fuel

Electricity Team

Future Development of Electricity Market

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2013 ProfileENB EPD

Establishment 45 1 730Facilities One office Ten offices, three

strategic landfills, more than 40 other facilities

Founding 2007 1986

Expenditure in 2013

The ENB and EPD spent a combined total of more than $2.9 billion on environmental and sustainability programmes during the year, excluding major infrastructural work.

ENB Expenditure: $64 million

55.6

%

34.6%

9.8%

General Running Expenses

Capital Expenditure

Staff Costs

EPD Expenditure: $2.853 billion

33.9%

11.6

%

10.7%

Contract Payments for The Treatment & Disposal of Municipal & Chemical Wastes

General Running Expenses

Capital Expenditure

Staff Costs

See Data

Areas of Responsiblity

Protecting Hong Kong’s environment

ENB’s work covers three program areas:

▶▶ Environmental Protection. The EPD, which comes under ENB, develops and implements policies and programs on air, environmental assessment and planning, noise, waste and water. EPD also develops nature conservation policy, which is implemented by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

▶▶ Energy. ENB sets overall policy. The execution of energy conservation policy is by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department.

▶▶ Sustainable Development. ENB sets and implements policy.

Managing the Environmental Impacts of Our Operation

ENB and EPD manage the impacts of internal operations through two committees:

▶▶ the Departmental Environment, Safety and Health Committee, a consultative committee with representatives from management and staff, which manages environmental impacts.

▶▶ the Energy and Emissions Management Team, which manages internal energy consumption and our progress in implementing energy-saving measures.

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Managing the Environmental Impacts of our Operation

With 11 offices, and over 40 various types of facilities, such as strategic landfills, Chemical Waste Treatment Facility, Refuse Transfer Stations, Air Quality Monitoring Stations and Visitor Centres etc. (see Appendix II), to manage, the ENB and EPD inevitably has its own impacts on the environment. Programmes and policies have been implemented to contain the impacts and achieve best standards. Good progress continued to be achieved in 2013, in reducing the impacts of our office operation as well as our different waste management facilities, as described below.

Green Office

Green Policy and Management SystemPolicy

The EPD’s Environmental and Energy Policy (see Appendix I) sets out our aims on compliance, pollution prevention, response to environmental incidents, minimisation of consumption and other internal issues. These aims are achieved through:

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an effective green management system, including environmentally-acceptable management of waste facilities

initiatives to minimise energy and resources consumption

green procurement

the adoption of the most environmentally-acceptable practices in managing our waste facilities.

Management System

Our environmental objective is to pursue continual improvement in the environmental performance of our internal operations by implementing an effective management system. During the year, the green management

system of ENB and EPD continued to work effectively in monitoring the potentially significant environmental aspects of our internal activities. In reducing energy and emissions, our Energy and Emissions Management Team (EEMT) continued to play a key role in identifying and implementing energy and emissions reduction measures.

Our green management is steered by the Departmental Environment, Safety and Health Committee. Environmental impacts are monitored by the Corporate Development Unit (CDU) in the Corporate Affairs Division and the EEMT. A Group Environmental Representative (GER) in each group/unit assists in implementing, overseeing and co-ordinating green management measures, training others in how to implement these measures, communicating with colleagues, and carrying out the annual green audit.

The annual green audit is required of each group / unit, which are also encouraged to invite other groups to cross-audit them biannually. The CDU also conducts green audits of a portion of groups /units as a counter-check.

On energy, in addition to the annual audit, the EEMT monitors consumption and identifies new areas of saving. Administrative sections also report energy consumption data to the CDU, which monitors overall consumption trends.

On waste, groups / units are required to report on paper consumption and waste sorted for recycling (e.g. ink or toner cartridges for printers, photocopiers and fax machines, ballpoint pens, batteries and waste paper). This is also regularly monitored by CDU.

At the individual staff level, a comprehensive circular on green management has been issued on how to support and implement green management practices in our offices.

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Green Measures AdoptedTo lead by example, we have set our environmental objective to demonstrate efficiency and commitment to environmental conservation by reducing expenditure and resources consumption in our office operation. During the year, we achieved all the following specific environmental targets:▶▶

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Continue paper saving initiatives to keep paper consumption to a minimum

Continue energy saving measures and monitor electricity consumption

Monitor resources consumption and encouraging recycling

Continue Indoor Air Quality certification work and arrange renewal as necessary

Reducing Energy Consumption

A large portion of Hong Kong’s electricity is generated from non-renewable fossil fuels, which affects air quality in Hong Kong and the region and contributes to climate change. The ENB and EPD therefore is keen to reduce its impacts in this important area.

The Energy and Emissions Management Team (EEMT) is tasked with monitoring energy consumption and continuously looking for new opportunities for further savings. Guidelines ( See Table 2a & 2b ) on saving energy have been issued and the following measures implemented:▶▶

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annual self-inspections of all offices and laboratories to identify areas of improvement

Energy Wardens appointed in all offices to co-ordinate and regularly monitor the implementation of energy-saving measures

reporting of Annual Energy Consumption to track the progress in achieving the energy-saving target.

As a result of these efforts, electricity consumption in 2013 fell by 1.06% when comparing with that in 2012 (see Table 1).New savings opportunities are expected to arise after a system upgrade-cum-server consolidation is completed in 2015. This will use virtualisation technology to reduce the number of computer servers required and create scope for further reducing electricity demand.

De-lamping in EPD office

Label reminding colleagues to set air-conditioners at 25.5 °C

Table 1: Electricity consumption and emissions 2011-13*2011 2012 2013

Office Electricity Consumption [K Wh] 2.779 x106 2.732 x106 2.703 x106

EV Electricity Consumption [K Wh] 1.090 x103 2.820x103 3.920x103

Consolidated Electricity Consumption [K Wh] 2.780 x106 2.735 x106 2.707 x106

CO2 (tonnes) 1 946 1 914 1 895SO2 (kg) 5 839 5 741 5 684NOx (kg) 3 614 3 554 3 554RSP (kg) 278 273 271

*Most of our offices are in buildings that are shared with other users and have common air-conditioning systems. Since there are no separate meters for measuring individual air-conditioning and related energy use, such use is excluded from our calculations. In line with the Government Guideline issued in 2009 for calculating energy saving, the office electricity consumption figures under comparable operating conditions as in the fiscal year 2007-2008 are presented.

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Table 2a: Good Practices to Reduce Electricity Use

Air-conditioning Lighting

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Fans are used instead of air-conditioning when possible.

The temperature and ventilation settings of air-conditioners are adjusted to maintain the temperature at not lower than 25.5 °C in summer months. Thermometers are installed to monitor room temperatures. Where necessary and feasible, fans are used to improve air flow and increase the cooling effect.

Filters in all air-conditioners are cleaned or replaced at the beginning of summer and cleaned every two weeks afterwards.

Effort is made to install air-conditioners away from direct sunlight.

▶▶ The input and output air vents of air-conditioners are kept free from obstructions.

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Window blinds and curtains are used to block direct sunlight.

Windows and doors are kept shut when air-conditioning is in use.

Air-conditioning is switched off when occupancy is low, such as during lunchtime, after office hours and on weekends, and switched on only when needed.

When cold or hot spots are found in offices, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department is called in to investigate.

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Staff are encouraged to dress down in summer, such as dispensing with jackets and ties and wearing short-sleeved shirts or blouses.

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Daylight is used whenever possible and lights are switched on only when needed. This is reinforced with routine checks and reminders.

De-lamping is underway in office areas that are over-illuminated. One high wattage lamp is being used to replace several low wattage lamps.

More energy-efficient lighting is being installed. Fluorescent tubes are used instead of tungsten lamps, and T5 fluorescent light tubes are replacing T12, T10 and T8 tubes. As far as practicable, fluorescent tubes with electronic ballast are being installed instead of conventional electromagnetic ballast.

Conventional exit signs are being replaced with more energy-saving LED exit signs, which consume six times less energy.

Lighting is reduced as appropriate and switched off when not in use, such as in public areas during lunch hours and in non-office areas. This is reinforced with routine checks and reminders.

Non-opaque, light-coloured lamp shades are used.

Light fixtures and lamps are kept clean to maximise efficiency.

Sectional control switches and occupation sensors have been installed.

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Table 2b: Good Practices to Reduce Electricity Use

Equipment procurement and use Communicating green practices

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Power-saving features are used for all computers and office equipment.

Timer switches have been installed on certain equipment, such as photocopiers, network printers and water dispensers, to completely switch them off after office hours. Staff members are reminded to manually switch off other equipment, such as computers when not in use.

Non-essential servers are turned off at night, on weekends and on public holidays where possible.

Equipment with energy-efficient labels is purchased, as it can save as much as 35% in electricity use compared with more inefficient models.

Printers and various types of office equipment are being replaced with networked all-in-one devices that function as photocopier, printer, scanner and fax. These machines can serve groups of staff and the available information suggests they lower energy consumption.

Equipment is placed near air-conditioning outlets to increase heat dissipation.

Hot water heaters are switched on only when required and otherwise switched off.

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Water heaters are inspected as recommended on the unit’s label to ensure efficiency and safety.

The cold water button of water dispensing machines is switched off in winter.

Reminders are posted near air-conditioner switches, light switches and office equipment to turn the equipment off when not in use. The last person to leave the office should make sure equipment is turned off.

Group Environmental Representatives or their stand-ins regularly inspect their areas to check the effectiveness of energy-saving measures, such as room temperatures at 25.5 °C, electrical appliances switched off when not in use, and the operation of programmable timers.

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Daily green tips and departmental circulars are sent to staff to encourage them to implement green practices. Some of the practices promoted include:

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Staff should turn off the PC or allow it to enter energy-saving mode when idle. Keeping the ‘screen saver function turned on not only consumes energy, it may also prevent your PC from going to energy-saving mode.

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Unplugging all equipment chargers and adapters from the socket outlets when not in use.

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Photocopying in batches to minimise energy use through less frequent starting of machines.

Avoiding colour printing, and printing in draft mode whenever feasible.

▲ Avoiding using personal electronic devices in the office.

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Reducing Transport Impacts

The mileage and petrol consumption of vehicle fleet of ENB and EPD were both reduced in 2013 (see Table 3). Use of vehicles fuelled by electricity and liquefied petroleum gas has increased since all diesel vehicles were phased out in 2012.

Green transport measures include:

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procuring environmentally-friendly vehicles as new or replacement vehicles

encouraging our staff to walk or use public transport where possible and to carpool when using government vehicles

promoting green driving practices such as switching off idling engines and planning routes to minimise journey time.

An electric vehicle being used by EPD.

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Table 3: Annual fuel consumption and direct polluting emissions[1] by vehicles 2011-13

Year Vehicle Fleet Petrol (litres) Diesel (litres) LPG (litres) Electricity (kWh) Mileage (km) NOX (kg) RSP (kg)

2011 52 vehicles[2] 99 299 60 734 1 090 661 300 972 1642012 51 vehicles[3] 93 831 50 478 2 828 650 917 918 1562013 50 vehicles[4] 91 778 0 1 872 3 928 640 345 881 146

Notes:

[1]

Only tailpipe emissions are presented. Indirect emissions arisen from the consumption of electricity by EVs are included in our office electricity consumption shown in Table 1. For comparison purpose, the Vehicle Fleet emissions in 2011 and 2012 have been adjusted accordingly and therefore, differ slightly from the figures in previous reports.

[2]

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46 petrol, two electric, two LPG, one hybrid and one Euro II diesel.

[3 46 petrol, three electric, two LPG ( Euro II diesel vehicles were phased out in October 2012; 1 hybrid was replaced by 1 electric car.).

[4] 46 petrol, three electric, one LPG .

Table 4: Annual fuel consumption and direct polluting emissions[1] by marine vessel

Year ULSD [5] (lites) SO2 (kg) NOX (kg) RSP (kg)

2011 80 900 6.7 4 079 161

2012 100 150 8.3 5 049 1992013 94 660 7.8 4 773 188

Note:

[5] ULSD is ultra low sulphur diesel and is used by our marine monitoring vessel, the ‘Dr Catherine Lam’.

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Reducing Waste

Waste in our offices is reduced at source, through recycling, and through better use of resources. Recycling arrangements have been made for paper, metals, plastics, rechargeable batteries, glass bottles, ink/toner cartridges for printers, toner bottles for photocopiers, computers and accessories, and small electrical appliances. Staff have been issued with guidelines ( See Table 5 ) on reducing waste. These efforts resulted in the following achievements in 2013.

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Photocopy paper consumption was 13 543 reams, which is 4% less than in the year 2008 (see Chart 1). This gradual decrease has been achieved through on-going paper-saving initiatives, such as e-applications and processing for internal procurement and leave application, and the electronic sharing of reports and presentation materials.

Some 43 312kg of waste paper, and 272kg of plastic waste, 2 080 printer cartridges units and 91 photocopier toner bottles were collected for recycling from our offices.

A Consumables and Inventory Recycling Scheme was introduced to re-use items.

A programme to refurbish old computers and donate them to the needy was introduced.

Food waste de-composters were introduced in two offices on a trial basis to minimise food waste.

Recycled Materials Box at one of the EPD offices

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Chart 1: Consumption of Different Types of Paper by EPD from 2000 to 2013

05000

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25000

30000

35000

40000

050000

100000

150000

0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 6 0 7 0 8 0 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3Year

Paper for Publications & Printed Matters

Printing & Photocopying Paper

Other Paper

Paper Recycling (KG)

Consumption (R

EAMS)

Rec

ylin

g (K

G)

See Data

Note: The paper consumption figures presented in this chart refer to those consumed by EPD only and excluding those consumed by ENB. It is intended to present the long term paper consumption trend in EPD from the period prior to the merger of the ENB and EPD.

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Table 5: Waste Reduction Guidelines

Waste reduction measures promoted to our staff include:▶▶

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Separate all recyclables, such as metal cans, plastics, waste paper and other recyclables, for easier collection. Where available, they should be placed in recycling bins.

Bring your own mug rather than using disposable paper cups.

Use pencils for drafts rather than pens.

Re-use fluorescent pens by refilling them with fluorescent inks. Even better, reduce the use of fluorescent pens and underline text in pencil instead.

Re-use pen shafts by inserting refills, instead of throwing away the whole pen.

Recycle the ink/toner cartridges of printers, fax machines and photocopiers.

Recycle damaged, old and unwanted floppy diskettes and compact discs (with all data and information deleted), and plastic stationery wastes (such as the caps of correction fluid and thinner bottles, plastic bottles containing glue, the caps and/or pen shafts of used marker pens, felt pens and whiteboard pens, used glue sticks and broken plastic rulers).

Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones as far as practicable.

Recycle old rechargeable batteries.

Use clutch pencils and refills instead of traditional wooden pencils.

Use less glue that contains benzene and ethyl acetate, and ideally use paper clips and pins instead.

Use less correction fluid that contains 1.1.1-trichloroethane.

Waste separation bins at one of the EPD offices

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Greening Government Events

Events organised by the Government reflect on our public image and provide an opportunity to lead by example in terms of environmental impacts. We have issued guidelines on ‘Measures to be taken in Organising/Attending Events and Meetings’, to all government bureaux and departments on how they can adopt green practices and avoid waste when organising or attending events and meetings. The guidelines are as follows:

Reduce Waste

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Excessive decorations and lighting, impractical souvenirs and excessive printed promotional materials (in terms of their quantity, size and use of ink) should be avoided.

Invitations should be sent electronically, as far as practicable, to avoid unnecessary and excessive printing of invitation cards.

All decoration materials, name badges and dining utensils, such as cups, spoons, plates, forks and chopsticks, should be re-usable, either for future events or other purposes. If damaged, they should be repaired to make them re-usable.

The use of name badges should also be kept to a minimum. Corsages should be avoided.

Plans should be made in advance of events for collecting recyclables separately to facilitate their recycling.

Proper recycling requirements should be included in cleansing contracts as far as practicable.

Reduce food waste

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For Chinese banquets, the number of main dishes should be limited to 6 or below to avoid excessive food.

For tea parties, paper and other one-use utensils should be avoided. Drinking water should be provided in glasses and bottled water should be avoided as far as possible.

For events without catering, staff should be encouraged to bring their own meals or schedule meal breaks instead of ordering lunch boxes.

Save energy

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Consideration should be given to holding publicity events outdoors to make use of natural ventilation and daylight.

Energy-efficient lighting sources should be used (e.g. daylight; energy-saving light bulbs; LED lights). Excessive lighting should be avoided.

Air-conditioner temperatures at indoor events should be maintained at 25.5°C in summer months.

Electronic devices should be turned on only when necessary and the energy saving mode of these devices should be activated.

Other actions

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Convenient locations should be used so participants can arrive by public transport.

Green requirements should be included in service contracts when using an event organiser or contractor.

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Green Recognition

The efforts of ENB and EPD to improve its environmental performance have earned a “Class of Excellence” Energywi$e Label, “Class of Excellence” Wastewi$e Label and Green Organisation Label in the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE).

In addition, good indoor air quality is maintained at the offices of ENB and EPD including environmental resource centres and the Indoor Air Quality Information Centre. 15 offices were certified under the Indoor Air Quality Certification Scheme in 2013.

Indoor Air Quality Certificate - EcoPark

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Operating Waste Management Facilities in Environmentally Sound and Effective Manner

The EPD manages its waste facilities to high environmental standards so as to ensure treatment and disposal of wastes at our facilities are managed in the most environmentally acceptable manner to achieve our waste management objective. Our current facilities include:

Strategic LandfillsThe EPD manages three strategic landfills named after their locations: West New Territories (WENT), North East New Territories (NENT) and South East New Territories (SENT). The strategic landfills are engineered with impermeable lining and comprehensive leachate and landfill gas management systems. They are operated to meet international environmental standards. Landfill gas is used beneficially to generate electricity and energy for site use or as a substitute for towngas.

Environmental Measures

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Each of the strategic landfills has been designed and constructed as a secure containment facility, incorporating multilayer composite liner systems covering the entire surface area of the site. As the site is lined, landfill gas and leachate can be collected and treated to ensure that there will be no untreated discharges from the landfill to the environment.

The surface water management system of strategic landfills is designed to minimise soil erosion and maintain water quality.

A geocomposite drainage layer below the primary base liner provides a means for groundwater to leave the site without coming in contact with the waste mass.

Other measures to prevent potential environmental nuisances to the surrounding areas include minimising the size of active tipping areas as far as practicable; covering the tipping areas with a layer of soil at the end of the daily waste reception process; covering the non-active tipping areas with temporary impermeable liners; providing wheel washing facility for vehicles before leaving the site; etc.

Environmental Monitoring System

To ensure the strategic landfills are operated with minimum impact on the environmental and neighbours, environmental performance are monitored through a three-tier system that involves:

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sampling and testing by well-established laboratories;

reviews of monitoring results by professional engineers and scientists jointly appointed by the Government and the landfill contractors. These professionals provide objective technical opinions as needed; and

auditing of the monitoring work by a team of inspectors at each landfill, who carry out additional monitoring if necessary.

Monitoring targets include subsurface and surface landfill gas, odour, dust, volatile organic compounds, noise, leachate, surface water, groundwater, seawater and stream courses.

WENT Landfill

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Further Enhancement Measures

To further improve the environmental performance of the landfills, a number of additional measures have been implemented at the landfills over the past years, including :

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covering up the tipping area with a more effective cement-based material at the end of daily waste reception process;

setting up deodorisers;

upgrading wheel washing facility to full-body vehicle washing facility; and

enhancing the washing and cleansing of traffic roads leading to landfills and the nearby areas, with a view to minimising the impact on adjacent residents.

Landfill Gas Utilisation

The strategic landfills use landfill gas (LFG) to generate electricity and heat for on-site infrastructure, such as offices, maintenance workshop and pumping stations. LFG is also used to power leachate treatment facilities, for example, to fuel an ammonia stripping plant to treat leachate.

Surplus LFG is handled separately by each landfill. At NENT Landfill, surplus LFG is treated on site and, since 2007, has been delivered through a pipe network to the Hong Kong & China Gas Company Limited plant at Tai Po as alternative fuel for gas production. At SENT Landfill, an agreement for treating and exporting surplus LFG was to be signed in 2014. At WENT Landfill, the EPD and the WENT landfill contractor are in the process of investigating various beneficial ways in which the surplus LFG can be utilised.

Landfill Gas Treatment Unit at NENT Landfill

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Refuse Transfer StationsWaste collected in the major urban areas is delivered to refuse transfer stations (RTS) where it is compacted into purposely built containers for transport to the strategic landfills. This method of transporting waste in bulk has reduced the overall transportation cost and greatly reduced the traffic and environmental nuisance associated with otherwise having a large number of small refuse collection vehicles on the road. A total of seven RTSs are currently in operation.

Five RTSs have been awarded follow-on contracts in 2012 and 2013, and the EPD has used this opportunity to improve their environmental performance. These include the Island East Transfer Station (IETS) which opened in 1992 and four other RTSs that were opened in 1997 and 1998: West Kowloon Transfer Station (WKTS), Island West Transfer Station (IWTS), Outlying Islands Transfer Facilities (OITF) and North Lantau Transfer Station (NLTS).

Under the follow-on contracts, the contractors are required to refurbish and upgrade the plants and infrastructure and to conduct more active environmental monitoring, for example more frequent odour patrolling and noise monitoring and continuous measurement of effluent parameters at the wastewater treatment plant, to address higher public expectations of the environmental performance of waste management facilities. Follow-on contracts and refurbishment/upgrading works for the other two RTSs, Sha Tin Transfer Station and North West New Territories Refuse Transfer Station, will commence when the existing contracts expire in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

North Lantau Transfer Station

Island West Tranfer Station

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Supporting Waste Reduction and Recycling at Outlying Islands Transfer Facilities

The OITF has been a testing ground for supporting the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and glass bottles, and the composting of food waste.

WEEE and Glass Bottle Recycling:

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and EPD jointly launched the Pilot Community Recycling Programme in the Islands District in March 2013, with support from the Islands District Council and the local community. Collection points for WEEE and glass bottles have been set up in Cheung Chau, Peng Chau, South Lantau, Sok Kwu Wan and Yung Shue Wan. FEHD’s contractor collects the recyclables on a daily basis and brings them to the OITF. The OITF Follow-on Contract requires the Contractor to keep the recyclables in separate containers and transfer them to the WENT Landfill Reception Area for further collection by recyclers. The benefits of this programme have been two-fold: it reduces waste disposal at landfills and increases public awareness and participation in recycling WEEE and glass bottles.

Food Waste Collection and Composting:

Food waste is collected daily from restaurants, elderly homes and institutions in Cheung Chau and Yung Shue Wan, and transported to Cheung Chau Transfer Facility (CCTF) and Yung Shue Wan Transfer Facility (YSWTF) via village vehicles. To further minimise the nuisance of food waste collection, the existing village vehicles will be replaced by electric village vehicles after obtaining permission from the relevant authority. In-vessel composters with treatment capacities of 350 kg per day and 100 kg per day have been installed at CCTF and YSWTF, respectively, to convert food waste into compost. In the transfer facilities, the food waste is pre-treated to remove contaminants and mixed with a bulking agent. It is then deposited into the composter to decompose into premature compost. The premature compost undergoes a further two-month maturation period to stabilise its properties. After that, it is suitable for use as a fertiliser and is distributed to local residents and organisations for greening purposes.

The benefits of this programme include improved hygienic conditions of refuse collection points because food waste is separated out from municipal solid waste, the promotion of green living, and reduced waste disposal at landfills.

Other Environmental Features Added in RTS Follow-on Contracts:

Energy-saving features:

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energy-efficient fluorescent tubes installed at OITF and IETS

energy-efficient fluorescent tubes, solar streetlamps and a solar water heater at WKTS

a solar water heater at NLTS

solar streetlamps at IWTS

Emissions reduction features:

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replacing all landfill tractors with new tractors meeting Euro V emission standards.

replacing scrubbing units at WKTS by new units with higher removal efficiency of odorous gases.

modifying the existing one-stage air treatment system at IWTS to a more effective two-stage system.

installing new air curtains at IWTS at the waste tipping and compactor halls to minimise the chance of odour leakage.

installing on-shore power supply for the marine vessel at NLTS to reduce emission from the diesel engine of the vessel.

Other green features:

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installing rainwater recycling system at NLTS to collect, store and treat rainwater for irrigation of landscaped areas.

increasing frequency and extent of street cleansing near the RTSs.

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Sludge Treatment FacilityHong Kong’s Sludge Treatment Facility (STF) will be one of the world’s most technologically-advanced sludge incineration facilities when it starts operating in 2015. It will have the capacity to treat up to 2 000 tonnes of sewage sludge per day to reduce its volume by 90%, which will conserve scarce landfill space.

Experts from around the world worked under a very tight schedule to design the STF’s main features, such as the incineration plant, flue gas treatment, deodorisation plant, electrical power generation and export, process control, desalination plant, wastewater treatment plant, and fire safety and protection. Moreover, they took into account the aesthetics of the facility and its possible other uses. The final STF sets new standards in architectural and ecological design, incorporates amenities for the public, and harmonises with the surrounding environment and landscape.

The treatment operations will meet stringent environmental, safety and operational requirements – equivalent to the European Union and other developed countries. Environmental features include:

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stringent flue gas emission requirements and a continuous emission monitoring system to track the plant’s performance;

the ability to generate electrical power from the incineration process and export surplus power to the public power grid (at full capacity it will generate 2MW, enough power for about 4 000 households);

a desalination plant to process seawater and supply potable and process water;

rainwater to be collected for non-potable use;

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all wastewater to be collected, treated and re-used on site with the goal of ‘zero effluent discharge’;

70% green coverage, with more than 80% of trees/shrubs that are native species;

the re-creation of a bird sanctuary area;

use of natural daylight and/or natural ventilation in the building design;

▶▶ recyclable materials used throughout the site. For example:

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he STF has been built on a pulverised ash (PFA) lagoon and all excavated PFA materials were reused on site for backfilling; no off-site disposal was permitted;

C&D materials generated from other local projects, including Kai Tak, Tuen Mun Lok On Pai, Harrow International School, XRL etc., were imported to the STF as fill materials;

eco-panels (recycled timber) were used inside the STF’s environmental education centre; and

enders collected during the demolition of the ex-Wan Chai Pier were recycled to make furniture, such as seating benches, both in the environmental education centre and the landscape gardens.

The STF also has an unprecedented range of facilities for public enjoyment, such as the environmental education centre, recreational pools, exhibition areas, visitor’s gallery, sky deck and landscape gardens, which integrate technology, education, leisure, health and well-being.

Sludge Treatment Facility in construction

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Chemical Waste Treatment CentreThe Chemical Waste Treatment Centre (CWTC) has handled about one million tonnes of chemical and clinical waste since it began operating in 1993. In 2013 it treated 26 tonnes of chemical waste and 5.7 tonnes of clinical waste each day.

The CWTC meets the latest European Union air emission standards, which are among the strictest in the world. Stringent environmental monitoring facilities and procedures are in place. The stack emissions are subject to a continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) to monitor the quality of the emissions as well as the general performance of the incinerator.

Other regular environmental monitoring programmes at the CWTC include: pollutant concentrations in stack emissions (once per month); pollutant concentrations in effluent discharges (every batch); and leachate analysis of stabilised solid residue to be disposed of at landfills (every batch).

Recently, demand has increased for the proper disposal of spent mercury-containing lamps, in particular compact fluorescent lamps. A pilot Mercury Waste Treatment Facility for treating the lamps is being expanded to handle 3.5 million lamps (equivalent) per year. The expanded plant is planned to be commissioned in 2014. A CEMS has also been installed there to continuously monitor mercury levels in the exhaust gas.

Provisions for Clinical Waste

The treatment of clinical waste began in August 2011, after the CWTC was upgraded to receive, store and treat clinical waste by high-temperature incineration, which destroys pathogens and toxic substances in the waste. Its flue gas cleansing system was also upgraded to ensure the incineration of clinical waste did not increase the emission of pollutants; additional monitoring requirements were also imposed.

An independent assessor was engaged to monitor the stack emissions during the trial burn, commissioning and initial operation of clinical waste incineration at the CWTC. The results confirmed no adverse effect to the ambient air quality of the Kwai Tsing District.

A monitoring regime for pathogenic microorganisms in ambient air has also been developed. Aerosols are monitored for pathogenic organisms that may be released during clinical waste reception, handling and treatment, such as during compaction of waste. Regular bioaerosol monitoring is carried out at five locations at the Clinical Waste Reception Building and near the lift of the incinerator.

Measures have also been adopted to ensure the effective control of dioxin:

▶▶ The kiln (for incineration) operates at a temperature of about 1 000°C at which dioxins will disintegrate.

▶▶ The secondary combustion chamber retains flue gas for more than 2 seconds at a temperature of about 1 100°C to 1 200°C in order to ensure total disintegration of dioxin.

▶▶ To avoid possible re-formation of dioxins, a Spray Dryer Absorber quenches the flue gas from 400°C to below 200°C in a very short period of time.

▶▶ The flue gas is scrubbed by Activated Carbon and then filtered by filter fabric to ensure that emissions meet the most stringent dioxin emission standard of 0.075 ng I-TEQ/m3.

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Low-level Radioactive Waste Storage FacilityThis facility at Siu A Chau, a remote island southwest of Lantau Island, was opened in 2005 to store low-level radioactive wastes (LLRW) produced in Hong Kong for the next 100 years. LLRW mainly come from medical, industrial and academic institutions and include radioactive components of calibration instruments, lightning conductors, smoke detectors, and luminous watch dials and hands.

The facility was designed and operated with reference to the guidelines and standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Operational and monitoring requirements are laid out in the facility’s Radioactive Substance Licence and Environmental Permit. Radiation levels are continuously monitored both inside and outside of the facility to ensure they conform strictly to safety requirements and pose no radiation safety concern to the public and the environment.

Animal Waste Composting PlantThe Animal Waste Composting Plant was opened in 2008 to treat up to 20 tonnes per day of horse stable waste from the Olympics and Paralympics Equestrian Events and turn it into compost. In 2012, its capacity was upgraded to 40 tonnes per day. It currently treats about 22 tonnes per day of horse stable waste and about 0.29 tonnes per day of yard waste such as grass clippings and leaves from public parks and sitting out areas.

The waste is first fed into a hopper and metals are removed. The horse stable and yard waste are then mixed together and conveyed into in-vessel composters for about 5 days for biodegradation. The semi-matured compost is then transferred into bunkers for curing for about 60-70 days.

The fully enclosed, in-vessel composting method is a key measure in containing odours. Other technological measures include a deodorising system to remove odours generated during the composting and curing processes, and the use of a stationary misting system and mobile misting fans.

Overview of Low-level Radioactive Waste Storage Facility

Animal Waste Composting Plant at Ngau Tam Mei

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The mature compost is tested to ensure it complies with the standards of the Hong Kong Organic Resources Centre, before it is taken to market. It is suitable for landscaping, horticultural and agricultural uses. Composting also promotes green living and reduces waste disposal at landfills.

Environmental TargetsDuring the year, we achieved substantially the target of maintaining close supervision of our waste facilities contractors, aiming at full compliance with both legal and contractual environmental requirements.

EPD’s waste facilities, including refuse transfer stations, strategic landfills, restored landfills and the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre, were closely monitored in 2013 on their environmental performance. Some 123 054 environmental monitoring measurements were carried out at these facilities, with substantially all these measurements (99.98%) in compliance with the corresponding contractual requirements. The small number of exceptions was largely related with surface runoff management at individual landfill, where corrective and remedial actions were immediately taken to the satisfaction of an independent consultant, and contract payment deducted for the non-compliance.

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Human Resources Development and Training

We believe that staff development is crucial for the organisation to meet the new challenges ahead. To this end, it is our objective to promote a lifelong learning culture among our staff and encourage their participation in training activities. In 2013, our staff attended 715 training activities, which accounting for a total of 5959 training days on attending CSTDI courses, in-house seminars, workshops and experience sharing sessions, local and international conferences, mainland national studies and overseas training, etc. Details are described below.

Staff ProfileMore than 1 700 employees are involved in carrying out the work of the ENB and EPD, from support staff to professionals. Many bring skills and knowledge in environmental and other work-related matters, and their abilities and contributions are further enhanced through staff training and staff welfare activities.

ENBEstablishment: 45

11

34

Male

Female

Breakdown by gender

9

36

Professional

Administrative & Support

Breakdown by grade

EPDEstablishment: 1 730

1 11

2

581

27

Breakdown by gender

Male

Female

Unfilled

497

786

447

Breakdown by grade

Professional

Technical

Administrative & Support

See Data

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Staff Training and DevelopmentTraining programmes equip staff to support our operations and services, and help them develop their careers. They are offered at three levels: for new recruits, staff at mid-career, and staff with high potential. In 2013, our staff received an average 3.1 days of training (see Table 6). In-house training programmes included:

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61 workshops for 1 050 staff on management and communications, integrity, environmental and prosecution techniques, and other matters

Training in investigation skills, which was offered to 65 staff through the Civil Service Bureau

Training in the Mainland’s administrative, legal and civil service systems, national planning, and environmental management, which was offered to 23 young professional and inspectorate staff who were sent to Jinan University in Guangzhou.

We also provided on-the-job training to 12 environmental engineering graduates in 2013, under the Environmental Graduate Training Scheme.

Table 6: Staff Training in 2013

Grade of Staff Average number of Training Days

Senior management 2.0Professionals 4.7Inspectorates 3.5Other staff 0.9Average per staff member 3.1

Note: Calculation based on both civil servant and non-civil servant staff.

Staff WelfareHealth and safety

We provide health and safety training classes for staff and in 2013 held 86 classes for more than 310 participants. Safety tips and reminders are also sent to staff each day through the intranet system.

In 2013 there were 1.2 occupational injuries per 1 000 staff. The incidents occurred mainly in the field and each case was followed up to identify the cause and any necessary measures to prevent a recurrence.

Communications

The Departmental Consultative Committee (DCC) provides a formal channel for communications between staff and management. The DCC has representatives from both groups and meets every three months. DCC members also sit on the Departmental Environmental, Safety and Health Committee.

Community Engagement by StaffActivities are organised for ENB and EPD staff to promote appreciation of the environment and to take part in supporting environmental and social causes. Staff social events are also organised to build team spirit and encourage networking.

In 2013 staff participated in Hong Kong Reef Check, Sowers Action Challenging 12 Hours Charity Marathon, and Community Chest Events including Skip Lunch Day, Green Day, Dress Casual Day and Love Teeth Day. Community service activities included the Oxfam Rice Sale, Ronald McDonald House Charities Raffle Sale, ORBIS Raffle Sale and a visit to a centre for the elderly.

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Targets for 2014

Managing the Environment Impacts of Our Operation :Long Term Objectives Programme Area 2014 Targets

Demonstrate efficiency and commitment to environmental conservation by reducing expenditure and resources consumption.

Electricity Consumption Reduce electricity consumption at our offices by 1% when comparing with 2013

Fuel Consumption Reduce vehicle consumption of fossil fuel by 1% when comparing with 2013

Pursue continual improvement in the environmental performance of our internal operations by implementing an effective management system.

Waste Reduction Increase the recycling of toner cartridges for photocopiers by 5%

Maintain the recycling rate of waste paper at the 2013 level

Green Recognition Achieve the “Class of Excellence” under the Energywi$e Label Scheme of the HKAEE

Achieve the “Class of Excellence” under the Wastewi$e Label Scheme of the HKAEE

Achieve the “Good” class benchmark for all EPD offices under the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Certification Scheme

Ensure treatment and disposal of wastes at our facilities are managed in the most environmentally acceptable manner.

Waste Facilities Continue close supervision of our waste facilities contractors, aiming at full compliance with both legal and contractual environmental requirements.

Complete the upgrading of the odour control and wastewater treatment systems at West Kowloon Transfer Station to enhance its environmental performance.

To conclude the arrangement for SENT landfill to further increase the percentage of landfill gas utilised.

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Targets for 2014

Human Resources Development and Training :Long Term Objectives Programme Area 2014 Targets

Promote a lifelong learning culture among ENB and EPD staff and encourage their participation in training activities.

Human Resources At least 65 in-house training programmes should be organised, such as management and communication, integrity, induction, experience sharing session and vocational training, etc.

At least 80 in-house and external safety and health training classes should be arranged, such as office safety and health, field work safety and first aid training, etc.

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Appendix I Environmental and Energy PolicyVision

Our vision is of a Hong Kong which enjoys an environment that is both healthy and pleasant; in which the community places a premium on sustaining such an environment for both themselves and future generations, and pursues sustainable development; and in which the community enjoys a reliable and safe energy supply at reasonable prices, while improving energy efficiency, promoting energy conservation and minimising the environmental impacts from the production and use of energy.

To realise our vision, we will continue to strengthen our ability to meet environmental sustainability goals. We will formulate policies and implement programmes to improve and safeguard the environment while contributing proactively to strategic decision-making in the government that will have an impact on the environment. We are committed to ensuring that all policies, services and programmes offered by the Environment Bureau (ENB) and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), as well as our own internal operations, are developed and conducted in an environmentally responsible manner.

To realise our vision on the energy side, we will continue to monitor the operations of the two power companies and the towngas supply company through the established monitoring arrangements. We will strive to achieve energy efficiency and conservation through public education, promotion, legislation and implementation of various programmes. We will also promote competition and transparency in the local fuel market

In pursuance of these goals, the ENB and EPD have adopted the following principles:

Compliance

We aim to establish an effective legislative and an efficient control framework to safeguard the health and welfare of the community from any adverse environmental, conservation and energy-related issues. We will facilitate businesses to comply with environmental legislation through educational and promotional programmes, and encourage our business partners to further enhance their performance by adopting green practices with a view to going beyond compliance.

We will seek to provide moral leadership by not only complying with the letter of the law, but the spirit of all applicable legislation, standards and regulations, as well as our internal guidelines and procedures, in all our operations within the ENB and EPD. We will endeavour to surpass them whenever possible.

Pollution prevention

We aim to pre-empt environmental problems associated with development projects, plans and policies by applying environmental impact assessment in the planning process and seeking opportunities to improve the environmental quality of Hong Kong.

We will implement ISO14001 environmental management systems to improve continually the environmental performance of our major facilities. We will avoid, reduce and control environmental pollution arising from our day-to-day working practices. We will require our contractors to adopt and implement sound environmental management systems and pollution control measures, and actively encourage businesses and other organisations in Hong Kong to adopt similar systems and measures. We will help to reduce air emissions by implementing plans and measures that are relevant to our operations to meet the commitments of the Clean Air Charter.

Appendices

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Adequate infrastructure for waste treatment

We will provide first-class physical infrastructure for the treatment and disposal of waste and wastewater in line with international best practice.

Response to environmental incidents

We will implement an emergency response system for handling environmental incidents and we will work closely with other government departments in responding quickly to minimise the damage to the environment.

Minimisation of consumption

We aim to plan and provide convenient and cost-effective waste management facilities, as well as promote a sustainable approach to waste management in Hong Kong, in which we consume less, produce less waste, and reuse or recover value from waste.

We will exercise the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Responsibility in the consumption of materials and seek continual improvement in the efficient use of natural resources and energy in all our operations.

Energy supply and efficiency

We will continue to oversee the reliability of power supply and monitor the performance of the power companies. We will also actively promote energy efficiency and energy saving in the planning, design, production, use and maintenance of products, buildings and services. We aim to integrate energy conservation and efficiency considerations into policies, strategies, plans, programmes, implementation and operations in both the public and private sectors. We will actively promote partnership and community support, facilitate suitable research and development, and raise the awareness of the community on energy efficiency and conservation matters.

Sustainable development

We will actively promote and contribute to Government-wide policies and programmes that support sound environmental management and sustainable development. We will use and promote evolving scientific and technological systems, work with others and continue to build new partnerships in the pursuance of sustainable development objectives.

Communication and partnership

We aim to promote community awareness of the environment, energy and sustainable development through campaigns, publicity, education and action programmes. We strive to partner with all relevant stakeholders in promotion and public education activities, with a view to harnessing the community’s support for, and contribution to, achieving our desired goals for the environment, energy efficiency and sustainable development.

We will also publicise to the community our policies on the environment, energy and sustainable development and report annually on our performance. We will ensure that all our staff are aware of our policies and that they are able to provide detailed information about our policies and initiatives to stakeholders in their particular areas of concern.

Training

We will ensure through appropriate training and professional development, that every member of our staff has the knowledge and competency to assume his/her responsibilities and to participate constructively in relevant activities.

Management review

The Management will review this policy as well as our objectives and targets on the environment, energy and sustainable development, with regard to changing internal and external factors, and seek continual improvement in our performance.

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Appendix II ENB / EPD Offices and Facilities

LegendENB/EPD Headquarters

EPD OfficesBranch Offices (6)Regional Offices (4)

EPD FacilitiesOperating Strategic Landfills (3)

Chemical Waste Treatment Centre

Animal Waste Composting Plant

Low-level Radioactive Waste Storage Facility

Closed Landfills after Restoration Work (13)

Refuse Transfer Stations including OITF (7)

Temporary Kowloon BayWaste Recycling Centre (1)

EcoPark

Indoor Air Quality Information Centre

Environmental Resource Centres (4)

Air Quality Monitoring Stations (15)

Mobile Environmental Resource Centre

Marine Monitoring VesselOITF

Hong Kong Island

Kowloon

New Territories

N

Note: Seven Outlying Islands Transfer Facilities are grouped as 1 OITF

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Photos of Some Offices and Facilities:

ENB / EPD headquarters offices at the Central Government Offices

Revenue Tower Office Indoor Air Quality Information Centre

Regional Office (North) Customer Service Centre

Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground - Visitor Center

Mobile Environmental Resource Centre

Marine Monitoring Vessel Roadside Air Monitoring Station at Central

West New Territories Landfill

North East New Territories Landfill

South East New Territories Landfill

Kowloon Bay Waste Recycling Centre

Island West Transfer Station Chemical Waste Treatment Centre, Tsing Yi

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Appendix III Environmental Performance Reports of Government Bureaux/ Departments and AgenciesReference can be made to environmental performance reports of government bureaux/departments and agencies through the hyperlink below:

http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/how_help/tools_epr/collect_1.html

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Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) has been commissioned by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to provide independent verification1 of the Environmental Performance Report 2014 (hereinafter referred to as “the Report”), which covers the environmental, social and economic performance of the Environment Bureau (ENB) and EPD during the calendar year 2013.

Objectives

The main objective of HKPC’s verification work is to provide independent assurance on the completeness, accuracy and reliability of the information presented in the Report. More specifically, the objectives are to:

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assess whether the scope of the Report covers all significant aspects of ENB’s and EPD’s environmental, social and economic performance;

evaluate whether the selected statements and data presented in the Report are accurate;

review whether the data collection and information management process used to prepare the Report are reliable; and

provide recommendations for future reports.

Approach

HKPC’s verification procedures2 consist of a comprehensive review of the Report, followed by the selection of a representative sample of statements and data for verification. Through a series of interviews with ENB’s and EPD’s representatives conducted, we reviewed and examined the data collection process and supporting materials relating to the selected statements and data as well as their relevant management practices and initiatives.

Conclusion

The Report presents a structured and comprehensive overview of ENB’s and EPD’s environmental performance with respect to the key services, activities and initiatives pertinent to their roles, responsibilities and operations. The Report also covers some relevant social aspects of ENB and EPD.

In terms of the accuracy and reliability of the Report, the selected samples of statements and data examined during the verification process were consistent with the source materials reviewed and reflected a fair account of ENB’s and EPD’s environmental and social performance. The data collection and information management process adopted were generally considered to be reliable.

Recommendations for Future Reports

We encourage ENB and EPD to consider the inclusion of the following aspects in the preparation of future reports:

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Engaging key stakeholders in the report preparation process to identify material aspects in relation to ENB’s and EPD’s activities and operations for defining the report content;

Following international reporting guidelines such as the Global Reporting Initiative G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines in reporting; and

Benchmarking ENB’s and EPD’s environmental performance against industry norms and/or international standards.

Clement LiPrincipal Consultant

Hong Kong Productivity Council 8 January 2016

Verification Statement

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Verification Statement

[1] This verification statement has been prepared for EPD for the purpose of assuring the statements and data presented in its Environmental Performance Report 2014 only. The statement was prepared based on HKPC’s review of information provided by EPD and ENB during the verification process. HKPC will not accept or assume any responsibility or liability (legal or otherwise) in relation to this verification statement.

[2] Our verification work did not cover data and information which had already been published on the ENB’s and EPD’s websites, in publications and press releases as well as on other publicly accessible websites.

Expenditure in 2013

ENB Expenditure: $64 millionExpenditures Percentage

Staff costs 55.6%

General running expenses 34.6%

Capital expenditure 9.8%

EPD Expenditure: $2.853 billionExpenditures Percentage

Contract payments for the treatment and disposal of municipal and chemical wastes 43.8%

Staff costs 33.9%

General running expenses 11.6%

Capital expenditure 10.7%

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Consumption of Different Types of Paper by EPD from 2000 to 2013

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Consumption (REAMS)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

▶Paper for

Publications &Printed Matters

16 765 12 145 9 220 5 149 1 519 2 138 1 030 1 863 594 3 002 3 815 1 068 871 588

4 696Other Paper 3 661 2 300 4 840 3 132 3 882 4 156 3 779 3 693 2 957 6 612 4 139 4 618 4 712

Printing &PhotocopyingPaper

16 300 15 736 15 548 15 455 13 085 12 932 13 449 13 642 14 109 12 863 12 674 12 462 12 536 13 543

Paper Recycling(KG) 45 513 42 698 41 182 35 266 36 601 49 529 51 131 43 152 46 493 45 376 42 651 41 223 43 667 43 312

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Staff Profile

ENBEstablishment: 45

Breakdown by genderGender People

Male 11

Female 34

Breakdown by gradeGrade People

Professional 9

Administrative▶and▶support 36

EPDEstablishment: 1 730

Breakdown by genderGender People

Male 1112

Female 581

Unfilled 27

Breakdown by gradeGrade People

Professional 497

Technical 786

Administrative▶and▶support 447

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