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The Forum on Source Separation of Waste and Award Presentation Ceremony held by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 20) received a very good response from participants.
Officiating at the opening of the award ceremony, the Permanent Secretary for the Environment, Ms Anissa Wong, thanked property management trades and members of the public for their active support and participation in the Source Separation of Waste Programme. She hoped that they would continue with their efforts to protect the environment.
The Source Separation of Waste Programme has been widely supported by the community and the result is encouraging. From its inauguration in 2005 through to 2008, the recycling rate of domestic waste increased from 16% to 31%. During the same period, landfill disposal of domestic waste had also dropped by 10% in accumulation.
Participating organisations and award winners shared their successful experience in source separation at the forum.
The Domestic Source Separation of Waste Programme was launched territory-wide in 2005. EPD has been mobilising and assisting property management companies and residents¡¦ associations to set up waste separation facilities on building floors to encourage public participation. So far, almost 1,200 housing estates have signed up for the programme, covering 64% of Hong Kong¡¦s population.
The Programme on Source Separation of Commercial and Industrial Waste was introduced by EPD in October 2007 to encourage industrial and commercial buildings as well as other non-residential premises to set up and implement appropriate waste recycling mechanism. The programme has been running smoothly with about 520 industrial and commercial buildings taking part.
The Forum on Source Separation of Waste and Award Presentation Ceremony was held jointly by EPD, the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies Ltd and the Hong Kong Productivity Council. More details of the Source Separation of Waste Programme are available on EPD¡¦s Hong Kong Waste Reduction Website (www.wastereduction.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, August 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:47
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