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Led by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, representatives of the Inter-departmental Working Group on Clean Shorelines (Working Group), green groups and other related organisations today (September 26) jointly took part in the Shorelines Cleanup Day held at Shui Hau on Lantau Island to promote the message of keeping our shorelines clean.
Mr Wong and dozens of participants, comprising representatives of the Working Group's member departments; the Islands District Office; green groups including the Ecovision Asia, Green Council and WWF Hong Kong; and other related organisations' members, gathered at Shui Hau this morning to assist in the cleaning up of marine refuse on the beach. The cleaning operation involves sorting and systematically recording the types of refuse collected in order to better understand the problem of refuse accumulation in the area.
Most of the refuse collected comprised single-use waste plastic items. Mr Wong urged members of the public to practise the habit of "Take your litter home" when engaging outdoor activities. In addition, the use of single-use utensils and containers like plastic bottles, paper containers, and foam plastic lunch boxes, should be avoided to help reduce waste at source and prevent litter entering the marine environment.
Mr Wong also said that the scenic environment, spectacular shorelines and rich marine biodiversity, are precious local assets in Hong Kong. We cannot solely rely on the Government's efforts to conserve natural resources. Instead, we need the participation and concrete actions of all members of the community to protect our environment, he said.
As part of the "Keep Clean 2015@Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign, the Shorelines Cleanup Day was held by the Working Group as a public education event to mobilise the community to protect the environment and keep Hong Kong's shorelines clean through the concerted efforts of the whole community.
According to a study report released by the Working Group in April this year, over 80 per cent of Hong Kong's marine refuse originates from Hong Kong's land-based sources, with shoreline and recreational activities being the predominant activity contributing to marine refuse, indicating that the problem is mainly the result of improper waste disposal by members of the public and their poor civic awareness. The report also showed that wind direction is a dominant factor affecting the distribution of marine refuse, and that shorelines facing the prevailing wind direction tend to accumulate more refuse. In the report, Shui Hau has been identified as one of the 27 priority sites prone to refuse accumulation, at which the Working Group departments need to take appropriate action.
Co-ordinated by the Environment Bureau, the Working Group was set up in November 2012 with the aim of keeping Hong Kong shorelines clean through inter-departmental collaboration as well as joint government and community efforts. Its members include representatives from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department; the Environmental Protection Department; the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department; the Leisure and Cultural Services Department; the Marine Department; the Civil Engineering and Development Department; the Drainage Services Department and the Lands Department.
More information on the Shorelines Cleanup Day and other beach cleanup activities is available at the Working Group's thematic website www.epd.gov.hk/epd/clean_shorelines.
Ends/Saturday, September 26, 2015
Issued at HKT 13:30
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