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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (December 1) held the 5th Friends of EcoPark Award Presentation Ceremony at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to honour 109 organisations from both the public and private sectors in recognition of their support for EcoPark tenants and to encourage further mutual collaboration.
The Permanent Secretary for the Environment/Director of Environmental Protection, Ms Anissa Wong, expressed her heartfelt thanks for the efforts and support of all the awardees who helped the EcoPark tenants in running their recycling businesses in the past year. She said that in addition to government assistance, community support and participation are essential in boosting the development of the local recycling industry.
This is the fifth year the Friends of EcoPark scheme has been organised by the EPD. As most of the EcoPark tenants have commenced their business operations, the scheme has received an enthusiastic response with a noticeable increase in the number of participating companies and organisations this year. The awarded companies and organisations comprise a wide range of businesses including hotel, catering, engineering, logistics, retail, manufacturing, property management and waste management, as well as a number of public and utilities organisations. Also officiating at today's ceremony were the Chairman of the Legistlative Council Panel on Environmental Affairs, Mr Chan Hak-kan, and the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Recycling Fund, Mr Jimmy Kwok.
The EcoPark is the first facility developed solely for the promotion of the recycling industry in Hong Kong. Located at Lung Mun Road in Tuen Mun with a site area of 20 hectares, the EcoPark was developed in two phases, providing a total of 14 hectares of rentable area for the recycling industry. Since 2007, the EcoPark has provided the recycling industry with long-term land lease with basic utilities at affordable rent with a view to encouraging their investment in advanced technologies and value-added recycling processes.
The EPD is also committed to providing assistance to EcoPark tenants in plant construction and operation. To further assist the tenants in running their recycling businesses, the EPD launched the Friends of EcoPark scheme in 2010 in an attempt to encourage partnership development between the private and public sectors and EcoPark tenants, with the aim of providing the tenants with improved access to waste source supplies, enhanced collection of recyclables, and greater use of recycled products produced by the EcoPark tenants.
At present, 13 lots of land in the EcoPark have been leased to private recyclers and non-profit making organisations for the recycling of waste cooking oil, waste metals, waste wood, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), waste plastics, waste batteries, waste construction materials, waste glass, waste rubber tyres and food waste. Among them are two recycling centres operated by non-profit making organisations for waste plastic and WEEE recycling, which are funded by the Environment and Conservation Fund. With community support and the efforts of EcoPark tenants, it is very encouraging that the amount of recyclables recovered by the EcoPark increased from 9,000 tonnes since the first tenant began operation in 2010 to over 150,000 tonnes in 2014, and 90,000 tonnes in the first six months of 2015.
The EPD will continue to provide assistance to EcoPark tenants and, through the scheme, motivate more partnership initiatives between enterprises and tenants to promote the sustainable development of their recycling operations. For more information about the Friends of EcoPark scheme or collaboration opportunities with EcoPark tenants, please visit the EcoPark's official website at www.ecopark.com.hk or call its hotline on 2496 7633.
Ends/Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:54
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