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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will start receiving applications under the Cleaner Production Partnership Programme (the Programme) on April 1, 2013. This new phase of the Programme will run for two years to March 31, 2015.
Hong Kong enterprises operating factories in Hong Kong or Guangdong Province may apply for funding support to carry out three types of projects under the Programme:
* on-site improvement assessments to identify cleaner production solutions for their factories. The Government will share half of the assessment cost with a funding ceiling of $25,000 per factory;
* demonstration projects to showcase the effectiveness of cleaner production technologies through installation of equipment or modification of production processes. The Government will share half of the cost with a funding ceiling of $300,000 per project; and
* verification services to assess the effectiveness of cleaner production projects carried out by the applicants. The Government will subsidise the cost with a ceiling of $20,000 per project.
While the new phase of the Programme will continue to provide technical support for factories on the enhancement of energy efficiency and reduction of air pollutants and effluent discharges, particular focus will be placed on encouraging the wider use of volatile organic compound (VOC) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction technologies and production processes. Also, the geographical coverage of the Programme will be widened to cover the whole of Guangdong Province. Workshop-type enterprises which involve polluting processes in Hong Kong can also apply for demonstration projects under the extended programme.
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) will continue to be the implementation agent for the Programme, and in conjunction with other environmental technology service providers will provide professional advice and technical support to participating enterprises.
In April 2008, the EPD launched a five-year Cleaner Production Partnership Programme with an approved allocation of about $93 million in collaboration with the Economic and Information Commission of Guangdong Province to encourage and facilitate Hong Kong-owned factories in the Pearl River Delta region to adopt cleaner production technologies and practices. In light of the Programme's environmental benefits and positive feedback from industry, the EPD has extended the Programme for two years with a funding of $50 million.
Enterprises interested in joining the Programme may download application forms from www.cleanerproduction.hk/en_index.asp. Enquiries can be made on the following hotlines operated by HKPC: (852) 2788 5588 (Hong Kong), (86-755) 8615 6942 (Shenzhen) or (86-769) 2299 2095 (Dongguan).
Ends/Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:55
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