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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has stepped up enforcement against illegal waste disposal by installing video camera surveillance systems at fly-tipping black spots. With the use of the surveillance system, the EPD has successfully instituted prosecutions against those involved in illegal fly-tipping activities.
An EPD spokesman today (April 14) said that in order to better combat illegal waste disposal, the EPD installed a number of round-the-clock video surveillance cameras around the Gin Drinkers Bay area in Kwai Chung in May last year to monitor and record fly-tipping activities. Based on the information of the vehicles involved as recorded by the surveillance system, the EPD can trace the identity of vehicle owners and related parties for evidence collection and instituting prosecution. From then until March this year, more than 80 successful prosecutions against fly-tipping cases were made by the EPD, with fines ranging from $2,000 to $30,000. The EPD is now following up on around 100 fly-tipping cases that took place in the area and is preparing to institute prosecutions against the parties involved.
The Gin Drinkers Bay area is one of the fly-tipping black spots for dumping commercial and industrial waste. The area is adjacent to container terminals and has a cluster of industrial and logistics centres nearby, and it also has slip roads which have low pedestrian and vehicular flow. Some members of the trucking industry would pack and re-pack goods on the roadside and leave the packaging waste and unwanted goods at the nearby streets, such as Kwai Hei Street, Kwai Yue Street, Kwai Tai Road and Wing Lap Street. In 2015, relevant government departments removed about 3 400 tonnes of waste disposed of in the area, comprising packaging materials, wooden planks, unwanted goods, used tyres and construction waste. With the continuous enforcement efforts in the past 10 months, illegal fly-tipping activities at the area have been greatly reduced.
The EPD has also displayed banners at the Gin Drinkers Bay area to remind the public that anyone who engages in fly-tipping contravenes the law and will be prosecuted for such illegal activities.
The spokesman said that illegal disposal of waste not only affects environmental hygiene, but also causes obstruction to roads or even undermines road safety. He called on the commercial and industrial sector and the transportation sector, especially members from the logistics and construction industries, to dispose of waste in accordance with relevant laws. The commercial and industrial sector may contact recyclers to collect waste with reusable and recycling value, while non-recyclable waste should be disposed of at refuse transfer stations or landfills. The construction industry can make better use of resources by either reusing construction waste as fill at their construction sites, or delivering the surplus construction waste to public fill banks. Construction waste which is inappropriate for reuse can be disposed of at landfills.
Anyone who disposes of waste at public places or government land or without the permission of land owners will violate the Waste Disposal Ordinance. First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months' imprisonment. A maximum fine of $500,000 and six months' imprisonment may be imposed on second or subsequent convictions. In addition, a daily fine of $10,000 may be imposed for a continuing offence.
Ends/Thursday, April 14, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:00
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