Under the Government's latest round of anti-epidemic measures, the Environment Bureau launched the Subsidy Scheme for the Refuse Transfer Station Account Holders for Transporting Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to provide a one-off relief subsidy of $8,000 to each of the eligible private MSW collectors. A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said today (May 6) that subsidies totalling about $6.5 million have been disbursed to 809 private MSW collectors by cheque.  

     The spokesman said, "The beneficiaries of the subsidy are the eligible private MSW collectors operating in the first quarter of this year, i.e. those refuse transfer station account holders who transported MSW to refuse transfer stations or landfills between January 1 and March 31 of this year. The subsidy will assist them in increasing resources to enhance the provision of workers' personal protective equipment and strengthen the disinfection of refuse transport vehicles to curb the risk of virus transmission and maintain environmental hygiene."  
     
     In order to provide financial support to the industry as soon as possible, the EPD, following funding approval by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council, expedited the subsidy disbursement arrangements by waiving the application procedures. The respective cheques have been issued and posted to all eligible private MSW collectors.

Ends/Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Issued at HKT 10:00

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