A spokesman for the Environment Bureau (ENB) said today (May 29) that the Government has launched the Anti-epidemic Subsidy Scheme for the Laundry Trade under the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) to help the laundry trade cope with the challenges brought about by the current economic situation. The Scheme, being implemented by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), is open for application from today.

     The ENB spokesman said, "Due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the business of various sectors has declined sharply. The laundry trade, providing downstream support, has also been hard hit. About 30 per cent of the trade's employees are people aged 65 or above.

     "A sum of about $90 million has been earmarked under the AEF for the Scheme to provide a one-off subsidy to help the laundry and/or dry cleaning services industry meet their operational costs. The Scheme is expected to benefit about 1 400 laundry shops and workshops."

     To take care of the livelihood of employees aged 65 or above in the laundry trade, the Government requires an undertaking from the applicants of the Scheme not to reduce the total number of employees aged 65 or above for three months upon receipt of the subsidies. Otherwise, the Government may retrieve any subsidy already disbursed.

     Under the Scheme, eligible applicants must hold valid business registration certificates for operating laundry and dry cleaning services or related collection and dispatch services at outlet shops. The services should have been in operation on or before May 12, 2020, and should be still in operation on the date of submitting applications for the Scheme.

     Each eligible laundry shop or workshop (premises) will receive a one-off subsidy depending on its size of operation. The subsidy amount is as follows:
 

Category	Size	Subsidy amount
First	Premises providing collection and dispatch outlet services only. No on-site laundry or dry cleaning service is provided.	$10,000
Second	Premises with average daily water consumption of less than 3.225 cubic metres (equivalent to average monthly water consumption of less than 100 cu m).	$40,000
Third	Premises with average daily water consumption of not less than 3.225 cu m but less than 32.258 cu m (equivalent to average monthly water consumption of not less than 100 cu m but less than 1,000 cu m).	$80,000
Fourth	Premises with (1) average daily water consumption of not less than 32.258 cu m (equivalent to average monthly water consumption of not less than 1,000 cu m) or (2) internal floor area of not less than 1,000 square metres	$150,000

     The application period for the Scheme is from today to June 12 (Friday). The laundry trade can visit the EPD website  (www.epd.gov.hk/laundry_subsidy.html) (Chinese only) for details of the Scheme and downloading the application form. The completed application form together with supporting documents should be submitted by email to laundry_subsidy@epd.gov.hk; by post to the EPD's office at Room 3410, 34/F, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; or in person to the regional offices of the EPD. It is expected that the first batch of subsidies will be disbursed to approved applicants in late June at the earliest. For enquiries concerning details of the Scheme, applicants can call the telephone hotline (3107 8403) or send an email to laundry_subsidy@epd.gov.hk.

Ends/Friday, May 29, 2020
Issued at HKT 11:00

NNNN