Following is a question by the Hon Steven Ho and a reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (June 24):
 
Question:
 
     The Government has been actively promoting the application of innovation and technology in recent years, yet there are views pointing out that there is a significant gap between Hong Kong and the Mainland in terms of the level of application of unmanned cleansing technologies. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the use of innovative cleansing technologies by the Government in the past five years; with a breakdown by: (i) date of introduction, (ii) duration of testing, (iii) scope of application, (iv) expenditure involved, and (v) manpower and expenditure saved following the use of such technologies;
 
(2) some members of the sector have relayed that automated cleaning equipment, such as unmanned sweepers, may require supporting infrastructure such as charging facilities and network base stations which involve lengthy interdepartmental vetting and approval processes, whereas the duration of most existing government outsourcing contracts is just three years, making it difficult to recover the costs; whether the Government will consider extending the contract duration or directly providing the infrastructure, and setting up an interdepartmental coordination task force to establish a one-stop green lane for vetting and approving recognized new technologies; and
 
(3) as it is learnt that currently, street cleansing service tenders are subject to minimum staffing requirements, and some members of the sector have relayed that this will lead to high manpower costs, which will in effect discourage bidders from introducing technologies; whether the Government will consider adopting an output-based or performance-based model for tender evaluations, and suitably relaxing or abolishing the minimum staffing requirements for such service tenders?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Various government departments have applied innovative cleansing technologies. In respect of public cleansing services, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has actively introduced innovative technologies, including unmanned cleansing technologies, to enhance the efficiency and quality of street cleansing work and to safeguard the occupational safety and health protection for staff. In response to the question raised by the Hon Steven Ho, the reply is as follows:

(1) Over the past five years, the FEHD has introduced or applied the following cleansing technologies:
 
Pressure washer surface cleaners
 
     Since 2018, the FEHD has tested mini street washing vehicles equipped with high pressure hot water cleaners and pressure washer surface cleaners. The pressure washer surface cleaners can quickly remove stubborn stains, streamline manual scrubbing work, save time and energy, and reduce disturbances to pedestrians. The FEHD has now deployed the mini street washing vehicles across the territory, in areas of high footfall and frequent activities and are easily fouled. As the use of pressure washer surface cleaners has been incorporated into street cleansing service contracts and is provided by contractors, the associated procurement and operating costs are subsumed under the overall contract value, and the FEHD does not maintain separate expenditure figures.
 
Autonomous street cleaning robots
 
     Since last year, the FEHD has been testing the use of autonomous street cleaning robots for street cleansing, at a cost of about HK$580,000. These robots integrate multiple functions, including automated sweeping, refuse disposal, charging, and intelligent obstacle avoidance, making them particularly suited to broad, flat pavements and waterfront areas. As the initial trial results were satisfactory, the FEHD has commissioned the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) to procure two additional robots, with the next phase of trials expected by the end of this year.
 
Industrial grade robot dogs
 
     Since last year, the FEHD has been testing the use of industrial grade robot dogs to assist in transporting refuse at remote and rural locations (such as hillside paths, slopes, and stairways), at a cost of about HK$670,000. The robot dogs can navigate slopes and autonomously traverse rugged terrain, improving the efficiency of refuse transport and reducing the risk of injury to workers from heavy lifting. The FEHD is actively exploring the addition of functions such as automatic navigation and full automation, so that the robot dogs can better meet practical operational needs.
 
Electrically-assisted trolleys
 
     To reduce the physical burden on frontline workers when transporting refuse and other heavy loads, the FEHD has been testing the use of electrically-assisted trolleys since last year, at a cost of about HK$220,000. The trolleys are foldable and suitable for use on pavements. The FEHD has further optimised the functions of the trolleys and is conducting field trials, strengthening the occupational safety and health protection for staff.
      
     Except for the pressure washer surface cleaners, the above three technologies remain at the trial stage, and the FEHD is not yet able to estimate the resources that may be saved. Any manpower and resources saved in future will be flexibly redeployed on a priority basis to other environmental hygiene duties. 

(2) The Government actively promotes the adoption of innovative technologies to enhance the quality and efficiency of public services. In doing so, it is necessary to assess operational feasibility, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and the supporting infrastructure required. The FEHD has been identifying innovative technologies or equipment with potential and practical applicability through two fronts.
 
     First, the FEHD has been proactively collaborating with the EMSD and other departments to conduct market research and arrange field trials for suitable projects to assess their operating conditions and effectiveness. Taking autonomous street cleaning robots as an example, the FEHD also assessed the supporting infrastructure and operational requirements required, such as charging stations, etc, during the trial phase. Should the FEHD decides to incorporate the use of such robots into future street cleansing service contracts, it will first assess whether the supporting infrastructure is sufficient and how much additional resources contractors would need to invest, to ensure that the contract duration and terms are reasonable and practicable and the services are cost‑effective.
      
     On the other hand, in line with the government procurement principles to support innovation, the FEHD encourages tenderers to propose feasible innovative solutions beyond the basic requirements stipulated in contracts. In the assessment of street cleansing service tenders, marks will be awarded under that criterion if tenderers provide innovative suggestions for adopting technology or other means that help enhance service efficiency, effectiveness or productivity, thereby incentivising tenderers to introduce innovative technologies. Where a contractor submits an innovative proposal in its tender and is successfully awarded the contract, the FEHD will require the contractor to implement the proposal. If the innovative proposal is proven feasible and effective, the FEHD will incorporate such technologies or equipment into future contract requirements to promote wider adoption. Vehicles equipped with automatic on-board refuse bin cleaner, which are widely used by the the FEHD's contractors at present, were introduced and put into application through this approach.
      
     In determining contract duration, a range of factors must be carefully balanced, including the need to maintain market competition, service stability, and the upfront capital investment required of contractors. In accordance with prevailing government procurement guidelines, for services like street cleansing which involve the employment of a large number of non-skilled workers, the FEHD generally sets a contract term of three years. For certain contracts where contractors require a longer period to recoup their investment, such as those involving a substantial number of specialised vehicles, the contract term would be set at five years.

(3) The FEHD's street cleansing service contracts are drawn up on an outcome-based principle, with performance indicators set for contractors. For example, if the cleanliness of litter bins falls below standard, contractors must carry out cleansing within a specified timeframe. Besides, depending on the nature of services, the FEHD also stipulates in tender documents requirements on manpower, work shifts, and cleansing frequency, with a view to ensuring the successful tenderer meeting the basic service standards recognised by the FEHD. These arrangements help the FEHD clearly define contract requirements and, on a fair and objective basis, compare and evaluate tenders for different street cleansing service contracts.

     The FEHD will continue to monitor the latest developments in cleansing technologies through various channels, including reference to local, Mainland, and overseas experience, and will flexibly allocate resources to research and introduce suitable new technologies, with a view to continuously enhancing cleansing services.

Ends/Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Issued at HKT 12:33

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