Environmental Management System

The EPD has developed an environmental management system (EMS) to fulfil internally the goals stated in our Environmental Policy regarding compliance, pollution prevention, minimisation of consumption and other issues. The Director of Environmental Protection is our green manager.

The department’s EMS was improved in 2002, following a gap analysis that used ISO 14001 standards as the benchmark. The key improvements were as follows:

The members of the DESHC include representatives from each of the EPD’s six divisions, plus staff representatives. The committee is chaired by the head of EPD’s Corporate Services Division. The committee is a departmental consultative body on internal operations relating to environmental, safety and health, and it advises the Director and the Director’s Meeting on these matters. Its main responsibilities are to review at intervals the departmental environment, safety and health system and to ensure its continuing suitability and effectiveness.

The DESHC is supported by the Environment, Safety and Health Unit (ESHU), which is responsible for developing, implementing and reviewing our EMS and green practices department-wide. This involves auditing the environmental management practices of selected groups within the department. Each group must first complete a self-audit using checklists developed by the ESHU. In 2003, 48 self-audits were completed and the ESHU audited 13 of these groups. In addition, four pilot groups within the EPD have been certified to level 2 of the CISPROS (Continual Improvement Safety Programme Recognition of System) safety and health management system and continued to display an exemplary performance in both green and safety management.

To improve on our EMS and make it more effective, the department has established a system to identify, assess, record and manage the environmental impacts of our internal operations and daily activities. The draft documents for this will be finalised in 2004.

Environmental Policy

The EPD’s Environmental Policy, first drafted in 1996, was reviewed and rewritten in 2000 to include the department’s response to environmental incidents and the development of partnerships in pursuance of sustainable development objectives. The DESHC will review the policy again in 2004.

ISO 14001 Certification

The EPD regards ISO 14001 certification as an opportunity to continue improving our environmental performance and set a good example to other government departments and the private sector.

In 2003 the certification of our Waste Facilities Business Unit was renewed for another three years, having first been certified in 2000. The division also requires contractors of new waste management facilities to obtain ISO 14001 certification as part of their contractual arrangements.

Safety and Health & CISPROS Certification

The EPD was the first government department to receive certification under the Occupational Safety and Health Council’s Continual Improvement Safety Programme Recognition of System (CISPROS). The programme was established in 2001 and only two other departments have been certified. In 2004 the EPD will renew its certification. There has been a significant improvement in the incident rate since we have been certified.

The EPD aims to introduce innovations to improve safety and health. In 2002 we joined with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to develop a purpose-built manhole cover lifter which prevents unnecessary back injuries. The device started being used in 2003.

We will ensure that all services and programmes offered by the EPD, as well as our own internal operations, are developed and conducted in an environmentally responsible manner.

We will implement ISO 14001 environmental management systems to improve continually the environmental performance of our major facilities.

We will review our Environmental Policy and objectives/targets to reflect changing internal and external factors, and seek continual improvement in our environmental performance.

We are committed to achieving a high standard of safety and health for all our staff and others who may be affected by our activities. We shall provide all necessary resources and employ sound management practices to implement our policy, and provide training, information and guidelines to our staff so that they are competent to perform their duties in a safe and healthy manner. Also, we shall pursue continual improvement in safety and health by regularly reviewing our performance.