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Our Vision
Our Mission
Management
Finances
Responsibilities
Programmes
Changes Ahead for EPD - Re-organisation
Our
Vision
Our
Vision is of a Hong Kong which enjoys an environment that
is both healthy
and pleasant, in which the community places a premium on sustaining
such an environment for both themselves and future generations.
Our
Mission
Our Mission
is to make our contribution towards realising this vision by applying
our professional knowledge and judgement and drawing on our experience
in environmental protection and conservation
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to
formulate policies and plans on environmental protection and
conservation; |
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to
increase community awareness of environmental protection and
conservation issues; |
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to
implement environmental protection legislation and plans; and |
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to
participate in the town planning process |
with a view
to achieving and maintaining a high standard of environmental quality
and conservation.
Management
The Environment,
Transport and Works Bureau has overall policy responsibility for
the environment. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) implements
environmental plans and legislation, as well as advises on policy
and new initiatives. Plans were underway in 2004 for a merger between
the environment arm of the bureau and the EPD.
The department
had an establishment of about 1 617 staff in 2004. Some 28 per cent
were professionals, 45 per cent were technical-grade staff and the
remaining 27 per cent were administrative and support staff.
Finances
In
2004, the total departmental expenditure was $2.179 billion.
Of that amount,
51.7% was for contract payments for the treatment and disposal
of municipal and chemical wastes, 34.1% was staff costs, 8.2%
was capital
expenditure and 6% was general expenses.
Responsibilities
The
EPD was established on 1 April 1986, with staff and resources from
six Government departments and the aim of bringing the majority
of pollution prevention and control activities under one organisation.
Responsibilities are distributed across six divisions and 1 unit
(see Organisation Chart of the Environmental Protection Department
below) covering seven programme areas (see Programmes below). These
responsibilities include:
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implementing
environmental policy and plans; |
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promoting
community environmental awareness; |
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enforcing
environmental legislation; |
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monitoring
environmental quality; |
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providing
collection, transfer, treatment and disposal facilities for
many types of waste; |
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advising
on the environmental implications of town planning and new policies;
and |
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handling
pollution complaints and incidents. |
Organisation
Chart of the Environmental Protection Department
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Other government
departments are also responsible for environmental initiatives related
to their areas of responsibility. For example, the Electrical and
Mechanical Services Department is responsible for energy efficiency,
while the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department is
responsible for nature conservation.
Programmes
The EPD has
seven programme areas. Our aims and objectives under these are as
follows:
Air Programme
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Achieve
and maintain satisfactory air quality through intervention
in the planning process. |
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Participate
in the risk management of potentially hazardous installations
and in matters related to energy and global warming. |
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Enforce
the Air Pollution Control and Ozone Layer Protection Ordinances. |
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Enforce
the Road Traffic Ordinance against smoky vehicles. |
Community
Relations Programme
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Promote
community awareness through environmental campaigns, publicity,
education and action programmes. |
Environmental
Assessment and Planning Programme
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Pre-empt
environmental problems associated with projects, plans, policies
and strategies by assessing their environmental impacts and
implementing preventive and mitigatory measures where potential
problems are identified. |
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Strive
for the best possible environmental performance in both the
public and private sectors. |
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Enforce
the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance. |
Noise Programme
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Prevent,
minimise and resolve noise problems through intervention in
the planning process, implementation of noise abatement measures
and enforcement of the Noise Control Ordinance. |
Waste
Programme
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Establish
a framework of legislative and institutional controls to safeguard
the health and welfare of the community from the adverse environmental
effects associated with the improper handling and disposal of
waste. |
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Enforce
the Waste Disposal and Dumping at Sea Ordinances. |
Waste
Facilities Programme
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Develop
plans and programmes for the minimisation of waste. |
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Provide facilities for managing any residual waste in a cost-effective
and environmentally acceptable manner. |
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Co-ordinate
and manage the implementation of plans and programmes relating
to waste minimisation and waste facilities. |
Water
Programme
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Develop plans and programmes to ensure the quality of inland
and marine waters meets with our conservation goals. |
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Formulate plans for sewerage, sewage treatment and disposal
facilities and monitor their implementation to meet development
needs and environmental standards. |
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Enforce
the Water Pollution Control Ordinance. |
Changes
Ahead for EPD - Re-organisation
The Environmental
Protection Department will merge with the environment branch of
the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau from 1 April 2005, a
move that should help to make us more efficient and focused. The
Director of Environmental Protection will report directly to the
Principal Official, the Secretary for Environment, Transport and
Works, and, for the first time, will be responsible for policy-making.
This arrangement will better align our priorities with the policy
agenda set by the Secretary and help raise the profile of environmental
issues.
In preparation
for the change, the EPD began re-structuring internally in 2004.
The Local Control Division was renamed Environmental Compliance
Division, to reflect its work in fostering partnerships with industry.
The six Local Control Offices from which local enforcement work
was carried out were restructured into four Regional Offices. The
division also took over responsibility for territorial control,
enforcing legislation on such issues as environmental impact assessments,
asbestos, ozone-depleting substances and dumping at sea.
Other important
changes include the establishment of a new division to focus on
liaison with the Mainland on cross-boundary issues, and separate
divisions to deal with waste and water policy matters.
Organisation
Chart of the Environmental Protection Department as of 1 April
2005
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