Environmental Performance Report 2005
Environmental Protection Department
| Contents
| Previous | Next
| EPD Homepage |
| Foreword | 1 Environmental
Policy | 2 Organisation, Programmes and Responsibilities
| 3 EPD Offices and Facilities | 4
Our Influence and Impact on the Environment | 5
Our Contribution to the Environment | 6 Our
Own Operations | 7 Progress on Year 2004 Targets
| 8 Targets for 2005 | 9
Verification Statement | 10 Feedback Form
|
1
Environmental Policy
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.
To realise this vision, we will continue to strengthen our ability to meet
environmental sustainability goals. We will formulate and implement programmes
to improve and safeguard the environment while contributing proactively
to strategic decision-making in the government that will have an impact
on the environment. We are committed to ensuring that all services and programmes
offered by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), as well as our
own internal operations, are developed and conducted in an environmentally
responsible manner.
In pursuance of these goals, the EPD has adopted the following principles:
Compliance
We aim to establish an effective legislative and an efficient control framework
to safeguard the health and welfare of the community from any adverse environmental
effects.
We will seek to provide moral leadership by not only complying with the
letter of the law, but the spirit of all applicable environmental legislation,
standards and regulations, as well as our internal guidelines and procedures,
in all our operations within the EPD. We will endeavour to surpass them
whenever possible.
Pollution
Prevention
We aim to
pre-empt environmental problems associated with development projects, plans
and policies by applying environmental impact assessment in the planning
process and seeking opportunities to improve the environmental quality of
Hong Kong.
We will implement ISO14001 environmental management systems to improve continually
the environmental performance of our major facilities. We will avoid, reduce
and control environmental pollution arising from our day-to-day working
practices. We will require our contractors to adopt and implement sound
environmental management systems and pollution control measures, and actively
encourage businesses and other organisations in Hong Kong to adopt similar
systems and measures.
Response
to Environmental Incidents
We will implement
an emergency response system for handling environmental incidents, and will
work closely with other government departments in responding quickly to
minimise the damage to the environment.
Minimisation
of Consumption
We aim to
plan and provide convenient and cost-effective waste management facilities,
as well as promote a sustainable approach to waste management in Hong Kong,
in which we consume less, produce less waste, and reuse or recover value
from waste.
We will exercise the principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in the consumption
of materials and seek continual improvement in the efficient use of natural
resources and energy in all our operations.
Sustainable
Development
We will actively
contribute to government-wide policies and programmes that support sound
environmental management and sustainable development. We will use and promote
evolving scientific and technological systems, work with others and continue
to build new partnerships in the pursuance of sustainable development objectives.
Communication
We aim to
promote community awareness, through environmental campaigns, publicity,
education and action programmes, and public access to environmental information,
with a view to harnessing the community's support for, and contribution
to, achieving the desired environmental goals.
We will also publicise to the community our Environmental Policy and report
annually on our environmental performance. We will ensure that all our staff
are aware of our Environmental Policy, that they will be able to provide
detailed information about our Policy and initiatives to stakeholders in
their particular areas of concern.
Training
We will ensure
through appropriate training and professional development, that every member
of our staff has the knowledge and competency to assume his/her environmental
responsibilities and to participate constructively in environmental activities.
Management
Review
The Management
will review this policy and the department's environmental objectives and
targets vis-a-vis the changing internal and external factors, and seek continual
improvement in our environmental performance.