|
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.
|
