Chapter 6 - Part B   Environmental Impacts of Internal Operations

1.   The EPD manages its environmental impacts through the Departmental Environment, Safety and Health Committee (DESHC) (see Chapter 3 for details). We have two kinds of environmental impacts arising from internal operations. One arises from our office work and concerns mainly paper and electricity consumption and the use of recyclables. The other arises from our waste facilities, laboratories and field work, where the impacts are more complex and require special controls.

2.   A map and photos of our offices and facilities can be seen in Appendix II.

Minimising Impacts from Our Offices

Electricity Consumption

3.   The EPD consumed 1.7 per cent less electricity in our offices in 2006, largely due to the following energy saving initiatives:

• Energy audits were conducted for major EPD offices and energy management opportunities identified.
• Awareness of energy conservation was enhanced among staff.
• Office lighting hours were adjusted.
• Electronic ballasts were installed in fluorescent lamps.
• T5 fluorescent lamps replaced T8 lamps.

4.   The EPD will continue to pursue opportunities to reduce energy consumption further, through such efforts as self-audits of our offices, ensuring electrical equipment is switched off during non-office hours and implementing medium- and long-term Energy Management Opportunities recommended by energy audits.

5.   Energy wardens have also been appointed in all EPD offices to actively check and remind colleagues of measures to conserve energy. We are strictly adhering to the Government's directive that air-conditioner temperatures be maintained at 25.5 degrees Celsius during summer months.

Paper Consumption

6.   In 2006, we met the former Environment, Transport and Works Bureau's Government-wide target to reduce paper consumption and used five per cent less paper compared with 2005. This was achieved mainly through the following on-going paper-saving initiatives:

• Printing or photocopying on both sides of paper;
• Reusing single sided paper;
• Promoting the use of annual reports in electronic version;
• Extending the use of email systems to EPD staff;
• Disseminating administrative information through an electronic daily bulletin system;
• Using e-application and processing in the internal procurement system;
• Using an electronic leave application and processing system;
• Distributing departmental Christmas cards and Lunar New Year cards electronically; and
• Extending the internal knowledge management portal to encourage more storage and sharing of reports and presentation materials in electronic form.

Waste Reduction

7.   The EPD has introduced a number of initiatives to minimise waste. Apart from using less paper and improving the recycling rates for paper and laser cartridges, we have reduced consumption of disposable batteries and new ballpoint pens. In 2006 we streamlined the arrangements for collecting recyclables in some offices to improve recycling rates, and continued to provide convenient collection channels in branch offices. Environmental contractors have been hired to collect our waste for recycling and re-use. A total of 51 131 kg of waste paper and 429 kg of plastic waste were collected in 2006 for recycling.

Indoor Air

8.   The EPD participates in the voluntary Indoor Air Quality Certification Scheme. By the end of 2006 14 premises were certified, one as "Excellent Class" and 13 as "Good Class" (see below).

	EPD Premises	Certification Date	Class Awarded
1	IAQ Information Centre	November 2006	Excellent
2	Offices in Southorn Centre	December 2006	Good
3	Offices in Revenue Tower	December 2006	Good
4	Wan Chai Enironmental Resource Centre	December 2006	Good
5	Offices in Tsuen Wan Government Offices	December 2006	Good
6	IWTS Administration Building	June 2006	Good
7	Offices in Sha Tin Government Offices	June 2006	Good
8	Offices in Chemical Waste Treatment Centre	September 2006	Good
9	Fanling Environmental Resource Centre	January 2006	Good
10	Office in South East New Territories Landfill	February 2006	Good
11	Offices in Chinachem Exchange Square	February 2006	Good
12	Offices in Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices	February 2006	Good
13	Offices in Chinachem Tsuen Wan Plaza	February 2006	Good
14	Offices in Nan Fung Commercial Centre	May 2006	Good

Audits

9.   All offices underwent a self-audit exercise in 2006 to check and review the current green, safety and health aspects of the working environment, and to identify possible and potential enhancement areas.

Transport

10.   The EPD has a fleet of 51 vehicles, which are powered either by petrol or liquefied petroleum gas. We have a non-idling policy and we combine trips to reduce air emissions and fuel consumption.

Minimising Impacts from Our Facilities

Waste Facilities

11.   The EPD operates 25 waste facilities, all of which are subject to a range of legal, contractual and technical controls. In 2006 we received 142 complaint cases against our waste facilities, mainly concerning odour, dust and fly nuisance. All valid complaints were thoroughly investigated and remedial actions have been instigated. None of our waste management contractors were prosecuted for environmental offences.

Other issues at our waste facilities include:

11.1.   Landfill gas. In 2006 an average 653 000 cubic metres of landfill gas was recovered daily, 48 per cent of which was used to meet nearly all on-site energy needs. In the summer of 2007, the North East New Territories Landfill contractor will start to sell extra landfill gas to public utilities operators. The operator of the restored Shuen Wan landfill has been supplying landfill gas for the production of Towngas and in 2006 provided the equivalent of 66 362 000 Mega-joules.

11.2.   Chemical waste treatment. The CWTC in Tsing Yi is equipped with a wide range of pollution controls to ensure emissions from incineration and other processes are safe. The ambient air around the CWTC is monitored twice yearly and dioxins measured monthly, and the results are lower than or comparable to other large developed cities. Emission controls will be upgraded further as part of the CWTC's contract renewal in April 2008 and arrangements will be made to start accepting clinical waste (see Waste of Chapter 6 - Part A for details). In terms of solid wastes, all process residues, including incineration ash, are chemically treated and confirmed by analysis to be stable before final disposal at the South East New Territories Landfill. In addition, the CWTC recovered 3 734 tonnes of oil and 465 tonnes of copper oxide in 2006.

Laboratories

12.   The EPD operates air, water sciences and microbiology laboratories. In 2006 they fully complied with legal requirements and statutory licence conditions. Special attention is paid to emissions from fume cupboards and safety cabinets and discharges from sinks, which are treated as required.

13.   Chemical waste from laboratories are collected by licensed collectors, then treated and disposed of at the CWTC. Biological waste is disinfected and disposed of in accordance with World Health Organisation guidelines. A licensed collector delivers asbestos samples from the air laboratory to the South East New Territories Landfill for disposal.

14.   Environmental audits of the EPD's laboratories are carried out regularly by laboratory staff.

Field work

15.   Only non-toxic dye is used to trace pollution sources, to minimise the environmental impacts of investigations. Field samples are sent to the Government Laboratory and EPD's laboratories for appropriate action. Safety guidelines are issued to all field staff who are trained in the handling of hazardous materials.

Emergency Response

16.   The EPD has internal emergency response plans for its facilities. In 2006, four emergency drills were carried out at the CWTC. The CWTC contractor is also required to conduct at least one drill for marine incidents each year. No incidents were reported at the CWTC or in any of EPD's laboratories or other facilities in 2006.

ISO 14001

17.   Our Environmental Infrastructure Division has had its Environmental Management System (EMS) certified under ISO 14001 since 2000. The scope of the EMS covers all of the division's activities, operations and services. The division also urges contractors of new waste management facilities to implement an EMS compliant with ISO 14001 and obtain EMS certification for long-term contracts.

Clean Air Charter

18.   The Government endorsed the Clean Air Charter in 2006, a business-led initiative to control, monitor and report air emissions from all sources, including vehicles and vessels, and to reduce energy consumption related to our activities. All departments have been asked to report their performance in future EPRs. The EPD will form an Energy and Emission Management Team in 2007 to collect data on current emissions/energy consumption, identify emission sources, assess the current position by benchmarking, formulate and implement energy/emission reduction measures, and review the effectiveness of these measures. The progress will be reported in our next EPR.

Photo - The Chief Executive, Mr Donald TSANG (right), endorses the Clean Air Charter.

Chapter 6 - Sustainability at EPD - Environmental Impacts
Chapter 6 - Part A Environmental Impacts of Policies and Programmes