Environment Protection Department - The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
English Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Text Only Sitemap
Food & Restaurant Trade
Construction Industry
Transport Industry
Housing & Property Management Sector
Food & Restaurant Trade
Healthcare Sector
Other Partnership Programmes
News & Events
Home Compliance Guide Events & Activities Links Help Desk

  Green Restaurant Website
Green Restaurant Website

Complaints about cooking fumes, odours and smoke from restaurants increased significantly in the late 1990s, leading the EPD to form a partnership programme with the trade to address the problems. The "Helping the Restaurant Trade Environmental Programme" emphasises voluntary compliance and pollution prevention. It aims to improve restaurants' environmental performance and working conditions, reduce costs and enhance the trade's image.

The programme involves technical support and development, environmental education, collaboration with stakeholders, and waste reduction and resources conservation. The services have been recently updated including a Green Restaurant Web Site, a “ Help Desk to Help the Trade” hotline (tel. 2838 3111) and a “ List of Environmental and Pollution Control Equipment Suppliers/Contractors”. Some technical guides (e.g. environmentally friendly cold water thawing practice) on environmental protection and compliance have been produced to help improve the trade’s practices.


Honourable guests at the Launching Ceremony of the Environmental Help Desk Services for the Restaurant Trade
Honourable guests at the Launching Ceremony of the Environmental Help Desk Services for the Restaurant Trade

The exhibition is well received by the restaurant trade and the public
The exhibition is well received by the restaurant trade and the public
 
The EPD also holds regular liaison meetings with the food and restaurant trade to improve communication and partnerships. The meetings have been well attended by such stakeholders as the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, the Association of Restaurant Managers, the Association of Hong Kong Catering Services Management, the Hong Kong Food Council, the Business Environment Council and the Hong Kong Productivity Council.

Tying these strands together, the EPD and the trade have organised a number of events. The Environmental Exhibition and Conference for the Food and Restaurant Trade was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in July 2002. About 100 exhibition booths offering everything from innovative pollution control equipment technology to food waste reduction technologies. Eight technical seminars attracted more than 1,600 people. The Mooncake Container Recovery Programme was held in 2003 and 2004 in collaboration with the related trades with encouraging results. Further, a series of workshop and thematic seminars entitled “Towards Green Restaurant Workshop 2005” for the restaurant and related trade was organized in February and March 2005. More than 1,000 people attended the workshop and seminars.

Waste recovery activities have been organised jointly with the trade, such as the food and glass waste recovery programme in Lan Kwai Fong and Soho areas.

The EPD is also working with other Government departments to improve co-ordination. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is one department we are working with, to streamline the licensing procedures for restaurants.
Back to Top