Letter to the Editor of the South China Morning Post published on 12 April, 2002 - Battery Query
I would like to respond to the letter from Yumi Oda of Discovery Bay, that was published on 10 April 2002.
The Environmental Protection Department has recognised the need to manage end-of-life batteries in a more environmentally acceptable manner.
In this connection, a pilot mobile phone battery recycling programme will be launched on 13 April 2002. This is a product responsibility scheme proposed by the Environmental Protection Department and supported by the telecommunication industry. The programme is operated and funded by mobile phone and battery manufacturers, network service providers and distributors.
The participating companies will provide collection bins at their service centres and shops in Mongkok, Causeway Bay, Central, Sheung Wan, Shatin and Tsuen Wan. Information about the programme is being disseminated to the public and uploaded to the web site of the Environmental Protection Department. The information is also available from our Recycling Helpline (2755 2750).
This is the first part of our programme to reduce and recycle battery waste. With the experience gained in recycling mobile phone batteries, we will then proceed to collect and recycle other types of batteries. However, we should all appreciate that avoidance of battery waste is very important and promotion of a wider use of rechargeable batteries by the community instead of single-use batteries will be our key focus. Rechargeable batteries can be used for 500 to 1000 times and they are more amenable to recycling than single-use batteries.
In the transition to a wider use of rechargeable batteries and their recycling, there will be a continuous flow of single-use batteries to our landfills. Whilst the operating landfills in Hong Kong are designed and operated to very high environmental standards and disposal of batteries will not cause adverse environmental problems, we should work to reduce landfill disposal of batteries as far as possible.
LAWRENCE WONG
Principal Environmental Protection Officer
for Director of Environmental Protection
