Thirty-one pollution convictions in August

Press Release

Thirty-one pollution convictions in August

Thirty-one convictions were recorded last month (August) for breaches of anti-pollution legislation enforced by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD).

Fourteen of the convictions were under the Waste Disposal Ordinance, 10 under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, three under the Noise Control Ordinance, three under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance, and one under the Ozone Layer Protection Ordinance. 

The heaviest fine for waste import offences under the Waste Disposal Ordinance was handed down in August. A company was convicted after trial and fined $100,000 for importing waste lead-acid batteries from Jamaica in December 2007 without a waste import permit. About 21,900 kg of waste lead-acid batteries were found by EPD officers in the course of a container examination. The hazardous waste was returned to Jamaica in the same month following the requirement of the International Basel Convention.

"The heavy fine by the court imparts an unequivocal message that smuggling of hazardous waste into Hong Kong is a serious offence. The HKSAR Government is committed to enforcing stringent waste import and export control in order to protect the environment," an EPD spokesman said.

Ends/Tuesday, September 16, 2008