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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, on electronic waste after officiating at the Energy Saving for All 2016 Campaign today (June 20):
Reporter: An environmental group discovered that Hong Kong has become a dumping ground for electronic waste. What are the follow up actions that the Environment Bureau is going to take?
Secretary for the Environment: The EPD (Environmental Protection Department) has issued a press release (last Friday) to respond to that. Basically, there are a number of follow up actions. Firstly, we should address the source issue, that means, they would contact the concerned country that they should step up their enforcement so that the export of those e-waste (electronic waste) should be minimised. Secondly, we will work with the relevant agencies so that we will step up our enforcement effort. There are actually a number of initiatives. I would like to highlight that we are working on a new law that will more holistically address this issue. That's related to the e-waste PRS (Producer Responsibility Scheme), that will somehow step up the requirement about these places or spaces that will handle e-waste.
Reporter: Mr Wong, the concerned group that actually wrote the report on e-waste refuted the Government's press release issued last Friday saying that some of the regulations that Hong Kong has are not exactly in compliance with the Basel Convention. What is your response to this? What are some other ways that you think you can strengthen the enforcement?
Secretary for the Environment: I think the details can be referred to the further communication between the media and our Department's colleagues. But basically, as I said earlier, there are rooms for improvement for lawmaking. As I said, we had just passed a new law about e-waste that could enhance various aspects in relation to the concern, including governing the places and spaces which are having operation in relation to that, also enhancing the import/export control, and also having a new plant in EcoPark that most of the e-waste can be properly handled in and also optimising the recycling value.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, June 20, 2016
Issued at HKT 18:53
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