***********************************************************
To tie in with the Government's five-day week initiative, the offices of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will close on Saturdays with effect from July 1 and their service hours be extended on weekdays. The level of services provided by the EPD will not be affected.
The new opening hours of the Customer Service Counters, Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) Register Office and Wan Chai and Fanling Environmental Resource Centres are as follows:
* Customer Service Counters for licence/permit/approval applications -- 9am ！ 5pm (Monday ！ Friday, except public holidays)
* EIAO Register Office for licence/permit/approval applications under Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance -- 9am ！ 5pm (Monday ！ Friday, except public holidays)
* Wanchai Environmental Resource Centre, providing information and education programmes on environmental protection -- 10am ！ 5pm (closed Tuesdays and public holidays)
* Fanling Environmental Resource Centre, providing information and education programmes on environmental protection -- 10am ！ 5pm (closed Mondays and public holidays)
Landfills, refuse transfer stations and other waste facilities will continue to operate seven days a week. Other services not affected by the changes include the handling of environmental pollution incidents involving an immediate threat to health, investigation of import/export of ozone-depleting substances, assistance in dealing with significant spillage of chemicals and provision of the Air Pollution Index.
"In addition to visiting our offices in person, business operators and contractors can send in their licence/permit/approval applications by post or by electronic means," the spokesman said.
From July 1, the departmental Customer Service Centre's hotline, 2838 3111, will be manned by EPD personnel from 8.30am to 6.30pm on Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays). Voice mail service will be provided outside office hours.
Ends/Monday, June 19, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:30
NNNN