Hong Kong and Guangdong strengthen co-operation in cleaner production to improve regional environmental quality (with photos)
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The ninth meeting of the JWGCP was co-chaired by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the HKSAR, Mr Tse Chin-wan, and the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province, Mr Qu Xiaojie. The meeting members reviewed the work progress in 2022 and agreed on the 2023 work plan, which focuses on the continuous promotion to small and medium-sized enterprises in the region to adopt cleaner production technologies and management systems, in particular facilitating energy-intensive industries to conserve energy; supporting the water-intensive industries to improve water-saving technologies and increase the wastewater recycling rate. Efforts will also be made to incentivise polluting industries to undertake cleaner production audits and implement measures to reduce pollutant emissions; actively promote the adoption and development of highly efficient energy-saving equipment and products; and encourage enterprises to control and reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds at source. Both sides will also continue to support relevant trade and industry associations to carry out trade-specific publicity activities to promote cleaner production technology projects.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the EEB, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), the Trade and Industry Department, the Innovation and Technology Commission and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong of the HKSAR Government. On the Guangdong side, representatives of the Department of Industry and Information Technology, the Department of Ecology and Environment and the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province attended the meeting.
The EEB also announced the commendation of 155 enterprises as Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners for 2022 in recognition of their efforts in pursuing cleaner production. Of these, 36 and 105 Hong Kong-owned manufacturing enterprises were commended as Excellent Partners and Partners respectively. Other commended enterprises included one sourcing enterprise and 13 environmental technology service providers. Details can be found on the cleaner production website: www.cleanerproduction.hk.
The Cleaner Production Partnership Programme was launched by the EPD of the HKSAR Government in collaboration with the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province in 2008 to encourage and facilitate Hong Kong-owned factories in the region to adopt cleaner production technologies and practices. It has funded about 3 700 projects and has contributed to the reduction of about 39 000 tonnes of air pollutant emissions, 19 million tonnes of effluent and 1.74 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions as well as saving about 18 000 tera-joules of energy and about $2.1 billion of manufacturing costs in the region annually.
Ends/Thursday, December 15, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:11
Issued at HKT 17:11
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