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Press
Release
Consultation
on amendments to water pollution control ordinance
The Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) today (March 5) published a consultation
paper on the proposed amendments to the Water Pollution Control
Ordinance (WPCO).
The WPCO
was enacted in 1980 to control all discharges to Hong Kong
waters through a licensing system. Each discharge licence
specifies the conditions to be followed, including quantitative
effluent standards for discharge either to public sewers or
environmental waters.
A spokesman
for the EPD said: "After reviewing the procedures for obtaining
a licence under the WPCO, we propose amendments to streamline
the legislation and make the licensing procedures more customer-friendly.
"We propose
to introduce more options for paying licence application fee
at our counters, simplify the licence application form, shorten
the time to issue the licence and help licence applicants
publish notices in newspapers to inform the public of their
applications and discharges.
"The
rapid economic development and population growth may bring
pollution to our environmental waters if we do not remain
vigilant.
"We therefore
also propose to streamline the enforcement practices and evidence
collection procedures, enhance some offence and penalty provisions
and bring the provisions in line with other legislation."
Copies
of the consultation paper are available at the EPD, 28/F.,
Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. The
consultation paper can also be downloaded from the EPD website
at http://www.info.gov.hk/epd.
The EPD
welcomes comments on the proposed amendments. They should
be sent in writing by May 4, 2001 to the Waste Policy and
Services Group, the EPD on the 28th floor of Southorn Centre.
They can also be sent by fax to 2318 1877 or by email to wpco-rev@epd.gov.hk.
For enquiries, please call 2835 1296.
End/Monday,
March 5, 2001
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