Thirty-five pollution convictions in September

Press Release

Thirty-five pollution convictions in September

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

Eighteen of the convictions were under the Waste Disposal Ordinance, 13 under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, one under the Noise Control Ordinance, and three under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance. 

The court imposed one of the heaviest penalties under the Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO) in a waste export case in September. On June 4, 2008, a Hong Kong vessel loaded with a large quantity of waste computer monitors and heading towards the Mainland was intercepted by the Marine Police near the eastern marine border.  Four mainlanders involving in the smuggling act were subsequently prosecuted for attempting to export controlled waste and/or failing to engage the service of a licensed collector for chemical waste under the WDO.  While the smuggling act also contravened the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO), they were also charged for attempting to export unmanifested cargo.   All four defendants were convicted after trial and sentenced to 2 to 3 months imprisonment for the two WDO offences and 8 to 9 months imprisonment for the offence under the IEO, with terms running concurrently.  

"The court has continued to hand down heavy penalties in waste import and export cases recently; this represents a stark message that smuggling of controlled waste is a serious offence which needs to be punished significantly for deterrence effect.   By all means, the HKSAR Government is committed to stringently enforcing border control against smuggling of controlled waste in order to protect the environment" an EPD spokesman said.

Ends/Tuesday, October 21, 2008