Overview
- Hong Kong’s environmental protection industry focuses on six business areas, including (1) water conservation and pollution control, (2) air and odour pollution control, (3) energy conservation, (4) waste treatment, disposal and recycling, (5) noise control and mitigation, and (6) environmental consulting services.
- In April 2010, Hong Kong and Guangdong signed a “Framework Agreement on Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation”, and agreed to, among others, help implementing the “Cleaner Production Partnership Programme”, which is to support Hong Kong-invested enterprises in Guangdong to pursue clean production.
- The construction of Phase Three of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks, which will be able to accommodate about 150 green technology companies upon full completion, is to be completed by 2016.
Industry Features
Hong Kong’s environmental protection industry consists of about 300 establishments, which are largely small and medium-sized enterprises. The industry focuses on six business areas, including (1) water conservation and pollution control, (2) air and odour pollution control, (3) energy conservation, (4) waste treatment, disposal and recycling, (5) noise control and mitigation, and (6) environmental consulting services.
- Water conservation and pollution control
Related services rendered by the industry may involve biological treatment, chemical treatment, physical treatment, sludge treatment, etc., as well as supply and installation of equipment like monitoring/measurement/analytical apparatus and pumping systems.
- Air and odour pollution control
This includes services in relation to gas emission controls, odour/organic gases controls, particulate controls, etc., for which chemicals such as activated carbon, catalysts and scrubbing solution, as well as equipment for purposes of monitoring and analysis, enhancement of ventilation, filtration, germs killing, dehumidification/ humidification, air ionization, deodorization and aromatization may be involved.
- Energy conservation
This involves rendering of energy conservation services in relation to areas like recovery of residual heat and pressures, low-energy production processes and adoption of alternative and/or renewable energy.
- Waste treatment, disposal and recycling
This involves design and supply of waste handling, storage, disposal and control systems/equipment, as well as provision of waste reclamation, transportation and recycling services.
- Noise control and mitigation
This involves design of noise mitigation systems and solutions, and supply of noise control equipment like noise barriers and vibration isolators.
- Environmental Consulting Services
With knowledge of latest environmental technology and experience of technology integration, some Hong Kong companies are providing consulting services to enterprises in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland to help them contain pollution.
The Ecopark and Recovery of WEEE
Further to the document "A Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (2005-2014)" published in 2005, the Government has set out the strategy on waste management that places emphasis on waste reduction and recovery. One of the foci was the setting up of the Ecopark located in Tuen Mun with a site area of 20 hectares providing land for use by the recycling industry. Currently, a total area of 4 hectares have been awarded to enterprises for recycling of waste cooking oil, waste computer equipment, waste metals, waste plastics, waste wood and waste batteries.
Hong Kong households and business establishments dispose of more than 70 thousand tonnes of computers and electrical and electronic equipment every year. To reduce the quantity of waste computers and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) disposed of at landfills, the Government introduced the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Recycling Programme, which aims to channel WEEE for reuse and recycling instead of disposal.
The Ecopark WEEE Recycling Centre was opened in January 2011 in order to help proper disposal of used electrical appliances and reduce the pressure on the landfills. The WEEE collection is focused on major designated items like TV sets, refrigerators, washing machines, video or audio equipment, microwave ovens, fans, water heaters, rice cookers, air-conditioners, heaters, electronic games and mobile phones. The WEEE is brought to the WEEE Recycling Centre for inspection and/or repair. Items that are beyond repair are dismantled and their useable components and materials are recovered for reuse and recycling.
Development of Green Technology
The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP) accommodate a number of environmental enterprises which are devoted to developing technologies related to environmental protection and energy saving. They comprise Hong Kong companies as well as environmental enterprises originated in Europe and the US. Enterprises with a foothold in the HKSTP include 3S Industries Limited from Switzerland, DuPont Apollo Limited from the US, and C&G Environmental Technology Ltd which is a joint venture with European and Hong Kong capital.
The construction of Phase Three of the HKSTP, into which the Government will inject HK$4.9 billion, started in early 2011, and is to be completed by 2016. This Phase Three development is among the Government’s initiatives to boost the development of green technology in Hong Kong and to attract high-tech investment by private companies. This project is expected to create 4,000 research and development positions of green technology in the territory, and the Phase Three, upon full completion, will be able to accommodate about 150 green technology companies.
In addition, Hong Kong is among the first in Asia to introduce electric vehicles in its territory. The Hong Kong-based company - EuAuto Technology Limited, has lined up with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to develop an electric vehicle model, namely “MyCar”, which is now available for sale in Europe and Hong Kong.
Recently, the mainland’s BYD Company Limited has announced the setting up of a R&D office in the HKSTP, and its collaboration with the Hong Kong Automotive Parts and Accessory Systems R&D Centre and the Hong Kong Productivity Council to promote development of electric vehicles, including the new generation zero-emission electric vehicles dedicated for the public transportation system in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong-Guangdong Cross-boundary Cooperation
During the fiscal year 2008/2009, the Government launched a five-year Cleaner Production Partnership Programme, allocating HK$93.06 million to encourage Hong Kong-invested enterprises in Guangdong to actively participate in improving the quality of the environment in the region. Assistance is given to Hong Kong factories in the PRD to use cleaner production technologies and operation mode so that concerted efforts are made to create a cleaner environment. Efforts include:
- Conserve energy
- Reduce air pollutants emission
- Lower production cost
- Reduce sewage discharge
Through cleaner production, Hong Kong-invested manufacturers can meet national and Guangdong province’s environmental protection standards, enhance their environmental performance, lower cost, increase competitiveness and improve their corporate image. This programme targets eight industries, namely chemical products, food and beverage, furniture, metal and metal products, non-metallic mineral products, paper making and paper products, printing and publishing, and textiles. Currently, more than 160 environmental technology service providers have registered with this programme, including service companies in Hong Kong and the PRD.
Further, the Government is working with Guangdong to build a green and quality living area in the greater PRD region. In April 2010, Hong Kong and Guangdong signed a “Framework Agreement on Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation”, and agreed to, among others, cooperate on environmental protection like:
- Reducing pollutants: jointly exploring the reduction targets and options for total air pollutants emission in the PRD region in 2011-2020.
- Cleaner production: help implementing the “Cleaner Production Partnership Programme” to support Hong Kong-invested enterprises in Guangdong to conduct assessment, develop demonstration projects, provide certification services, etc. in order to improve energy efficiency and to reduce air pollution
- Electric cars: introducing electric cars to major greater PRD cities such as Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and jointly fostering research and development, manufacturing, general application and development of the relevant auto-parts industry for electric cars in the greater PRD region.
At the 14th Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference held in August 2011, Hong Kong and Guangdong agreed to set up a liaison group in order to co-ordinate measures and activities in combating climate change, including the promotion of scientific research and technology development activities in relation to clean energy, renewable energy and new energy electric vehicles in the two places.
As part of a strategic collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, the Solar Energy Technology Support Centre was officially opened in the HKSTP in 2009. DuPont, which is a leading material and technology supplier to the photovoltaic (PV) industry, is the first partner in this cross-boundary initiative with focus on the development of innovative solar energy solutions and related products.
CEPA Provisions
Since the implementation of the second supplement to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) in January 2006, all products of Hong Kong origin, including those related to environmental protection, can be imported into the mainland at zero tariffs. Detailed information, as well as the origin rules for Hong Kong products, is available from the following hyperlink:
http://www.tid.gov.hk/english/cepa/tradegoods/files/mainland_2011.pdf
On the other hand, Hong Kong service providers can set up wholly-owned enterprises on the mainland under CEPA to provide architectural design and engineering services etc., including those in relation to environmental system engineering services. When Hong Kong service providers set up construction engineering design enterprises in China, their track record in Hong Kong and on the mainland can be used by the authorities as the basis for assessing their application for enterprise qualification on the mainland.
Also, under supplement IV to CEPA, starting from 1 January 2008, Hong Kong service providers may set up wholly-owned enterprises on the mainland to provide the following environmental services (not including environment quality monitoring and pollution source inspection):
- Sewage discharge service
- Solid waste treatment service
- Waste gas cleaning service
- Noise abatement service
- Nature and landscape protection service
- Other environmental protection service
- Health service
In the supplement V to CEPA, the mainland agreed that with effect from 1 January 2009, the Guangdong province is permitted to approve the qualification of the Hong Kong service suppliers for setting up enterprises to operate environmental pollution control facilities in Guangdong. This move has greatly simplified the formalities involved in the application by Hong Kong service companies to mainland authorities for permission to provide environmental facilities operation service in Guangdong.
