Hong Kong and Guangdong Celebrate Cleaner Production Partners at Joint Working Group Meeting

Hong Kong and Guangdong strengthen co-operation in cleaner production to improve regional environmental quality

The Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province (GDDIIT) today (October 31) convened the 11th meeting of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Cleaner Production (JWGCP) in Hong Kong. An award presentation ceremony for the Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners Recognition Scheme was also held to commend the efforts of over 210 enterprises in pursuing cleaner production.

The 11th meeting of the JWGCP was co-chaired by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the HKSAR Government, Mr Tse Chin-wan, and the Director-General of the GDDIIT, Mr Tu Gaokun. The meeting reviewed the work progress in 2024 and approved the 2025 work plan. Governments of both Hong Kong and Guangdong will continuously promote the adoption of cleaner production technologies in energy-intensive industries for saving energy and the development of energy-saving equipment; support water-intensive industries to apply water-saving technological upgrades to reduce and control wastewater discharge; promote enterprises to adopt relevant technologies to reduce solid waste and emissions, including controlling and reducing volatile organic compounds emissions at source; encourage polluting industries to undertake cleaner production audits; and support enterprises to pursue green transformation. Both sides will also continue to implement various publicity activities to promote the effectiveness of cleaner production to the industry.

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 GDDIIT and the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province attended the meeting.

After the meeting, the 2024 award presentation ceremony for the Scheme was held to commend enterprises that have diligently pursued cleaner production. This year, a total of 215 enterprises were commended as Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners. Of these, 42 Hong Kong-owned manufacturing enterprises were commended as "Excellent Partners" of the Scheme while 149 were commended as "Partners". Other commended enterprises included three sourcing enterprises and 21 environmental technology service providers.

The EPD of the HKSAR Government, in collaboration with the GDDIIT, launched the Cleaner Production Partnership Programme (the Programme) in 2008. To date, the Programme has provided funding support for more than 4 200 applications, aiming to promote the adoption of cleaner production technologies and practices by Hong Kong-owned factories in the region. To commend the dedicated efforts taken by the enterprises in pursing cleaner production, Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly launched the Scheme in 2009 to recognise enterprises adopting cleaner production as Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners.

Cleaner production has brought remarkable benefits in improving the environmental quality, and the Chief Executive announced in his 2024 Policy Address that $100 million would be injected to launch a new round of the Programme for the application period from April 2025 to June 2027. The new round of the Programme will strengthen support and encourage Hong Kong-owned factories in Hong Kong and Guangdong Province to adopt cleaner production technologies and practices, transform and upgrade traditional industries with the adoption of green technologies to achieve energy saving, emission reduction, consumption and carbon emission reduction, thereby improving the regional environment and helping achieve the carbon neutrality targets of the country and Hong Kong.

Details of the Programme and the Scheme are available on the dedicated website of cleaner production: www.cleanerproduction.hk.

Hong Kong and Guangdong strengthen co-operation in cleaner production to improve regional environmental quality Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong and Guangdong strengthen co-operation in cleaner production to improve regional environmental quality Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DH's enforcement operation "Laserflame" against illegal smoking in statutory no-smoking areas of public transport facilities and bus interchanges

The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health (DH) conducted an enforcement operation codenamed "Laserflame" between October 29 and today (October 31) against illegal smoking in statutory no-smoking areas of public transport facilities and bus interchanges across the territory. Officers also publicised the relevant smoking ban regulations to members of the public.

During the operation, officers conducted 307 inspections and issued fixed penalty notices to 106 persons caught smoking illegally. Officers also publicised the relevant smoking ban regulations to members of the public.

There are currently 260 public transportation facilities and 14 bus interchanges designated as no-smoking areas in Hong Kong. The no-smoking areas are clearly marked with visible no-smoking signage. The boundaries of the no-smoking areas are also delineated in a clear manner based on the actual physical environment to remind the public to comply with the smoking prohibition. The plans depicting the boundaries of the no-smoking areas have been uploaded to the TACO website for public reference.

From January 2021 to September 2024, TACO has conducted over 18 300 inspections at public transportation facilities and bus interchanges regarding smoking offences, and issued more than 8 000 fixed penalty notices/summons.

"To protect public health, it is the established policy of the Government to discourage smoking, contain the proliferation of tobacco use and protect the public from second-hand smoke. Strengthening inspections and enforcement in public transportation facilities aims to further protect the public from the harm of second-hand smoke," a spokesman for the DH said.

Any person who does a smoking act in no-smoking areas or in public transport carriers will be liable to a fixed penalty of $1,500. Tobacco and Alcohol Control Inspectors will prosecute smoking offenders without prior warning.

"We appeal to smokers to quit smoking as early as possible for their own health and that of others. They are encouraged to call the DH's Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline on 1833 183. The hotline is operated by registered nurses, providing professional counselling services on smoking cessation," the spokesman said.

DH's enforcement operation "Laserflame" against illegal smoking in statutory no-smoking areas of public transport facilities and bus interchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DH's enforcement operation "Laserflame" against illegal smoking in statutory no-smoking areas of public transport facilities and bus interchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases