Seminar forThe Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management Hong Kong

Environmental Division of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers

Compliance Assistance Centre: A Proactive Way to Help Business Trades on

Environmental Compliance

Richard WongEnvironmental Protection Department, Hong Kong

16 February 2009

Seminar forSeminar forThe Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management Hong KongHong Kong

Environmental Division of The Hong Kong Institution of EngineersEnvironmental Division of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers

Compliance Assistance Centre: Compliance Assistance Centre: A Proactive Way to Help Business Trades on A Proactive Way to Help Business Trades on

Environmental ComplianceEnvironmental Compliance

Richard WongRichard WongEnvironmental Protection Department, Hong Kong

16 February 2009

Presentation Outline

• Why Business Facilitation ?

• Partnership Programmes

• CAC Objectives and Services

• Performance, Statistics and Survey

• Experience Sharing of CAC Concept with Local/Overseas Visitors

Why Business Facilitation ?

Organisation Chart of EPD (as of Oct 2008)

Permanent Secretary for the Environment / Director of Environmental Protection

Deputy Director (1)

Press Unit

Deputy Director (2) Deputy Director (3)

Oi/c (BF) CEM

RO(E)

RO(S)

RO(W)

RO(N)

TCO

Business Facilitation Gp

Compliance Facilitation (1)

Compliance Facilitation (2)

CAC

Customer Services & Training

DS(Env)

Community Relation

Central Prosecution

Environmental Compliance

Environmental Assessment

Environmental Infrastructure

Corporate Affair.

Nature Conservation

&Infra-structure

Waste Management

Policy

Water Policy Air PolicyCross-

Boundary & International

Sustainable Development Energy Financial

MonitoringElectricity

Legislation for Controlling Pollution

•1970 Very Few Environmental Laws•1977 EPU

•1986 EPDThen, main pieces of legislation to tackle air, noise, wastes and waste water

Significant Environmental Impacts without Proper Environmental Legislation back in the 70s (1)

Road Traffic Noise Uncontrolled Emissions

Unplanned Polluting Industries Excessive Construction Noise

Untreated Effluent Illegal Drainage Connections

Streams Polluted by Industrial Waste Water Uncontrolled Dumping at Sea

Significant Environmental Impacts without Proper Environmental Legislation back in the 70s (2)

8 Pieces of Environmental Legislation• Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO) (Cap.311) 1983

• Noise Control Ordinance (NCO) (Cap. 400) 1988

• Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO) (Cap.354) 1980

• Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO)(Cap.358) 1980

• Ozone Layer Protection Ordinance (OLPO)(Cap.403) 1989

• Dumping at Sea Ordinance (DASO)(Cap.466) 1995

• Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) (Cap.499) 1998

• Hazardous Chemicals Control Ordinance (Cap. 595) 2008

about 50 Types of Licences and Permits

Changing Direction: late 1990s’Shift from ‘Command and Control’ approach to ‘Cooperation, Consensus and Partnership’Strict enforcement + Compliance assistanceAchieved level-playing field and sustainable development

Recommendations of “Departmental Business Study” (2002)

Enhances advisory roleDedicated resources: partnership programmesOne-stop licensing serviceFast-track licence applicationsProviding guidelines to assist applicantsUse of IT to support licensing and permittingStreamlining/integrating licensing across EPD

Partnership Programmes1st in 1997 with construction industry…until nowPlus: garage, restaurant and property managementEPD opened a dialogue to hear their concernsSkepticism at first, but changedResult: save money + easier to comply than expected

Abating Air Pollution from Construction Sites

Construction Partnership

Excavator, wheeled/tracked

Quality Powered Mechanical Equipment (QPME)

Bulldozer, tracked

Road roller

Bulldozer, wheeledLoader, wheeled

Loader, trackedCa

rne,

mobil

eCo

mpac

tor, v

ibrato

ry

Roller, vibratory Asphalt paverPower rammer (petrol)

Generator

Construction Partnership

Good Performance/Practice in Construction Site

Property Management Partnership

TalksWorkshops

Work Together To Solve Problems Frontline Contacts

Close the door when spraying paint

Good Performance/Practice in Property Management

Remove Dust during renovation works in progress

Avoid using powered mechanical equipment

Technical VisitsTechnical Visits

Enhanced Grease Trap Enhanced Grease Trap Waste Treatment Waste Treatment FacilityFacility

Food Waste Food Waste Composting Machine Composting Machine at a Food Courtat a Food Court

Restaurant Partnership

Cooking Fume Control Equipment Testing CentreCooking Fume Control Equipment Testing Centre

Joint Project with the Restaurant TradeOn Cooking Fume Control Study

Joint Project with the Restaurant TradeJoint Project with the Restaurant TradeOn Cooking Fume Control StudyOn Cooking Fume Control Study

Restaurant Partnership

Water saving device

Good Performance/Practice in Restaurant

Comparison of daily average water consumption before and after installing the water saving device (Sept 2003 to 4 Apr., 2004) (cu m)

(before) (after)

Technical Support to the Vehicle Repair TradeTechnical Support to the Vehicle Repair TradeTechnical Support to the Vehicle Repair Trade

VOCsVOCs adsorption system for small/medium Vehicle adsorption system for small/medium Vehicle Repair Workshops Repair Workshops -- Air Pollution Control EquipmentAir Pollution Control Equipment

To remove To remove VOCsVOCs and and odourodour effectivelyeffectively

Vehicle Repair Workshop Partnership

Good Performance/Practice in Vehicle Repair WorkshopHigh Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) Spray Guns

The OutcomePollution complaints & Prosecutions have dropped from highest in 2000 (partnerships started)Moved beyond compliance - e.g. green practices, separating waste for recycling, increased no. of ISO 14001 EMS certification, environmental performance reports

ISO 14001 EMS certifications in HK Increasing Prosecutions have fallen significantly

CAC Objectives and Services

CAC Objectives

• Promote Business Friendliness

• Help Private Sectors (espSME)

• Promote Environmentally Responsible Operations

• Provide Green Advice/Measures

• Encourage Beyond Compliance

• Achieve Continual Improvement

Proactive Outreaching to More Business Trades - CAC

Compliance Assistant Centre (CAC) opened 20 Sep., 2006An easily accessible platform for the business tradesWith one-stop licence/permit application and assistance servicesUpdated information and advice on:1. environmental compliance2. pollution prevention3. environmental management

CAC’s Services• Construction• Restaurant• Vehicle Repair• Property Management

+ Environmental Management

+ “Environmental Guide For Smart Business”(additional 8 more trades)

EPD: 7 “One-stop” Customer Service Counters

• (to be provided later)

New Territories

Kowloon

Hong KongLantauIsland

Guangdong Province

Revenue Tower, WanchaiSouthorn Centre, WanchaiChinachem Exchange Square, Quarry BayCheung Sha Wan Government Offices Nam Fung Commercial Centre, Kowloon BayTsuen Wan Government OfficesShatin Government Offices

7 “One-stop” Customer Service Counters (CSC)

One-Stop Licence/Permit Applications Service

Specific business trades require multiple permits or licencesEstablished “one-stop” Customer Service Counters (CSC)Headquarter, CAC, CSWGO + 4 Regional OfficesElectronic submissionsForms obtained from the CSC or over the Internet

Different Ways of Help

• Practical Measures

• Training Materials

• Environmental Talks

• Regulatory Requirements

• Generic Solutions

• Compliance Guides

Compliance Guides

CD-ROM/Video

CAC Dedicated Web Site

How to Seek Assistance from CAC?

Face-to-face Meeting with Business Trades

InvestHK’s Referral (Hudson Recycling)

Examples: Face-to-face Meeting with Companies

Companies Trades

Hitachi Electrical/Electronic Appliances

Cadoret's Brewery Food and Beverage

Li Tong Group Recycling of E-wastes

Goldman Sachs Finance

HT Steel Recycling of Metals

Pollution and Protection Property Management

Simatelex Manufacturing Electrical/Electronic Appliances

Wallem Ship Management Ship Management

Mainly Advisory Services

‧Avoid Conflict of Interests

(as EPD has a prosecution role)

‧Generic Advice

(not a consultancy service, competition with private firms avoided)

‧Encourage Beyond Compliance

(voluntary implementation e.g. ISO 14001, Environmental Reporting & good environmental practices)

Performance, Statistics and Survey

Performance Pledge (1)

Performance Pledge (2)

• Targets first published since 94/95.• Regular review to streamline licensing process &

cut down processing time.• For example –

Water Pollution Control Ordinance discharge licence

1998 1999 2001 2007

90% in 45 days

95% in 45 days 95% in 14

working days after receipt of payment

95% in 14 days after receipt of payment

Compliance Enquiry Distribution

CAC Cumulative Services

Survey on CAC Services After One Year of Operation

Sharing of CAC’s Customer-centric Experience (Senior Management & Local Visitors)

Visit by Secretary for the Environment

Sharing of CAC’s Customer-centric Experience(Overseas Visitors)

US Delegates: Luther College

Malaysia Delegates: Malaysia Productivity Corporation

Mainland/Shenzhen Delegates: Shenzhen Environmental Protection Bureau

US Delegates: Georgetown University

Be the Smart Regulator Programme

• Efficiency Unit (EU) launched the Programme in early 07

• EPD collaborated with EU and participated

• EU considers the CAC’s “customer-centric” a good example

• Visits for sharing in improving efficiency e.g. FEHD and HAD

“Be the Smart Regulator” Newsletter

以民為本以民為本

Conclusion• Compliance Assistance - a relatively new concept in

Hong Kong

• It has proved to be an effective complementary tool to enforcement efforts and helps the regulatory party to return to compliance

• CAC will continue to develop ways to assist business sectors (especially SMEs) to improve their environmental performance – both comply with environmental law and go beyond compliance

• CAC staff adopt “customer-centric” approach by “owning” their problems

• Achieve a “win-win” solution for environmental sustainability

Thank You