Business Environment Council Welcomes Government’s Continuous Commitment to Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development

Hong Kong, 14 January 2015 - Business Environment Council Limited 商界環保協會有限公司 (“BEC”) welcomes Hong Kong SAR Government’s continuous commitment to promoting environmental protection and sustainable development through various environmental policies stated in the Chief Executive’s 2015 Policy Address, including implementation of the producer responsibility scheme on waste electrical and electronic equipment and glass beverage bottles, setting a new target of achieving a 5% saving in electricity consumption for government buildings in the coming five years, formulating the first Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Hong Kong, various local and cross-border initiatives to further improve air quality, taking actions to make available venues for water activities along certain waterfront areas, working on the specific arrangements for the quantity-based charging for municipal solid waste, and speeding up the implementation of waste management infrastructure projects.

The 2015 Policy Address has also reiterated the Government’s plan to introduce a Recycling Fund to promote the sustainable development of the recycling industry.  BEC looks forward to the early approval of the funding application for the Recycling Fund by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council. 

BEC Chief Executive Officer Ms Agnes Li remarked, “The Government is making progress in waste management policy initiatives, including waste management infrastructure projects and municipal solid waste charging.  BEC is pleased that the Government has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development through various policies announced in the 2015 Policy Address, and we will continue to render our support to the Government in furthering environmental sustainability in Hong Kong.”

BEC has made a submission on the 2015 Policy Address to the Chief Executive on 27 October 2014.  It is available at BEC website: http://bec.org.hk/resource-centre/public-policy-submissions.

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Please click here for Chinese version of the press release (中文版).