Chapter 5 - THE WAY FORWARD
To strive for continuous improvement, we will –
- monitor the effectiveness of the green measures in place, and modify and improve them as and when necessary;
- review our environmental objectives regularly and make use of new techniques as far as possible; and
- promote staff awareness of and knowledge on environmental issues, and support green initiatives and campaigns organised by other organisations.
Towards a Better Environment
We will continue to take forward the following environmental initiatives to help create a better environment.
Upgrading of Cremation Facilities
The reprovisioned cremators of Wo Hop Shek Crematorium and Cape Collinson Crematorium (Phase 2) have been put in service since mid-February 2013 and end-December 2015 respectively. The reprovisioned cremators meet prevailing standards set by the EPD, and adopt the most up-to-date technologies and use fuel that increases cremation efficiency and reduces air pollutant emission, thereby minimising impact on the environment.
Upgrading of Columbarium Facilities
To encourage the public to adopt environmentally friendly ways to pay tribute to the deceased and to improve air quality, furnaces with exhaust air treatment facilities for burning joss paper have been installed on the ground floor and outdoor areas of different levels of the Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium Phase V which was commissioned in mid-2012. Also, incense troughs for burning joss sticks have been installed only at specified locations in non-smoke-free areas on 2/F to 4/F of the columbarium. To enable the public to offer flowers to the deceased, each niche in the columbarium has been furnished with a flower receptacle.
Green Burial Services
We will continue to promote more sustainable means of interment, i.e. scattering of cremated human ashes at sea or in gardens of remembrance. We have enhanced the free ferry service for sea-scattering by employing a bigger vessel that can accommodate more than 300 passengers since January 2012 and increased the number of sails to four times per month starting from January 2013. To facilitate the use of free ferry service for sea-scattering by the public, the number of sails has further increased to cover every Saturday (except public holiday) since August 2015. Since 2014, we have also invited previous users of the free ferry service for free memorial trips to the designated areas for scattering ashes at sea around the Ching Ming and Chung Yeung Festivals to pay tributes to the deceased. The new garden of remembrance at Kiu Tau Road in Wo Hop Shek, which comprises both Western and Chinese design concepts, has been open to the public since 2013 to encourage the public to scatter cremated human ashes in the gardens of remembrance. Also, new indoor and outdoor memorial plaque walls in the Cape Collinson Garden of Remembrance were commissioned in April 2016. Burning joss papers is not allowed in the indoor plaque wall areas with a view to encouraging the public to adopt environmentally friendly ways to pay tribute to the deceased and to improve indoor air quality. We will continue to provide gardens of remembrance in new columbaria where appropriate, and liaise with various religious bodies and operators of private cemeteries to solicit their support for providing more gardens of remembrance as far as practicable.
Improvement of Refuse Collection Points and Public Toilets
It is our policy to build properly designed off-street RCPs equipped with modern deodorising systems and vehicle exhaust extraction devices to minimise environmental nuisance to nearby residents. We will continue to carry out improvement works to public toilets and aqua privies.
Enhanced Intensive Street Washing and Gum Removal
We will continue to use high pressure hot water cleaners for street washing and gum removal to enhance street cleanliness with a view to maintaining Hong Kong as a world class metropolitan and meeting public expectation for a cleaner city.
Pest Control
We will continue to adopt an integrated approach in pest control operations, putting equal emphasis on judicious application of pesticides and continuous improvement of environmental hygiene. We will continue to review pest control methodologies and technologies regularly, making reference to the World Health Organisation’s latest recommendations.
Green Drive
We will continue to implement green housekeeping practices and promote staff awareness of paper saving, energy saving and waste recycling. We will also work in partnership with EMSD to arrange energy saving briefings to venue managers and staff, and explore further energy saving initiatives.
Comments and Suggestions
This report can be viewed at our homepage at www.fehd.gov.hk. Comments and suggestions on the report are most welcome. Please write to our Green Manager at Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, 44/F, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong or email us at fehdhqgen@fehd.gov.hk.