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WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1990
FEE-CHARGING POLICY ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTERS
THE GOVERNMENT
IS
CONSIDERING
POLLUTERS,
THE
ENVIRONMENTAL
A
POLICY ON
FEE-CHARGING SECRETARY FOR ACTING
PLANNING, IN THE LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, THE HON CLIVE OXLEY, SAID COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON RONALD CHOW, MR OXLEY THE GOVERNMENT'S BROAD INTENTIONS WERE THAT POLLUTERS SHOULD PAY.
SAID
"THIS
GENERAL
POLICY HAS NOT
THE IN
PAST
BEEN APPLIED
CONSISTENTLY FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE COLLECTION, WATERS AND SOLID WASTES, ALTHOUGH
"HISTORICALLY NO CHARGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF WASTE SOME OF THESE COSTS ARE MET BY GOVERNMENT AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.
"THE
QUESTION
OF DIRECT CHARGING CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW, HE SAID,
FOR
THESE
SERVICES
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LICENSING AND THE ISSUE OF WITH REGARD TO COST RECOVERY ON
RECOVERY IN SOME PERMITS, MR OXLEY SAID THERE WAS ALREADY FULL COST
OZONE LAYER CASES,
SUCH AS REGISTRATION AND LICENSING FEES UNDER THE PROTECTION ORDINANCE.
OFTEN IN OTHER CASES, SUCH AS LICENCES FOR THE LARGE NUMBER OF
UNDER THE WATER ISSUED
POLLUTION CONTROL SMALL ESTABLISHMENTS ORDINANCE, ONLY A NOMINAL FEE WAS CHARGED IN ORDER NOT TO DISCOURAGE APPLICATIONS FOR LICENCES SINCE FAILURE TO BE LICENSED WOULD THE CONTROL EFFORT REQUIRED AND BE GENERALLY COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.
"AS CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE, AND
ASPECT OF
INCREASE
PARTICULARLY AS POLLUTERS AND THEIR "ESPONSIBILITIES GENERATORS OF WASTE COME TO ACCEPT MORE FULLY
OPERATIONS, THEN THE FEES FOR DEALING WITH THIS
THEIR
CHARGED WILL BE RECONSIDERED WITH A VIEW TO BRINGING THEM MORE IN LINE WITH THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF FULL COST RECOVERY," MR OXLEY ADDED.
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