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Dischargers urged to make early licence applications
Existing dischargers from industrial, manufacturing, commercial, institutional and construction activities in Phase II of the Victoria Harbour Water Control Zone (VHWCZ) are reminded that they must make a licence application for their discharges before April 1.
Assistant Director of Environmental Protection, Mr John Boxall, said they should apply for a licence as soon as possible and initiate improvement action so that they would have sufficient time to provide for or upgrade their pollution control facilities to meet the required standards.
This water control zone which covers Sham Shui Po, Yau Tsim Mong, Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin and a small part of Sha Tin, has been in effect since September 1 last year.
"Any existing discharger in these areas who does not make a licence. application or whose discharge does not meet the discharge standards and requirements of the licence after April 1 will commit an offence and be liable to prosecution," Mr Boxall said.
"Among the 6,100 existing dischargers identified in the Phase II area, only 1,900 of them have made licence applications," he noted.
The maximum fine for discharging polluting matters into a water control zone is $ 200,000 for the first offence and $400,000 for any subsequent offence. Offenders may also be liable to six months imprisonment.
In addition, if the offence is a continuing one, a fine of $ 10,000 for each day may be imposed.
"To help dischargers understand the requirements of the legislation, we have sent to all of them advisory letters and information booklets in the past months.
"Three public seminars also were held in last October," said Mr Boxall.
Dischargers can contact EPD's local control offices on 2402 5200 (for Sham Shui Po, Yau Tsim Mong and Kowloon City area) and 2707 7534 (for Wong Tai Sin and Sha Tin area) for enquiries on licensing and control matters.
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