EPD - Environmental Performance Report 2003

The EPD provides training opportunities for all of its staff. Formal environmental management training was introduced for existing staff in 1997, and all new staff are also briefed on the subject. In 2002, 20 Group Environmental Representatives, who are responsible for green management in their own groups, attended an in-house seminar on Environmental Management Systems and six other staff attended courses related to environmental management organised by external organisation. Another 141 staff attended four in-house continuous professional development training programmes organised by the Human Resources Development Unit. The training consisted of talks on environmental subjects by experienced staff members and visits to EPD's facilities and the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works.

Office managers attended a seminar on Environmental Management Systems for all government departments, which was jointly organised by the EPD and the Civil Service Training and Development Institute in December 2002.

To promote environmental awareness among the family members of our staff and help them to understand more about EPD's operations, the Staff Recreation and Social Committee organised visits to Mai Po, Cape D'Aguilar Marine Reserve and Dolphin Watch in 2002 for staff and their families.

Our colleagues are encouraged to contribute green ideas through a staff suggestion scheme. Winning proposals receive cash prizes and/or departmental commendations, resulting in some innovative ideas being adopted. In 2002, green ideas from our colleagues were received and there were two award-winning suggestions, namely, replacing security sealing tape with a security sealing bag and placing a banner on the EPD website to promote the use of e-cards.

To promote waste recycling among EPD staff, mobile phone batteries have been collected from staff for recovering since May 2002. A trial of recovering plastic bags in EPD was also launched in August 2002.