Funds to help delta factories cut emissions

Smog-inducing pollutants will be targeted in the extended cleaner production scheme for Hong Kong-owned factories in the Pearl River Delta for two years, the organiser of the scheme says.

These factories could start applying from April for funding from the government to help them carry out projects to reduce emissions and save energy, or to help them assess and verify their existing anti-pollution measures.

The legislature has approved a total of HK$50 million for the extended scheme, which was introduced in 2008 with HK$93 million funding for five years. It is hoped that at least 460 factories will take part in the scheme. At least 90 could get up to HK$300,000 or up to half of the costs to install pollution control devices.

The only condition is that the factory should open its facilities at least twice to other companies to share the technology.

Tsang Kam-lam, general manager of the Hong Kong Productivity Council said the extended scheme would focus on two air pollutants - volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides. This means printers or furniture makers, which use a lot of solvents, would be the targets. Both the pollutants could lead to the formation of smog or ground-level ozone pollution under the right meteorological conditions such as abundant sunshine.

Smog or ozone pollution leads to poor visibility and prolonged exposure at high levels is harmful to health.