$50m centre to tackle environmental issues

A MAJOR environmental group has unveiled plans for a $50-million education centre in Hongkong.

The Private Sector Committee on the Environment used yesterday's announcement to press the Government to speed up anti-pollution reforms.

Chairman George Cardona called for more progress on water control zones, chemical waste treatment fees and sewage treatment.

He made the comments after announcing that the committee, backed with $40 million from the Royal Hongkong Jockey Club, would build a three-storey centre in Kowloon Tong to offer information, training and new technology to the territory's firms.

The committee, made up of 21 leading companies, including the South China Morning Post, was established in 1989 as a non-profit organisation offering environmental consultancy services.

Mr Cardona said the building, designed in a cylindrical shape to save energy, was expected to be completed in early 1995. By then, the centre's staff would have risen from eight to 15.

The chairman of both the Jockey Club and the Hongkong Bank, Sir William Purves, said he was concerned about Hongkong's environment, particularly in the New Territories, parts of which had been ''turned into a dump''.

In particular, the committee called for more water control zones to be declared so polluters could be dealt with, fees for the Government's new chemical waste treatment plant to be decided, and priority to be given to sewage treatment.

''The programme to take care of our sewage needs to get the highest priority,'' he said. ''There's some evidence that it's finally getting the priority it deserves.'' Sewage is dumped untreated into Victoria Harbour.

Mr Cardona said the centre aimed to be self-financing soon after it opened. It would use revenue from consultancy services to promote new anti-pollution technology, sponsor environmental projects and arrange seminars for business and industry.

Computer giant IBM donated $1 million for an extensive database of the suppliers of pollution control equipment.

The Swire Group and the Hongkong Bank have each pledged $5 million to the building project, the bank holding another $5 million in reserve. The Government donated the site.