Welcome Speech for Mr. Tony Hau at the 1st Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Environmental Issues in Telecommunications
Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to the first Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Environmental Issues in Telecommunications. The protection of the environmental is a high priority here in Hong Kong, and I am therefore especially proud that the Internet and Telecom Association of Hong Kong is co-hosting this important event, with OFTA.
In the past, we have tended to consider the telecom industry to be especially clean and free of serious pollution and perhaps we have been a little complacent. In fact, the size and scope of our industry does give rise to environmental damage, and the quest for sustainable development in our industry can yield many benefits to the participants and the public, as you will see from the conference programme.
The ITAHK has over 100 corporate members representing all sides of the telecom industry, from ISPs to fixed line operators, and from manufacturers to the mobile operators. Many of our members are here today, and I feel sure that, like myself, they are looking forward to learning more about sustainable operation.
Hong Kong is late starter
We have to confess that Hong Kong is a late starter in the environmental field. In some countries, especially North America and Europe, many major companies have made a formal commitment to environmentalism. For example, at least 13 major global telecom companies are members of the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) that is responsible for organising this conference. It is worth pointing out that GeSI is supported by both the United Nations and the ITU.
As I said, Hong Kong may be running a little late on this initiative, but I hope and believe that we in the telecom sector will now act with vigour to make up for lost time, and make a real contribution to environmentalism, as we build a strong, sustainable industry to meet the huge demand for telecom services in the Asia Pacific region.
Mobile battery recycling
I am glad to be able to report one significant achievement in the field of sustainable operations in Hong Kong.
In April this year, we launched a Mobile Phone Battery Recovery and Recycling Programme, which is organised by ITAHK and the Government's Environmental Protection Department, and is also endorsed by the Consumer Council and OFTA.
The Programme is funded by eight major mobile phone manufacturers together with six mobile network operators and two local distributors in Hong Kong.
The mobile network operators have put 80 collection boxes in their retail shops to collect end-of-life mobile phone batteries. ITAHK is the fund custodian, and has assigned vendors to collect the batteries from the shops, and then these are shipped to an overseas processor each month, to recycle and reclaim the useable material.
Industry responsibility to protect the environment
The Mobile Phone Battery Recovery and Recycling Programme is actually the first ““Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme” planned by the Environmental Protection Department in Hong Kong. If the program is successful, then it may form the role model for producer responsibility schemes extended to other industries in Hong Kong.
In some countries, industries are subject to a levy that funds the recycling of manufactured products and this strategy may well be considered useful for Hong Kong and other places in Asia.
Finally, let me finish by expressing the belief that the development and adoption of sustainable industrial practices is a subject of historic importance to the global community. I therefore do hope that this pioneering conference will plant the seeds of new ideas in the minds of all the participants.
I also do hope that my colleagues from Hong Kong companies and all our friends from overseas, will make the most of this opportunity to exchange ideas in the important field of environmental sustainability. Thank you!
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