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10 Environmental Report
Green Management Policy
The Inland Revenue Department is committed to providing a green workplace, and operating in an environmentally conscious and responsible manner. Reducing energy and paper consumption continues to be the Department’s green targets in view of its office-based operations. To this end, we strive to protect and conserve the environment through:
• Ensuring that the Department’s operations comply with the relevant environmental protection ordinances;
• Adopting green housekeeping measures in the Department such as avoiding, reducing and controlling environmental pollution / wastage arising from the day-to-day work practice;
• Requiring our contractors to implement effective environmental management systems and pollution control measures;
• Using environment-friendly products such as energy saving photocopiers, batteries without mercury, unleaded petrol and products with environment or energy efficiency labels;
• Ensuring that all staff are aware of the Green Management Policy with adequate information accessible by those who are interested in the subject; and
• Providing training courses and workshops on green management for staff to increase their awareness on green issues and encourage them to participate in environmental protection programmes.
Green Management and Promotion of Green Awareness
Green Management
The Environment and Records Management Committee chaired by the Departmental Secretary (who is also, the Department’s Green Manager) and composed of green executives from each Unit of the Department, aims to seek staff’s suggestions, set directions in our green policies, issue green office guidelines and update staff on new green initiatives adopted. Floor green ambassadors have been appointed to assist the Green Manager in promoting green awareness and implementing environmental programmes on a floor basis.
Green Education
Various measures were taken during the year to promote environmental awareness amongst staff, including:
• Displaying environmental protection promotional materials on notice boards;
• Posting notices and affixing stickers adjacent to relevant facilities to remind staff of energy saving;
• Releasing updated environmental protection information in the “Green Corner” of the Department’s Intranet; and
• Disseminating useful and practical “Green Tips” through e-mails and the Departmental Newsletter on a regular basis to all staff to promote green habits.
Annual Report 2019-20 43 The IRD Sports Association also assists in promoting green awareness and healthy lifestyle among staff by organising a series of outings to the countryside and outer islands.
Environmental Protection Performance in 2019-20
To balance operational needs with environmental care and social responsibility, the Department focuses its efforts to conserve energy, reduce paper consumption, minimise waste production, encourage waste recycling, and provide a healthy working environment with satisfactory indoor air quality.
Energy Conservation
The Department is proactive in energy conservation and has implemented various energy saving measures to reduce electricity and water consumption. The following energy saving measures were adopted during the year:
• Modifying group lighting switches to individual switches;
• Reducing lighting to the minimum required level for illumination;
• Adopting the “last-man-out” arrangement to ensure that lights and electric facilities / appliances are switched off during lunch hour, after office hours or when not in use;
• Adjusting timers so that lights in corridors and lift lobbies are switched off on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays;
• Installing auto-sensor water taps in toilets to reduce water consumption;
• Using computers, fluorescent tubes, LED lights and other electrical appliances that are energy efficient;
• Controlling use of personal electric appliances in office;
• Maintaining air-conditioned room temperature at 25.5℃; and
• Encouraging the use of electric fans to improve air circulation when necessary.
These measures will continue to be implemented in the Department to conserve energy.
Adherence to the “3R” Principle
The Department continued to adhere to the 3R principle - “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” in the consumption of materials.
Reduction and Reuse of Paper
In specific, the Department adopted the following measures in the year to reduce paper consumption:
• Encouraging staff to minimise photocopying, to use recycled paper instead of virgin paper, to use duplex printing and photocopying, and to make the best use of the blank side of used paper;
• Processing leave applications through the “Electronic Leave Application and Processing System”;
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Annual Report 2019-20
• Reusing stationery, such as envelopes and file jackets;
• Avoiding the use of fax cover sheets and using the blank side of used paper to print incoming fax messages;
• Encouraging paperless means of internal and external communication by using e-mail;
• Uploading internal information, such as circulars, administrative instructions, Staff Handbooks, training and reference materials, guidelines, monthly reports, meeting minutes, etc. onto the Intranet to facilitate updating and retrieval on-line, and dispensing with the keeping of personal hard copies;
• Reviewing regularly the need for the preparation of periodical reports, the distribution lists of outgoing correspondence and the number of hard copies required for circulation;
• Promoting the use of multiple screen printing for on-line enquiries;
• Using templates or overlay printing to replace pre-printed forms;
• Viewing reports on-line through the Computer Output On-line Retrieval System, thus obviating the need for printing computer reports in hard copies;
• Encouraging the public to file tax returns electronically through eTAX, and to use the Department’s electronic services under the GovHK website;
• Uploading e-Seminars for employers to reduce paper consumption, thus obviating the need to print invitation letters, tickets and handouts; and
• Implementing e-Procurement system for purchase of goods and services which helps reduce paper consumption.
Waste recycling
The Department encourages all staff members to participate in the recycling programmes. Recycling bags and boxes are placed at conspicuous locations on all floors of the Department to facilitate the collection of three recyclable wastes, namely papers, aluminium cans and plastic bottles. A recycling box for glass bottles is also placed at the lift lobby on ground floor of the Revenue Tower. Besides, used printer cartridges are also collected for recycling. Throughout the year, 480,208kg of waste paper, 784kg of aluminium cans, 117kg of plastic bottles, 229kg of glass bottles and 5,610 used printer cartridges were collected.
Smoke-free Workplace
Smoking has been prohibited in Revenue Tower since 1996. Starting from 2007, it is a statutory requirement that all indoor areas in workplaces are smoke-free. No-smoking signs are displayed at conspicuous locations in the office. Circulars are re-circulated regularly to remind staff about the importance of maintaining a smoke-free working environment and providing green healthy public areas to visitors.
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Indoor Air Quality
We attach great importance to good indoor air quality. During the year, a contractor commissioned by the Government Property Agency has conducted a comprehensive indoor air quality measurement in offices located in Revenue Tower. Revenue Tower was awarded “Indoor Air Quality Certificate (Good Class)” by the Environmental Protection Department, showing that our office has fully met the requirements in this respect from May 2019 to May 2020.
New Initiatives and Targets
The Department will strive to enhance its green performance through formulating new initiatives and targets for environmental protection and reviewing the effectiveness of existing green measures taken. The Intranet and the Departmental Portal will continue be widely utilised for the enhancement of e-office facilities.
Continuous efforts will be made to promote expansion of green procurement and reduction in consumption of resources including electricity and paper.
