Overview

Environmental Technologies Market in Hong Kong

Year	2005	2006	2007 (estimated)
Total Market Size	150	170	200
Total Local Production	0	0	0
Total Exports	350	380	400
Total Imports	500	550	600
Imports from the U.S.	150	170	200

All figures are in USD millions.  These are unofficial estimates.
US$1=HK$7.85

Hong Kong has been putting a lot of resources toward tackling air pollution, water pollution and solid waste treatment problems.  Owing to the imminent need to extend the life of existing landfills and construct a new Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF), solid waste management solutions and technologies will absorb most of the Government’s investment in the environment in the next few years.  Two possible sites for the IWMF have been identified in the end of January 2008.  The core technology of the IWMF will be incineration (the first phase calls for a capacity of approximately 3,000 tons per day), supplemented by sorting and recycling technologies.  In addition to the IWMF, the Hong Kong Government will develop an organic waste treatment facility at another location.

The majority of Hong Kong’s wastewater undergoes primary treatment provided through the Harbor Area Treatment Scheme (HATS).  Stage 1 of HATS was completed in December 2001.  Stage 2A of HATS requires the provision of additional disinfection, the construction of sewage tunnels and expansion of existing chemical treatment capacity whereas Stage 2B requires the installation of biological treatment facilities at Stonecutters Island.  Detailed planning is underway with the aim of completing Stage 2A in 2013-14.  The timing of Stage 2B will depend upon a review of water quality trends, population increases and sewage flow build up, to be undertaken in 2010-11.

Hong Kong’s air pollution problem is a regional one.  The Government has agreed with the authorities in Guangdong (the Chinese province across the border) to cut emissions of major air pollutants, i.e., sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and respirable suspended particulates, to meet stringent caps by 2010.  Power generation is the primary source of local emissions.  To meet the emissions reduction target, the Government plans to introduce the Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 2008 into the Legislative Council in February 2008.  The bill will stipulate the emission caps for the three above-mentioned pollutants from Hong Kong power plants in 2010 and beyond.

Best Products/Services

Air:
Analytical instruments
Vehicle emission particulate reduction devices
Desulphurization/denitrification technologies

Water/wastewater:
Water filtration equipment (such as biological filtration)
Disinfection technologies (UV, membrane & ozonation)
Analytical instruments

Solid waste:
Incineration
Mechanical-biological treatment (waste sorting & separation)
Biological treatment (composting)
Waste-to-energy technologies

Opportunities

The Hong Kong Government has recently identified possible sites for its Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF), which opens the huge waste reduction, recycling and treatment technologies market and represents outstanding business opportunities for U.S. companies. 

The market for industrial pollution prevention equipment has been increasing.  Most of Hong Kong’s manufacturers (estimated total of 80,000 industrial establishments) have shifted their production base to southern China.  Traditionally, these manufacturers purchase plant and equipment from Hong Kong suppliers.  Recently, the authorities in southern China have been encouraging these manufacturing facilities to recycle as much as 75 percent of its water consumption, and thus have created a rise in the demand for water reuse and recycling technologies.

Recent attention to air pollution, combined with plans to develop regional emissions trading, improve prospects for air pollution and emissions reduction technologies.

Resources

Trade Show:

Eco Expo Asia - International Trade Fair on Environmental Protection
Date: Oct 28 – 31, 2008
Venue: Asia World Expo
Website: http://ecoexpoasia.tdctrade.com

Trade Associations:

Environmental Contractors Management Association
www.ecma.org.hk

Green Council
www.greencouncil.org

Hong Kong Environmental Industry Association
www.hkenvia.org

Hong Kong Waste Management Association
www.hongkongwma.org.hk

For more information about this industry sector, please contact U.S. Commercial Service:

Ms. Olevia Yim, Senior Commercial Specialist
Tel: (852) 2521-1467; Fax: (852) 2845-9800
Email: olevia.yim@N0SPAM.mail.doc.gov