More than 28 tons of rechargeable batteries have been collected in Hong Kong in the past 19 months, effectively reducing pollution risks, the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said here Thursday.

About 13 tons of rechargeable batteries were collected in the first year starting in March 2005 when Hong Kong launched a program to recover the batteries, said Lawrence Wong, an official with the Environmental Protection Department of the HKSAR government.

The batteries were sent to a treatment facility in the Republic of Korea for recycling in April this year, he said when releasing the program's first annual report.

"For the past seven months ending in October, we collected more than 15 tons of rechargeable batteries. They are scheduled for shipment to the recycling facility by December," he said.

"We are optimistic about meeting the 10 percent recovery target by March 2007," he said.

Hong Kong produced about 250 tons of rechargeable batteries on the annual basis, and most of the batteries ended up in landfills through environmental-friendly measures.

"The batteries contain valuable materials that can be reused as stainless steel and magnetic alloy," Wong said, noting the program demonstrated that the recovery of batteries is feasible in Hong Kong

At present, some 650 public collection points have been set up across Hong Kong in such places as railway stations, restaurants, electronic equipment shops, oil stations and convenience stores.

Anyone can drop their rechargeable batteries in the specially-designed bins and boxes or hand them in at the counter. In addition, more than 840 housing estates, 200 commercial/industrial buildings and 170 schools provide collection services to their occupants.

The recovery program is funded by 36 manufacturers and importers of rechargeable batteries and electronic equipment. The Environmental Protection Department acted as the convenor to help the industry implement the program under a voluntary producer responsibility scheme.

"It is encouraging to see that major waste producers including the Customs and Excise Department, China Light Power Limited, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation and Mass Transit Railway Corporation have already joined the program," Wong said.

"We will continue to appeal to companies, including security companies and second hand mobile phone trading companies which use or keep a large amount of rechargeable batteries, to adopt the good practice," he said.

Editor: Donald