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60 ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE REPORT 2020 PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT 61

disposable umbrella bags. The food waste
Responsible Water Management Progress
composter at our North Point Headquarters was Biodiversity
also widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, Areas
At our Tai Po Gas Production Plant, we use a reverse
osmosis system that helped us conserve 117,822 when more employees regularly had lunch in the
cubic metres of water in 2020. The installation of a building. Management Our biodiversity efforts across the Group have been
third reverse osmosis plant at Tai Po to replace the Approach ongoing.
remaining water treatment system and further reduce In our pipeline work, we employ trenchless
effluent will be completed in early 2021. technology to significantly reduce the amount of To minimise the need for digging on public roads,
waste generated. Hazardous waste such as metal In alignment with our HSE Policy, we make a strong effort
chemical drums, plastic chemical drums, spent to limit our impact on biodiversity, since our gas processing we continued to adopt trenchless technology during
All effluent from our town gas production plants is and distribution operations can disturb the land and wildlife pipeline construction and maintenance works to reduce
processed in compliance with existing regulatory catalysts and used polyethylene (PE) pipes are either habitats. the environmental impact of excavation. We also make
discharge standards. In 2020, there were no recycled or reused. use of Glass-In-Gas (GIG) and Glass-Along-Gas (GAG)
reportable effluent spills in any of our operations. technology to install optical fibre within gas pipes
Waste Reduction for Customers In mitigation, we follow four principles:
to reduce road work or to lay telecommunications
In mainland China, we have adopted the Zero Liquid pipelines simultaneously with gas pipes.
Discharge system at our hydro-treated vegetable oil To help customers reduce waste, we have been Avoid Areas Rich in Biodiversity
(HVO) production facility in Zhangjiagang city, which offering a Used Gas Appliance Recycling Programme We avoid areas rich in biodiversity in the To prevent gas leakage, we use specialised
processes all effluent so that water can be reused since 2003. Through this programme, unwanted planning stage of our projects. We will carry technology and our own pipeworks and fittings that
out a site-specific EIA, in accordance with
and recycled. appliances are collected from customer premises local governmental requirements, to address make our gas network accident rate among the
and sold to recycling contractors, with all proceeds the impacts of development on wildlife and
going towards environmental activities carried out ecosystems. lowest in the world.
Enhanced Waste Management
within the Company or by our contractors and other
green partners. In 2020, we recovered over 1,600 We also follow environmentally responsible forest
Towngas has received a Wastewi$e Certificate at the Mitigate our Impacts through management practices by using Forest Stewardship
Excellence Level for the past 19 consecutive years, tonnes of metal from used gas appliances, bringing Innovation Council (FSC) approved timber.
with more than 30 waste reduction and recycling the total amount of metal we have recovered since We take preventive and corrective measures
targets completed to date. 2003 to around 20,000 tonnes. to minimise the possible impact of our works, We continued to sponsor The Green Earth’s five-
including construction work, effluent discharge, year Plantation Enrichment Project, which aims at
As a company with more than 1.94 million customer
We continued to collect and pipeline maintenance, on habitats and increasing biodiversity in country parks. We also
more than 20 types of accounts in Hong Kong, we understand that our gas species of flora and fauna. have an organic farm in Yuen Long as well as a
waste for reuse/recycling bills use a significant amount of paper. To reduce rooftop organic farm at our North Point Headquarters
throughout the year in Hong paper consumption, we have been encouraging Use Mitigation and Offset Measures to promote the biodiversity benefits of organic
during Construction
Kong and organised customers to switch to our eBilling service. farming.
various programmes We implement a variety of mitigation and offset
to encourage waste measures for our construction activities, which
help to reduce pollution and the loss of topsoil.
reduction and foster a
recycling culture among We also coordinate with local government
bodies to preserve the greenery around our
our staff. In 2020, we industrial sites and stations.
collected coffee grounds
and beverage cartons for
recycling, and organised Promote Biodiversity Awareness
a seminar on reducing
We organise activities, such as visits to
organic farms and eco tours, for employees
and customers.