​A spokesman for the Environment Bureau (ENB) announced today (May 26) the launch of a special allowance scheme for drivers and assistants of drivers of municipal solid waste and domestic sewage collection vehicles under the sixth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF). The scheme is open for application from today.
The spokesman said, "Since the outbreak of the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, drivers and assistants of drivers of waste collection vehicles have been providing uninterrupted services to maintain the environmental hygiene of the community while serving in settings with exposure to higher health risks. The Government will disburse a one-off allowance to eligible staff with a monthly allowance of $2,000 per person for five months, making a total subsidy of $10,000 per person, in recognition of their efforts and contributions to society during the fifth wave of the epidemic."
Applications should be submitted, on behalf of the eligible staff, by companies that are mainly engaged in the business of collecting municipal solid waste and domestic sewage and own the business-related vehicles. Staff concerned are not required to submit applications separately. Upon the approval of the applications, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will disburse the subsidy to the staff through their companies.
Eligible companies can make online applications through the EPD's website (www.epd.gov.hk/wastecollection_subsidy.html) from today till June 27. Details of the scheme are available on the EPD's website. For enquiries, please email wastecollection_subsidy@epd.gov.hk or call 3690 7772.
In addition to drivers and assistants of drivers of waste collection vehicles, cleaning and security workers engaged by the two power companies, as well as the laundry trade, also benefit from the sixth round of the AEF. The ENB has launched the Anti-epidemic Support Scheme for Environmental Hygiene and Security Staff in the Power Companies under the AEF, disbursing to around 580 cleaning and security staff in the two power companies an allowance of $2,000 per month for five months, making a total subsidy of $10,000 per person.
The ENB has also launched the Anti-epidemic Subsidy Scheme for the Laundry Trade (Second Round) under the AEF to disburse a one-off operating cost subsidy to operators providing laundry and dry cleaning services. Depending on the scale of operation, each eligible laundry shop or workshop will receive a subsidy ranging from $10,000 to $150,000. Over 1 300 applications have been received. The application vetting is nearing completion and subsidies are being disbursed in batches to offer timely assistance to the laundry trade.
In addition, the EPD launched the One-off Frontline Recycling Staff Support Scheme (OFRSS) under the Recycling Fund in mid-March, disbursing a monthly allowance of $2,000 for five months per person, making a total subsidy of $10,000 per person. The application period of the OFRSS ended on April 30. Over 760 applications have been received, involving around 4 100 frontline recycling staff and subsidies totalling around $41 million. Disbursement of subsidies to eligible frontline recycling staff by the Recycling Fund is in progress.
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