In line with the Government's announcement to fully resume normal public services, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced today (February 17) that various public services of the department will resume as normal starting from tomorrow (February 18).

     All public counters of the EPD will resume normal services starting from tomorrow, including counter services in regional offices and other counter services for licences and other applications. The instant call answering service of the EPD's general customer hotline (2838 3111) will resume, while the telephone enquiry services of other registration schemes will also revert to normal operating hours.

     The reopening arrangements for the facilities at restored landfills are as follows:

* Shuen Wan Restored Landfill – Golf Driving Range: reopened on February 4;
* Tseung Kwan O Restored Landfill – Football Training Centre: except for the training of professional football teams playing in the Hong Kong Premier League, remaining temporarily closed to the public until further notice; and
* Gin Drinkers Bay Restored Landfill – Cricket Hong Kong Centre and Hong Kong Jockey Club International BMX Park: remaining temporarily closed to the public until further notice.

     In addition, for the GREEN@COMMUNITY recycling network, all Recycling Stations and Recycling Stores will remain open to collect recyclables, and their Recycling Spots (weekly kerbside collection booths) will maintain limited services. All relevant education programmes will be conducted online, while visit activities for groups such as schools will continue to be temporarily suspended.

     Regarding EPD facilities, the EcoPark visitor centre, the T•PARK visitor centre and T•SPA, the WEEE•PARK visitor centre, the Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre and the Mobile Environmental Resource Centre will continue to be temporarily closed until further notice.

     The EPD reminds venue users that a series of disease prevention measures will be adopted at the facilities, including limiting the total number of visitors and tour guides in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G). Body temperature screening will be conducted for all people entering the facilities, and visitors need to wear their own masks. The EPD also appeals to members of the public visiting its facilities to download the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile app and scan the "LeaveHomeSafe" QR code displayed at the venue entrances. This is in line with the arrangement that, starting from March 1, members of the public will be required to use the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile app before entering government buildings or offices. The venues will also step up cleaning, closely monitor the latest developments of the pandemic, and take immediate action accordingly as and when necessary.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 is 100.6 (up 0.5 against as yesterday's index).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     US Dollar Liquidity Facility tender result:
 

     The fourth meeting of the Assessment Committee for the Funding Scheme to Support Transitional Housing Projects by Non-government Organisations, chaired by the Under Secretary for Transport and Housing, Dr Raymond So Wai-man, was convened via video conferencing this morning (February 17). 
 
     The Assessment Committee agreed to subsidise the following transitional housing projects:
 
(i) Transitional housing development at ex-Salvation Army Sam Shing Chuen Lau Ng Ying School premises, Tuen Mun, by the Salvation Army. With a total funding of $61.63 million, it is expected to provide about 115 units.
 
(ii) Transitional housing development at Choi Hing Road, Choi Hung, by the Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon. With a total funding of $79.35 million, it is expected to provide about 166 units.

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (February 17) announced that, in view of the latest developments of the epidemic situation, the Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre and the Communication Resource Unit of the Centre for Food Safety of the FEHD will be reopened on February 19 (Friday).

     The FEHD will adopt special measures at the above venues to be reopened to minimise the risk of the spread of the virus, including conducting temperature checks for all visitors before entering the venues, requiring visitors to wear their own masks before admission, suspending the use of interactive exhibits in the venues and conducting enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures. The "LeaveHomeSafe" venue QR code will be displayed at the entrances of and inside the venues for members of the public to scan and record their visits. 

     Venue users are reminded to comply with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) on group gatherings. Outreach programmes of the two venues will remain suspended. 

     â€‹For the opening hours of the Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre and the Communication Resource Unit of the Centre for Food Safety, please refer to their respective links at www.fehd.gov.hk/english/research_education/heerc/index.html and www.cfs.gov.hk/english/rc/medialib/index.html.