Hong Kong companies are urged to go green to enhance their competitiveness

Hong Kong manufacturers were told to "go green or lose out", according to a study conducted by the Trade Development Council (TDC).

Riding on the Green Manufacturing Trend found that "green consumerism" in overseas markets was growing rapidly and to maintain competitive edge, Hong Kong manufacturers were urged to go green.

It is all the more urgent as two new EU directives will be introduced soon - one on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) which took effect on 13 August and the other, Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) which will go into operation on 1 July 2006.

The new green rules and the like affect exports not only to the EU but to the US, Japan and even to the Chinese mainland as well.

The report points out that consumers in these countries see the need to reduce the huge amount of waste from daily goods that is discarded everyday and the associated toxic materials that are damaging the environment and, in turn, their health.

The demand for products with green qualities and environmentally-friendly end-of-life wastes is growing by the day. "Green consumers who actively seek out and buy green products are on the rise, accounting for more than 20 per cent of the US and the UK populations, and some 50 per cent in western Germany," the report says.
 
The research added that many Hong Kong companies are regarded as "responsible corporate citizens" in the global community.

The city already has an organisation called the Hong Kong Green Manufacturing Alliance founded by major manufacturing and trade associations to help its industries comply with overseas requirements and help them to adopt a green manufacturing culture.

For more, read Riding on the Green Manufacturing Trend. Overseas readers can purchase the report through The TDC Bookshop