A garage owner in Yuen Long and an unlicensed waste collector were fined $14,000 in total by Fanling Magistracy today for illegally handling and collecting chemical waste.
Environmental Protection Department officers found the garage owner handed waste lead acid batteries to the unlicensed collector in January.
The defendants were convicted for violating the Waste Disposal Ordinance and the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation.
The department said there were 44 convictions for illegally handling and collecting waste lead acid batteries in the first half of the year, involving $400,000 in fines.
The department added vehicle repair business operators must employ the services of licensed chemical waste collectors when disposing of waste vehicle batteries.
The maximum penalty for first-time offenders is six-months' jail and a $200,000 fine.
