A vessel master was sentenced to two months' prison at Eastern Magistracy today for exporting hazardous electronic waste without a permit.

The Environmental Protection Department said this is the first imprisonment case under the Waste Disposal Ordinance.

The department, joined by the Customs & Excise Department, yesterday intercepted a Mainland vessel at Shau Kei Wan Typhoon Shelter during an operation.

Some 1,000 waste computer monitors and TV sets were found on board. Close surveillance by the two departments found that the vessel had collected the waste in To Kwa Wan for more than a week.

The department reiterated that import and export of hazardous e-waste, such as computer monitors and TV sets with cathode-ray tubes, is subject to permit control. Any person who contravenes the law faces a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months' prison.

The department also stressed that movement of hazardous e-waste is tightly scrutinised to curb illegal export from Hong Kong.

The department will inspect shipments of e-waste and used electronic and electrical goods at various control points and illegal e-waste export blackspots regularly to guard against hazardous shipments in the disguise of second-hand goods or non-hazardous e-waste.

Joint operations with both local and overseas control authorities will be mounted whenever necessary to intercept and stop such activities.

Since 1996, 41 prosecutions against illegal movement of hazardous e-waste have been recorded, resulting in 37 convictions.

In the past 12 months, there were three similar waste import and export convictions.