The FEHD has been providing effective and efficient public cleansing services, such as street-cleansing services, waste collection, provision of public toilets and public bathhouses.

    The department provides manual street-sweeping services in all urban and rural areas. The frequency of sweeping varies from once to eight times daily, depending on the need in each area.

    Waste is collected daily throughout the year, except on Lunar New Year's Day when only major refuse collection points are opened for collection of domestic waste and junk. The department has 260 refuse collection vehicles for collecting domestic waste and junk. During the year, about 5 956 tonnes of domestic waste were collected every day.

    To meet growing public expectations, the department has taken various measures to improve public toilet facilities, including stationing cleaners in toilets with high usage rates. Under a regular refurbishment programme, 35 public toilets were renovated in 2002.