The proposal to revise existing fees and charges under the noise and shipping waste control laws will be tabled to lawmakers on May 7 and take effect on July 1, the Environmental Protection Department says.

The revisions, gazetted today, aim to achieve full-cost recovery for services provided in accordance with the "user pays" principle. The revisions have taken into account efficiency savings and productivity enhancement undertaken by the department.

The fees under the Noise Control Ordinance are for processing the application for construction noise permits and noise emission labels for controlling noise from construction activities and from the use of noisy construction equipment. The fees for permits will go up to $910 and $1,000 from $760 and $830 while that for labels from $445 to $490.

Charges under the Merchant Shipping (Prevention & Control of Pollution) (Charges for Discharge of Polluting Waste) Regulation are for the use of reception facilities provided by the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre to treat polluting waste, such as liquid oil waste and sludge, from sea-going ships. The charges will go up to $675 - $9,230 from the existing $550 - $6,860.

The charges cover only part of the variable operating cost paid to the treatment centre's contractor. The Government still must bear the full fixed operating cost and the capital cost in providing this service.

The fees and charges were last revised in January 2006 and March 2006. They will be adjusted in phases over the next few years to achieve full-cost recovery while avoiding steep one-off rises.