The Government Laboratory supports the enforcement of environmental protection legislation and the implementation of various environmental programmes through the provision of comprehensive analytical and advisory services. The laboratory's commitment to protecting the environment is further exemplified by providing round-the-clock support in the handling of emergencies involving chemical spills or suspected emission of noxious and irritating gas.

In 2006, the laboratory performed a total of 226 510 tests on environmental samples including air, water, sediment, soil, biota and waste samples, and provided a large volume of useful data for various environmental programmes such as the toxic air pollutants monitoring programme, the river and marine water monitoring programmes, the biological monitoring programme, the toxic substances monitoring programme and illegal discharges investigations. The laboratory has also contributed to various environmental impact studies and environmental monitoring and audit projects.