SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY 10 July 1985
Water Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 1985
Sir,
I am grateful to Dr. Fang and his colleagues
on the Ad Hoc Group for their support for the Water
Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 1985.
2.
Dr. Fang referred to the effect of the proposed
deletion of section 8(3)(b) of the Water Pollution Control
Ordinance, and I would like to make it clear that it is
not the intention to replace existing controls on marine
oil pollution under the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance
by the Water Pollution Control Ordinance. The Director of
Marine will remain the control authority under the former
ordinance, under which all discharges containing oil are
subject to control regardless of their concentration and
source.
However, the controls under the Shipping and Port
Control Ordinance are only effective in practical terms in
relation to the protection of the sea from discharges from
ships, oil terminals, oil storage tanks, marine oil
transfer operations, oil spills and so on. The proposed
amendment aims to seal a loophole which makes the Water
Pollution Control Ordinance incapable of controlling
industrial discharges containing small concentrations of
oil through the exemption and licensing system.
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