HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 19 July 1989
香港立法局———————— 一九八九年七月十九日
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been long established in zones designated for industrial purposes. It would be unfair to require companies which have made substantial investments in good faith and in compliance with legislation prevailing at the time of their establishment, to shoulder all by themselves a heavy financial burden now to comply with some newly-enacted legislation. Driving manufacturing companies out of business through direct legislation or by mandating huge cost increases to pay for environmental compliance may damage the economy as a whole. The White Paper's recognition that "the increased emphasis on improving the environment must not ignore the needs of the economy particularly where the introduction of the new legislation is concerned" is consistent with the federation's position that a sensible balance must be struck between what is environmentally desirable and what is economically viable.
Thirdly, in considering legislative control and enforcement, it is all too easy to put the emphasis on the punitive element. Instead of focusing on passive compliance and punishment, we submit that encouraging manufacturers to adopt pollution reduction measures through incentives schemes will prove to be more effective. For example, the White Paper has identified waste recovery and recycling as waste management measures which Government intends to promote, facilitate and support. Promoting viable recycling developments and encouraging adoption of pollution control measures and equipment by means of incentive schemes, especially with regard to existing industries, is definitely an area worth exploring. Similarly, some form of government recognition of industries which have taken active steps to control pollution will also have a positive effect.
Fourthly, we appreciate the need to educate members of the community their responsibilities in creating and maintaining a healthy environment and we support raising public awareness through publicity programmes. We note, however, that the environmental education programmes set out in the White Paper seem to be geared towards enhancing environmental awareness in the academic and professional setting. We submit that industrialists too need to be educated on the ways and means of containing and reducing pollution, and it is important to show them what is wrong and what can be done to correct the wrong. We must appreciate that as the majority of Hong Kong's industrial establishments are small and medium-sized, they do not have ready access to the latest industrial environmental technology and treatment systems and equipment available in the market. We suggest that Government's environmental education and publicity programmes should include activities which are directed at assisting the industrial sector to make the most effective use of limited resources in coping with pollution. Industrialists will find practical advisory services and demonstration of the necessary know-how useful.