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THE ENVIRONMENT
During its second term of office, the Advisory Committee on Environmental Pollution (EPCOM) continued to steer the consultancy by keeping a constant watch on the environment and advising the Secretary for the Environment on measures to combat pollution.
Water Pollution
At present, most domestic sewage from the urban area is discharged untreated, after screening, into the sea via submarine outfalls. To prevent water quality in the harbour from deteriorating further, work continued during 1977 on a 10-year programme to identify the sewage treatment and disposal needs of Hong Kong. In addition, work went ahead on the building of sewage treatment plants at Sha Tin New Town and at the Tai Po Industrial Estate.
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Industrial effluent largely comes from the bleaching and dyeing industry, and most is discharged untreated. However, the need to provide legislative control over industrial discharges has been identified and will be given priority in the drafting of legislation to control water pollution.
Considerable efforts were made during 1977 to combat oil spills. Legislation was passed to increase to $200,000 and a year's imprisonment the maximum penalty for polluting the waters of Hong Kong with oil or a mixture containing oil. The law allows for recouping costs incurred in clearing or dispersing oil pollution.
The Marine Department, the authority for dealing with oil spills, strengthened its oil pollution control team by buying a shallow-draught craft specially designed for working close to beaches and a mechanical skimming device capable of collecting 10 tonnes of oil an hour in waters where it is neither feasible nor practicable to disperse oil with chemicals. These two purchases will augment a purpose-built launch equipped with modern pollution control facilities.
In addition, the department maintains stocks of oil-dispersing chemicals and oil containment booms, and 20 government craft can be equipped at short notice with pumps and spraying gear. All the equipment provided is operated by personnel trained to deal with oil spills and aware of the inherent dangers of pollution. To protect recreational amenities and the marine environment generally from the damag- ing effects of floating oil, an oil contingency plan has been prepared and is continually updated. It enables all government departments, commercial interests, auxiliary services and defence forces to be aware of procedures for dealing with a major oil spill and the equipment available. The oil pollution contingency plan was last put into operation in September, 1977, when a large container ship ran aground at the northern tip of Lamma Island and spilled oil in adjacent waters.
As a result of Hong Kong's agreeing in 1976 to take part in three international conventions on marine pollution, the use of oil dispersants has been restricted to approved types with a low toxicity for marine life. From January, 1979, users of dis- persants in Hong Kong waters will be required to obtain a licence from the Marine Department.
Another aspect of marine pollution handled by the Marine Department's Pollu- tion Control Unit is the removal of floating refuse from the waters of Hong Kong. Harbour cleansing fleets operate scavenging services in Victoria and Aberdeen harbours; inside the Yau Ma Tei and Causeway Bay typhoon shelters; and at Tsuen