HEALTH
Environmental Hygiene
159
The work of the Urban Services Department and the Regional Services Department includes street cleansing, collection and removal of refuse and nightsoil, cleansing of gullies, management of public toilets and bathhouses, pest control and the services for the dead.
In the urban areas, a regular workforce of about 5 029 is employed in cleansing duties. The cleansing force uses a fleet of 343 specialised vehicles which include refuse collection vehicles, street-washers, mechanical sweepers, nightsoil collectors and gully emptiers. All streets are swept at least once daily, either manually or mechanically, while busier thoroughfares are swept from four to eight times a day. Streets and lanes are also hosed down regularly. A daily refuse collection service is provided and about 2 783 tonnes of refuse and junk are collected every day. A nightsoil collection service is also provided daily in those areas which do not have a water-borne sewage disposal system. These services are free.
During the year, contracting-out of cleansing services to private contractors continued for the cleansing of Shau Kei Wan Squatter Area, public toilets and bathhouses in West Kowloon, and six urban public cargo working areas and extension of this type of scheme to other urban areas is being considered. Meanwhile, two self-help cleansing projects undertaken by residents of Ma Hang Village, Stanley and Telegraph Bay Village, Southern District are progressing well.
Regular cleansing duties in the Regional Council area are carried out by a work force of 3 500 and a specialised fleet of 224 vehicles. The waste collection services collect an average of 1 380 tonnes of refuse and junk every day.
The 'Keep Hong Kong Clean' campaign co-ordinated by a Joint Urban Council- Regional Council Steering Committee launched a seven-phase clean-up programme covering the environment, beaches, roads, schools, homes and the countryside, with emphasis on community involvement, education and publicity. Enforcement of laws, however, remained the major weapon in the war against littering. During the year 34 945 people were fined $8,623,000 for littering offences in the Urban Council area. In the Regional Council area, 10 750 people were fined $2,050,000.
Controls
In maintaining and improving standards of hygiene through the enforcement of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation, health inspectors of the Urban Services Department and the Regional Services Department regularly inspect licensed and permitted premises, common parts of residential and commercial buildings, construction and vacant sites and squatter areas throughout the territory. They also carry out inspections to deal with complaints on poor sanitation and vermin infestation and work closely with the staff of the Medical and Health Department in the investigation and control of food poisoning outbreaks and infectious diseases.
Pest control staff of the Urban and Regional Services Departments continued with the integrated programmes to control rodents, mosquitoes, flies and other public health pests. Measures taken included environmental improvement, health education, eradication of breeding places, use of pesticides and law enforcement. The Pest Control Advisory Section provided technical support to the two departments.
Under the theme 'Healthy Life Style, Happy Life', the Health Education Unit organised activities to help foster a healthy life style among members of the public, in particular the younger generation. The subjects covered by the year's major territory-wide programmes included the prevention of nuisances caused by air-conditioners, better food hygiene,