THE ENVIRONMENT
362
Industrial and Commercial Activities
Rapid growth of industry and commerce in Hong Kong has caused degradation of the environment. The penalty is being paid in the form of adverse ecological changes, a heavy but usually hidden financial burden on the community, and great risks to community health.
The government's pollution-control strategy aims not to compromise industry and commerce, but to work in partnership with firms so that all may benefit from a better environment. There are often direct economic benefits to be gained from activities such as recycling and the adoption of clean technology in manufacturing. These methods are better than pollution control techniques that have to be applied after a waste material has become a potential pollutant.
The government would prefer industry and commerce to recognise the benefits of waste minimisation and pollution prevention, but it is inevitable that laws are necessary. The Water Pollution Control Ordinance, which started with the first effective water control zone in 1987, has been gradually extended to cover all Hong Kong waters. All effluent discharges are now under control.
In 1997, the Environmental Protection Department's inspectors made 24 700 inspections of effluent-producing premises. They took more than 6 400 effluent samples and conducted 22 800 laboratory tests. About 1 830 written warnings were issued and 289 prosecutions against the non-complying dischargers were completed. These enforcement figures mainly represent inspection of most of the major and top priority dischargers, which are conducted at least four and eight times a year, respectively.
These control measures have achieved a cumulative reduction of 6 200 kilograms of organic pollution per day and the problem of waste from industrial, commercial and institutional premises being discharged into storm water drains has also been alleviated. A total of 20 900 cubic metres per day of polluted effluent has been properly diverted to the sewerage system, which is equivalent to the pollution load from more than 70 000 people.
Comprehensive controls on the handling and disposal of chemical waste began in May 1993 with the opening of the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre and full implementation of the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation. Hong Kong has stopped the formerly widespread malpractice of dumping chemical waste into the sewers and surface waters. All chemical waste producers must properly pack, label and store their chemical wastes before disposal at proper treatment facilities. A trip ticket system involving the waste producers, licensed collectors and licensed disposal points, tracks the movement of chemical waste from its origin to final disposal.
Many factories and commercial activities produce air-borne emissions. The EPD operates a range of controls under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance and its subsidiary regulations, including specific controls on furnaces and chimneys, dark smoke emissions, fuel quality, open burning and certain industrial processes. A regulation to control dust emissions from construction works was enacted and implemented in June 1997.
Air pollution arouses great public concern, especially when factories are near homes. The department investigated 3 683 complaints of air pollution, and issued 240