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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
13. MR. L. H. KWAN asked the following question (in English):-Complaints of the following unhygienic conditions regarding the refuse collection point at the junction of Kam Wa Street and Wang Wa Street have been lodged by residents living in the vicinity:-
(a) The ventilation system of the RCP is only a few feet away from 17 Wang Wa Street.
(b) The lane between the RCP and the residential building at 17 Wang Wa Street and the open space there are full of dirty dustbins.
(c) While collecting refuse, the refuse collection vehicle is parked in the RCP, but the front of the vehicle is protruded onto the pavement and the road, making much noise and giving out smell.
(d) Outside the RCP, there are often rubbish and dirty water being left behind which the street washing vehicles have failed to clean up.
Would the Urban Council please explain and rectify the situation?
DR. RONALD D. B. Leung, Chairman of the Environmental HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—Mr. L. H. KWAN's complaint refers to the following unsatisfactory conditions of the refuse collection point at the junction of Kam Wa Street and Wang Wa Street:-
(a) The ventilation system of the RCP is only a few feet away from 17 Wang Wa Street.
(b) The lane between the RCP and the residential building at 17 Wang Wa Street and the open space there are full of dirty dustbins.
(c) While collecting refuse, the refuse collection vehicle is parked in the RCP, but the front of the vehicle is protruded onto the pavement and the road, making much noise and giving out smell.
(d) Outside the RCP, there are often rubbish and dirty water being left behind which the street washing vehicles have failed to clean up.
His complaint reflects the shortcomings of the old designed refuse collection point which suffers from the site constraint of small in size and its close proximity to residential houses. My answers to Mr. KWAN's complaint on the refuse collection point at Wang Wa Street are:-
(a) A plan is already in hand to improve the ventilation of this refuse collection point by the provision of an activated carbon filtration system, a vehicle exhaust extraction system and an electrically-operated roller-shutter at a cost of about half a million. When completed, air will be purified prior to discharge, vehicle exhaust well dispersed and refuse collected with doors closed. This project has been scheduled to take place in 1988; consideration will be made to advance this improvement project to 1987 in view of complaints received from the public.
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(b) The transit point of defective litterbins awaiting collection by the maintenance contractor in the lane at side of this Refuse Collection Point has now been cancelled. This transit point has been moved to the old Government Printer's building at Java Road in North Point. Mr. KWAN will be relieved to see that they are all removed on last Sunday.
(c) The catchment area of this RCP has now been adjusted. Arrangements have been made to divert part of the refuse previously destined for this Refuse Collection Point to the one at Shaukiwan Main Street East, thus enabling sufficient space inside the Refuse Collection Point be left to accommodate fully the Refuse Collection Vehicle without protruding the cab on the pavement.
(d) The provision of an intercepting channel at the entrance to the Refuse Collection Point may be able to prevent dirty water from overflowing to the pavement during hosing down operations. This may be considered as a minor work project. Meanwhile, staff will exert more care to prevent such overflow of dirty water and to hose down the pavement as well after each collection. I may perhaps add that this Refuse Collection Point is also a water-refilling point for street washing vehicles. They go there for the sole purpose of refill and are not in any way connected with the hosing down operations of this Refuse Collection Point.
MR. KWAN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, can I have 2 supplementary questions in respect of Part (a) of Dr. Leung's answer. Would he agree with me that it would be more desirable to make known to the neighbours and the residents in the neighbourhood of the RCP that there is a plan being ready in hand to improve the ventilation system, etc? The second point is why we have to delay until 1988 and since Dr. Leung has already confirmed that consideration will be made to advance this improvement up to 1987 in view of the complaints received, would he agree with me that the question today being asked is already the reflection of the complaints on behalf of the public?
DR. LEUNG (in English):-Mr. KWAN's supplementary questions are actually in two parts. Firstly, briefing the residents in the neighbourhood about this renovation or improvement scheme of this RCP, such can certainly be done if we have the plan ready. I visited the site there and it is on the corner side facing a road and so the only neighbours to this RCP are actually the residents at No. 17 Wang Wa Street. The second part is about the delay of the plan. Actually as originally planned, the date was 1988 but in view of the priority and the complaints received we are trying hard to advance it to an earlier date of 1987. We are not delaying it to 1988 which was the date originally planned.
MR. KWAN (in English):-Can I ask a couple of supplementary questions in respect of Part (b)'s answer. Dr. LEUNG has already said that for the lane in question, there would be no further litterbins. Can I ask whether this lane is a
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