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QUESTIONS
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
1. MR. CHOW WAI-KEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):--- Concerning the by-product plant' in the UC-managed Kennedy Town Abattoir, may I be informed of the following:
(i) What kind of plant is it?
(ii) How is it operated?
(iii) Is it of an offensive nature?
(iv) Is there need for its existence?
(v) How is the present situation of its revenue and expenditure?
(vi) And what will be the expected financial situation in future?
(vii) Are there any plans for its removal?
MR. L. H. KWAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):--The question concerns the by-products plants at Kennedy Town Abattoir, and is divided into seven parts.
I would like to answer the question part by part in the same sequence:
As to the first part of the question, which asked what kind of plant the by-products plant is, the by-products plant is for the processing of meat which is unfit for human consumption into meat and bone meal and animal grease, and for the processing of animal blood into blood powder. The plant is, therefore, essentially a Refuse Disposal plant for the disposal of condemned and unusable animal parts by converting them into inoffensive fertilisers or industrial raw material which can be sold for at least some income. These products are sold by public tenders for agricultural and industrial use.
As to the second part of the question, which asked how the plant was operated, the operation of the by-products plant is rather simple. In respect of meat and bone meal and animal grease processing, unfit meat is first crushed mechanically and then automatically fed into steam cookers. Subsequent to heat treatment, the fat will be extracted by centrifugal force as animal grease, and the residue, which is crude meat and bone meal is then spun dry inside the centrifuge. As to blood powder processing, the animal blood from the slaughterhall is fed automatically through a pipe system to a blood coagulation tank where it is first converted into a semi-solid substance and subsequently transferred to steam cookers. After heat treatment, the material is ground into powder form. All three of the by-products produced are completely inoffensive when finished and ready for sale. The plant processes unfit carcasses not only from Kennedy Town Abattoir, but also from other abattoirs and slaughter houses, the unfit carcasses being delivered to Kennedy Town in specially designed closed vehicles. Blood from other abattoirs undergoes preliminary coagulation in the abattoir where it arises, and only undergoes heating and grinding at Kennedy Town. 15½ tonnes of waste material is processed every day at the plant of which 9¼ tonnes is blood and 6¼ tonnes unfit carcasses.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The third part of the question asks if the plant is offensive. All slaughtering related business is offensive to some degree, although the offensiveness is not significant where a properly designed and controlled abattoir is in question. The by-products plant is, therefore, slightly offensive, but it is not offensive to the point where nuisance is caused. It most certainly does not constitute a danger to health.
The fourth part of the question asks if the plant is needed. The answer to this is emphatically yes. If no by-products plant was available, the 15 tonnes of material each day processed there (6 lorry loads) would have to be disposed of either by incineration or dumping on refuse tips. Disposal by tipping of this amount of organic waste would cause serious health risks and is quite unacceptable. Incineration would require a battery of 8 animal incinerators (maximum throughput is 2 tonnes per incinerator per day) which would also be unacceptable. A by-products plant is by far the least offensive available alternative for disposing of the material involved.
As to the fifth part of the question, which asks about the present income and expenditure figures for the plant, the revenue for 1986/87 was $4.88 million with full operational costs of $10.93 million, thus the operating deficit was $6.05 million. If calculated on direct cash costs without including nominal costs, the deficit would be reduced to $4.4 million.
The sixth part of the question refers to the anticipated future income and expenditure figures for the plant. It is anticipated that the revenue will drop slowly in view of competition from abroad and the decrease in demand for the product, due to the ever-increasing availability of artificial chemical alternatives, while expenditure will rise. Deficits will, therefore, be likely to increase. However, it must be stressed that the plant is essentially a Refuse Disposal plant for disposing of unusable animal parts. Any other form of disposal is even more expensive than by-products conversion and would bring in no revenue at all, requiring, therefore, that even greater deficits would have to be faced.
The final part of the question asks if there are any plans to remove the by-products plant. There are no concrete plans to remove the by-products plant from Kennedy Town Abattoir. However, the Department will look into the optimum management system for the plant, including site, in the context of negotiations on privatization.
MR. CHOW WAI-KEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, after having heard the reply by MR. L. H. KWAN, Members understand that there is some degree of offensiveness posed by the by-products plant and it causes a nuisance to the residents nearby. As it is a very densely populated area, is it possible to urge Government to move the plant from the Western District? If it cannot be moved in a short period, would it be possible under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to declare the plant as an offensive area?
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