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and dead? And how many staff are involved in rodent control? Do they have deployment problems? If they do have problems, how can they deal with the problem more effectively without increasing manpower?
PROFESSOR LEUNG PING-CHUNG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, in fact the Pest Control Division within the Department of Health has been functioning very effectively. Because in a very densely populated city like Hong Kong, the rat population has been kept at a level similar to Glasgow or London. This is actually something that they can be rightly proud of. We have 201 staff responsible for pest control. As for rats caught and rats killed, you don't have to worry because they will be properly disposed of. Members of the public can litter, but they definitely won't be throwing rats. These rats are not suitable for human consumption and so they should not be used for making wine. When I was still at school, I did go to Pest Control Division and asked for rats to take home for anatomy. Therefore F.7 students do ask for rats for dissecting. Of course, they are after treatment.
(3) MR. PAUL YOUNG TZE-KONG asked the following question (in English):— Since I raised the question on the licensing of private refuse collection vehicles in June 1993, I would like to be informed on the latest state of play of this matter. In particular, whether action has been taken to bring the hygienic standards of these vehicles under the jurisdiction of the Urban Council? If not, are there any plans to do so in the future, and when?
PROFESSOR LEUNG PING-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—This question concerns the control of private refuse collection vehicles and their hygienic standards.
Environment nuisances arising from the operation of any vehicles including privately operated RCVs, such as emission of foul smell, spillage of waste or the leakage of foul liquid are offences under the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances (UC) Bylaws. Any driver or registered owner of any vehicle contravening the relevant provisions of Council bylaws is liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for 6 months.
During 1993, only 8 drivers and 25 vehicle owners were prosecuted under by-law 9 for fouling the streets and 50 drivers and 135 owners were prosecuted under by-law 9(A) for littering from vehicles.
In December 1993, the Department informed the Public Health Select Committee vide Committee Paper PH/56/93 that it would conduct a comprehensive survey on the private refuse collection trade with regard to their mode of operation, scale of business including the different types of waste they collect, vehicles and equipment used, staff employed and other relevant information. It was noted that Members of the Public Health Select Committee would be informed of the results and at the same time recommendations would be made as to whether or not further measures were necessary.
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The survey has been put in hand and Members will be notified of the results and conclusions will soon be completed, probably by mid 1994. According to my personal enquiry, the survey has started in January and is expected to require four months for completion. So at one time, I was told that the final report would come some time in April or May. Now according to the most recent information, it should be June 1994.
MR. JUSTIN WONG (in Cantonese):—Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have two questions. First, many residents have complained that the RCPs are causing nuisances. Has the Department considered designating non-UC RCPs with a different colour so that they know those RCPs are not UC RCPs. Otherwise, it will be unfair to the Department. Secondly, are we going to review our by-laws whereby a telephone number must be printed on the body of the vehicle so that car owners or drivers will be more aware of the fact that people can make complaints against them if they litter the street.
PROFESSOR LEUNG PING-CHUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. WONG has asked two questions. I can answer the first one with regard to the colour of RCVs. Actually, six months ago, when Mr. YOUNG raised this question, people saw a lot of RCVs in orange on the street, which were not UC RCVs. They gave foul smell and they spilt liquid wastes. People wonder whether they are UC RCVs which have been sold and bought by these private refuse collectors. This problem gave rise to the survey being conducted to get the information and to take measures as appropriate. We want to make sure that the orange colour RCVs should be UC RCVs and other people shouldn't be using the same colour. We should pay attention to this but it is rather premature today to discuss the issue. As regards whether the complaint telephone number can be printed on the body of the vehicle or not, we should wait for the survey results first.
THE HONOURABLE MAN SAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese):—The question is about privately operated RCVs. I hope we should do a better job ourselves before regulating other people's operations. I would like to know the number of complaints against UC RCVs over the past few years. Has there been an increase or decrease in the number of complaints? Have any measures in terms of hygiene and facilities been taken to improve upon the situation?
PROFESSOR LEUNG PING-CHUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, from the information provided by the Department, I don't have any figures on complaints of UC RCVs. Whether I can just assume that the number of complaints is minimal, I have to check it up with the Department. I will do this and answer Mr. MAN later. In relation to the number of complaints on UC RCVs, since I do not have the figures, I can't say whether there has been an increase or decrease. But the Department, in my view, should take this into account in their review.
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THE HONOURABLE MAN SAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese):—I have a follow-up question. In the past, there were complaints that water or liquid was leaking from our RCVs. Has this been improved or rectified?
PROFESSOR LEUNG PING-CHUNG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, yes, we have improved upon this situation. The Public Health Select Committee has discussed this item on quite a few occasions. An indirect evidence shows that we are now using new RCVs with mechanical means to handle refuse. In terms of equipment, we are now using more advanced ones, so the leaking problem should be reduced. But, of course, we have not eliminated the whole problem. I hope the public as well as the Department should pay attention to this problem as well.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese):—My question is also about the control of private refuse collection vehicles. In paragraph 2 of Professor LEUNG's reply, it is said that environmental nuisances might be caused by private RCVs which are not large in number. They mostly operate at night and sometimes cause noise nuisance. There are a lot of complaints from the public against noise nuisance. It is said that 25 vehicle owners were prosecuted last year. Have these prosecutions been related to noise nuisances at night? If not, will the Department step up prosecution to address the problem?
PROFESSOR LEUNG PING-CHUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. IP, I can tell you that all prosecutions were not related to noise nuisance because prosecutions were taken according to our by-laws. So there are two by-laws involved. First, they are taken out against littering drivers. Secondly, we took prosecution action against leaking or spilling refuse from RCVs. So it has nothing to do with smell or the problem mentioned by Mr. IP, i.e., noise nuisance. On the question of whether the noise nuisance is related to any particular ordinance, I think I should have to look into the problem before I can give Mr. IP an answer.
MOTION
(1) PROFESSOR LEUNG PING-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:--
'RESOLVED that the Public Cemeteries (Urban Council) (Amendment) Bylaw 1994, the Cremation and Gardens of Remembrance (Urban Council) (Amendment) Bylaw 1994, the Exhumation (Fees) (Urban Council) (Amendment) Bylaw 1994 be made under sections 116, 124E and 118(5) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.'
He said (in English):—Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Public Health Select Committee, I rise to move the motion standing in my name:
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