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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The Environmental Protection Department and Drainage Services Department have not liaised with the USD in respect of the trade effluent surcharge for food premises. As the trade effluent surcharge is imposed by the Government on all trades and industries in the territory, the Environmental Protection Department has however consulted the relevant trade organizations before setting the levels of fee in this respect.
THE HON. Li Wah-ming (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I understand our inspectors often inspect the grease traps. I know that the cleanliness of the grease traps is one of the criteria for considering prosecution. I would like to ask whether the Department has set any particular levels on the effluent filtered by grease traps on prosecution? I ask this question because the trade effluent surcharge will very much depend on the extent of cleanliness of the effluent from these food establishments. How much they have to pay will very much depend on the extent of pollutant. When our inspectors inspect or prosecute these premises, will they also look at the quality of water effluent?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, the Government has taken a number of factors into account on the trade effluent surcharge (TES). The grease trap imposed by the Department is only to filter the grease but not the other substances in the waste water. The effluent might contain some suspended residue, particles, dust, sand, some organic oxidised substances, and chemical oxidised substances. When setting the level of the trade effluent surcharge, the Environmental Protection Department will consider the degree of pollutant.
For our grease traps, they can only filter the grease so as not to block the drainage pipes. It is because if the pipes are blocked, the effluent will spill over and affect the hygienic condition of the premises. We want to maintain the environmental hygiene of the food establishments, especially in the kitchen. If the pipes are blocked by the grease resulting in the flooding of effluent in the kitchen, we will of course institute prosecution as it does not comply with the approved hygienic standards.
But for other pollutant particles in the effluent, they cannot be entirely filtered by the grease traps imposed by the USD.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—I don't think the question of filtering other particles in the effluent has been answered. As regards whether or not we have measured the level of water quality of the effluent, the answer is no.
THE HON. LI WAH-MING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I asked this question because the EPD will have to issue a licence concerning the trade effluent discharge on restaurants as a result of the enactment of the Water Control Ordinance. Are there two standards? The first relates to EPD's checking the grease traps of food establishments to see whether the waste water discharged still contains oxygen in order to determine the trade effluent surcharge (TES). Owners
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