FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1975
STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND CONTROL LEGISLATION
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THE STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND CONTROL LEGISLATION IN HONG KONG RECENTLY LAUNCHED BY THE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTS +ONE OF THE MOST THOUGHTFUL AND FAR-REACHING APPROACHES TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE EVER UNDERTAKEN BY A GOVERNMENT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD+.
THIS IS THE VIEW OF MRS. FLORENCE FISHER, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES LTD. (ERL), LONDON, THE CONSULTING ORGANISATION RETAINED TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT IN CARRYING OUT THE 18-MONTH STUDY.
MRS. FISHER IS PRESENTLY IN HONG KONG WITH ERL MEMBERS REPRESENTING SOME OF THE LEGAL, TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNICA- TIONS DISCIPLINES ON THE PROJECT TEAM.
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ACCORDING TO MR. ALAN ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: +THIS STUDY IS UNIQUE. ALTHOUGH MANY OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE EXAMINED POLLUTION PROBLEMS AND PRODUCED APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION, NOWHERE ELSE HAS A STUDY BEEN CARRIED OUT CONSIDERING ALL ASPECTS OF POLLUTION SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH A VIEW TO PREPARING COMPREHENSIVE LEGISLATION AND CONTROL MECHANISMS. IT IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME THAT ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ISSUES HAVE BEEN EXAMINED IN THIS TOTAL FASHION.+
THIS CONCEPT, MRS. FISHER BELIEVES, IS AN OUTGROWTH OF THE AWARENESS OF THE GOVERNMENT, WORKING CLOSELY WITH HONG KONG'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE (EPCOM), OF FIVE FUNDAMENTAL FACTORS
1. THE NEED TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM DASE-LINE STANDARDS FOR
ALL ASPECTS OF POLLUTION ON LAND AND SEA, IN THE AIR,
2.
3.
5.
AND FROM EXCESSIVE NOISE.
KNOWLEDGE OF THE INTEGRAL INTER-RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ALL FORMS OF POLLUTION.
THE DESIRE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO SECURE WIDE-RANGING ACCEPTANCE OF BASIC STANDARDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BEFORE THE FACT, THUS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR GENERAL APPROVAL FOR CONTINUOUS UPGRADING OF LEGISLATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF LAW.
RECOGNITION BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NEED TO ACHIEVE A PRACTICAL BALANCE BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND TOURISM,
HONG KONG'S SMALL SIZE RELATIVE TO OTHER INDUSTRIALISED AREAS, SUCH AS JAPAN, THE EEC, THE UNITED STATES, WHICH MAKES IT FEASIBLE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS TO BE EXAMINED +WHOLE+,
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