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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1976
INDUSTRIALISTS TOLD POLLUTION CAN BE AVOIDED
IN EARLY STAGES OF PLANNING
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THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT MR. JAMES ROBSON, TODAY (MONDAY) WARNED OF A BUILD-UP OF POLLUTION AND APPEALED TO INDUSTRIALISTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY AT THE DESIGN STAGE TO MINIMISE THE POSSIBILITY OF POLLUTION.
+TECHNOLOGY HAS NOW REACHED A STAGE WHERE MOST POLLUTION PROBLEMS CAN BE THROTTLED AT BIRTH, AND IT IS MAINLY THOUGHTLESSNESS OR GREED THAT RESULTS IN INADEQUATE PRECAUTIONS BEING TAKEN, SAID MR. ROBSON AT THE OPENING OF THE AUSTRALIAN POLLUTION CONTROL DISPLAY AND SEMINAR AT THE AUSTRALIAN COMMISSION IN CONNAUGHT CENTRE.
HE ADDED THAT IT WAS ALSO AT THE DESIGN STAGE THAT POLLUTION CONTROL COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO A PLANT AT THE MINIMUM COST AND WITH THE GREATEST EFFECT.
HE SAID THAT A GOVERNMENT-APPOINTED CONSULTANT HAD RECOMMENDED THE SETTING UP OF A CENTRAL CONTROL UNIT AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING ANTI-POLLUTION REGULATIONS WITH A SINGLE COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCE. FURTHERMORE, IT ALSO RECOMMENDED THE SETTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND THE MONITORING AND CONTROL OF DISCHARGES INTO INLAND AND COASTAL WATERS.
HOWEVER, HE SAID: +ALL THESE MEASURES WILL, OF COURSE, COST MONEY AND ONE OF THE TASKS OF THE CONSULTANT WILL BE TO ADVISE ON THE BALANCE BETWEEN WHAT SHOULD BE DONE AND WHAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO.+
HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD RECOGNISED THE THREAT OF POLLUTION AND HAD SPENT CONSIDERABLE FUNDS ON POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES.
+FORTUNATELY, HERE IN HONG KONG, WE HAVE RECENTLY MANAGED TO KEEP ON TOP OF THE SITUATION. BUT THIS IS ONLY BECAUSE POTENTIALLY POLLUTING INDUSTRIES ARE AT PRESENT COMPARATIVELY FEW, BECAUSE THE TIDE FLUSHES OUT THE HARBOUR TWICE A DAY, AND BECAUSE OUR FRAGRANT HARBOUR HAS ALWAYS HAD A FAIR WIND,+ HE SAID.
HE SAID THAT THE SOLUTION TO MANY POLLUTION PROBLEMS PARTICULARLY THOSE CAUSED BY URBAN LIVING, DEPENDED ON THE ATTITUDE OF THE PUBLIC.
+COMPREHENSIVE RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE NO SUBSTITUTE FOR VOLUNTARY EFFORT ON THE PART OF EACH OF OUR CITIZENS TO MINIMISE POLLUTION PROBLEMS,+ HE STRESSED,
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