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THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1976
REFUSE COLLECTION IN HARBOUR
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AN EXPENSIVE OPERATION
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THE MARINE DEPARTMENT TODAY (THURSDAY) URGED BOAT DWELLERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN ABERDEEN, NOT TO DUMP REFUSE INTO THE WATER.
THE APPEAL FOLLOWS A SERIES OF CORRESPONDENCE IN THE LOCAL PRESS RECENTLY ON THE PROBLEMS OF FLOATING REFUSE IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE HARBOUR AND OFF POPULAR SOUTH COAST BEACHES.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID A NUMBER OF MEETINGS HAD BEEN HELD RECENTLY WITH THE BOAT PEOPLE IN AN EFFORT TO PERSUADE THEM TO REFRAIN FROM DUMPING DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL WASTES INTO THE WATER. HOWEVER, THERE HAD BEEN LITTLE RESPONSE.
HE SAID THE POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT OF THE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN CONCERNED WITH THE SITUATION IN ABERDEEN DURING RECENT WEEKS AND A PARTICULAR EFFORT WAS MADE BY THE UNIT TO DEAL WITH ACCUMULATIONS WHICH OCCURRED IN THE SHUM WAN AND PO CHONG WAN ANCHORAGES.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE SITUATION HAD BEEN MUCH AGGRAVATED BY A PROLONGED PERIOD OF RAIN AND BY SPRING TIDES.
REFERRING TO THE TYPE OF REFUSE COLLECTED IN THE AREA, HE SAID THAT IT WAS MAINLY DOMESTIC WASTES, MOST PROBABLY ORIGINATING FROM PLEASURE CRAFT, FISHING AND OTHER COMMERCIAL CRAFT IN ABERDEEN.
TO DEAL WITH THE REFUSE PROBLEM THERE, HE SAID, THE DEPARTMENT STATIONED A SCAVENGING FLEET OF SIX SAMPANS PLUS ONE MOTORISED CARGO BOAT IN ABERDEEN HARBOUR,
+ALTHOUGH THE FLEET CAN USUALLY KEEP FLOATING REFUSE IN THE AREA TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES RECENTLY WHEN THE FLEET HAS NOT BEEN SUFFICIENT TO COPE WITH THE LARGE AMOUNT OF REFUSE, HE SAID.
IN A CONTINUOUS EFFORT TO COMBAT FLOATING REFUSE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD SEND AN ADDITIONAL SAMPAN TO THE AREA ON JULY 1 AND FOR THE REMAINING SUMMER MONTHS TO HELP CLEAR THE AREA OF REFUSE ON WORKING DAYS WHILE A MECHANISED SAMPAN WOULD CONTINUE THE OPERATION ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS TO PROVIDE MORE DRUMS ON SHUM WAN ROAD FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ATTEMPT TO DISPOSE OF THEIR REFUSE IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER AS THE PRESENT 12 PROVE INSUFFICIENT.
ABE EXPRESSED