MONDAY, JULY 18, 1977
3
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WILL SOON TAKE OFF
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HONG KONG WILL SOON BE AT THE TAKE-OFF POINT IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, MR. DEREK JONES, SAID TODAY.
SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF VICTORIA, MR. JONES SAID AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION UNIT, RECOMMENDED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS COMMISSIONED BY THE GOVERNMENT, IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THEIR WORK, IS BEING ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.
THE NEWLY APPOINTED HEAD OF THE UNIT, DR. STUART REED, HAS RECENTLY ARRIVED IN HONG KONG AND IS SETTING ABOUT RECRUITING THE MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM, HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT THE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CONSULTANTS WILL BE PRESENTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND AFTER FULL CONSIDERATION BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (EPCOM) LEGISLATION WILL NEED TO BE DRAWN UP IN CONSULTATION WITH THOSE MOST PARTICULARLY AFFECTED, AND THE NECESSARY MONITORING, ADVISORY AND ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES WILL BE DRAWN TOGETHER.
IN THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW, THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR DRACONIAN MEASURES. WHAT THE CONSULTANTS HAVE PROPOSED AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS ACCEPTED IS A FLEXIBLE SYSTEM OF POLLUTION CONTROLS FOR HONG KONG.
+THESE WOULD AVOID LAYING DOWN RIGID ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS BUT WOULD SEEK TO IMPOSE CONTROLS WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED AND JUSTIFIED, HAVING REGARD TO THE ECONOMIC REALITIES AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE SECRETARY SAID.
MR. JONES SAID GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE ENVIRONMENT OF HONG KONG WAS NOT BAD BUT COULD BE BETTER.
HE SAID HONG KONG HAS BEEN FORTUNATE UP TO NOW IN THAT A NUMBER OF NATURAL GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS HAVE COMBINED TO MINIMISE THE EFFECTS OF POLLUTION.
BECAUSE OF THE PATTERN OF PREVAILING WINDS FOR INSTANCE, HE SAID, THERE IS NO +SMOG+ IN HONG KONG. THE NATURAL FLUSHING+ ACTION OF COASTAL CURRENTS CARRIED AWAY MUCH OF OUR WATER POLLUTION OUT TO SEA AND THE LIGHT INDUSTRY, WHICH IS RELATIVELY NON-POLLUTING, WE HAVE SO FAR RELIED MAINLY ON HAS NOT LED TO SERIOUS POLLUTION PROBLEMS WITH DANGEROUS OR TOXIC WASTES, HE ADDED.
+WE ARE FAR BEING A DISASTER AREA AND OUR TASK FROM NOW ON, WHILE DOING SOMETHING TO CLEAR UP THE BLACK SPOTS, IS TO MAKE SURE
OUR OVERALL THAT, AS OUR INDUSTRY AND POPULATION EXPAND FURTHER ENVIRONMENT DOES NOT DETERIORATE BEYOND PRESENT LEVELS, MR. JONES SA ID.
/HE MENTIONED