SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1979
FOUR NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION BILLS TO BE PROPOSED
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FOUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION BILLS ARE EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
THE DRAFT LEGISLATION WILL BE A WASTE DISPOSAL BILL, A WATER POLLUTION BILL, AN AIR POLLUTION BILL AND A NOISE ABATEMENT BILL.
THE CONCEPT BEHIND THIS LEGISLATION WAS LAID DOWN BY A U.K.-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT DURING A SERIES OF CONSULTATIVE SESSIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EPCOM) TWO YEARS AGO, AND THE DETAILED DRAFT LAWS ARE NOW MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH EPČOM VETTING SESSIONS.
A DRAFT WATER POLLUTION BILL AND AN AIR POLLUTION BILL WILL BE CONSIDERED DURING THE COMMITTEE'S COMING TERM, AND THESE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A DRAFT NOISE ABATEMENT BILL.
A DRAFT WASTE DISPOSAL BILL WAS DISCUSSED IN EPCOM'S LAST TERM EARLIER THIS YEAR AND IS NOW BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
IT IS HOPED THAT THE WATER AND AIR POLLUTION DRAFTS MAY BE PUT TO LEGCO DURING THE LATTER PART OF THIS YEAR WITH THE NOISE ABATEMENT DRAFT FOLLOWING IN THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT YEAR.
THE NEW LAWS BEING DRAFTED AIM TO PRODUCE CONTROL MEASURES WHICH WILL MATCH THE EMISSION OF VARIOUS KINDS OF POLLUTANTS TO THE ABILITY OF DIFFERENT AREAS TO ABSORB OR DISPERSE THEM.
THE OBJECTIVE IS, ON THE ONE HAND, TO PREVENT DETERIORATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT BY POLLUTION, WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND AVOIDING THE IMPOSITION OF BLANKET CONTROLS WHICH CAN HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE ECONOMY.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT A CHANGE IN EPCOM'S MEMBERSHIP DURING ITS LAST TERM BROUGHT IN REPRESENTATIVES OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS IN ORDER TO FACILITATE CONSULTATION WITH INDUSTRY OVER THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS.
HE SAID: THE INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS HAVE CONTRIBUTED A GREAT DEAL TOWARDS ENSURING THAT THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS ARE PRACTICAL AND WORKABLE.+
HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD UNDERTAKEN TO CONSULT EPCOM, WITH ITS INDUSTRIAL REPRESENTATION, ON ALL PROPOSALS FOR DETAILED REGULATIONS ARISING OUT OF THE NEW LAWS AS WELL AS ON THE MAIN BODY OF THE LAWS THEMSELVES.
THE COMMITTEE'S STRUCTURE HAS BEEN FURTHER AMENDED FOR THE COMING TERM IN ORDER TO DEAL MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THE INCREASING COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUES ON WHICH IT IS CALLED UPON TO GIVE ADVICE TO THE GOVERNMENT.
ON AUGUST 31, THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF DR. RAYSON HUANG, TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE APPOINTMENT .....