TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1985
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COMMUNITY ROLE IN PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT STRESSED
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ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN PROTECTING HONG KONG'S ENVIRONMENT AND THEREBY REDUCING THE POTENTIAL ADVERSE EFFECTS ON OUR HEALTH AND WELFARE, ACCORDING TO THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE REPORT SAYS, THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL CAN CONTRIBUTE BY NOT DROPPING LITTER ON BEACHES AND STREETS AND COMMERCE CAN CONTRIBUTE BY ENSURING THAT ROAD VEHICLES ARE PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND DO NOT EMIT BLACK SMOKE AND OTHER HARMFUL POLLUTANTS.
THE INDUSTRY, ON THE OTHER HAND, CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART BY ADOPTING CLEAN AND EFFICIENT MANUFACTURING PROCESSES AND UP-TO-DATE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY.
IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT MUST PLAY ITS PART BY PROVIDING OVERALL PLANNING, COORDINATION AND ADVICE AS WELL AS BY ESTABLISHING ANY LEGAL CONTROLS THAT MAY BE NECESSARY, THE REPORT SAYS.
THE REPORT SAYS THAT FIRST PRIORITY MUST BE GIVEN TO LIMITING THE CONCENTRATION OF POLLUTANTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT TO A LEVEL THAT ADEQUATELY PROTECTS OUR HEALTH.
+STILL IMPORTANT, BUT OF LOWER PRIORITY, IS THE NEED TO PROTECT AGAINST NUISANCE AND DAMAGE TO PROPERTY THAT CAN BE CAUSED BY POLLUTION.+
THE REPORT ADDS THAT THE CONCENTRATION OF POLLUTANTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT MAY BE LIMITED BY PREVENTING THEIR BEING EMITTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
+THIS CAN BE DONE BY, FOR EXAMPLE, CUTTING DOWN ON THE AMOUNT OF SULPHUR IN FUEL OIL AS WE ALREADY DO FOR THE POWER STATION AT HOK UN, OR BY REDUCING THE PIG POPULATION TO CUT DOWN ON ANIMAL WASTES REQUIRING DISPOSAL OR BY IMPROVED MAINTENANCE OF DIESEL- ENGINED TAX IS OR MINIBUSES TO PREVENT SMOKE EMISSIONS.
+ALTERNATIVELY, THE CONCENTRATION OF POLLUTANTS CAN BE LIMITED BY FIRST TREATING EMISSIONS, AS IN A SEWAGE WORKS, OR BY ENSURING THAT ANY POLLUTING EMISSIONS ARE DISPERSED AND DILUTED QUICKLY AS SOON AS THEY ENTER THE ENVIRONMENT.+
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, AN EXAMPLE OF THIS APPROACH IS THE USE OF TALL CHIMNEYS, SUCH AS THE 250-METRE-HIGH ONE AT TAP SHEK KOK THAT DISPERSES AIR POLLUTANTS FROM THE BURNING OF COAL AT THE ELECTRICITY GENERATING STATION.
THE PIPING OF SEWAGE TO WHERE THE SEA IS DEEP AND FAST FLOWING ACHIEVES SIMILAR END RESULT SINCE THE POLLUTANTS ARE NOT ONLY DILUTED BUT, IN TIME, RENDERED PRACTICALLY HARMLESS BY THE NATURAL PROCESSES THAT OCCUR IN THE SEA. IT SAYS.
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THE REPORT