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WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1986
+FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, THE MAJOR OIL SUPPLYING COMPANIES IN HONG KONG HAVE AGREED TO REDUCE THE SULPHUR CONTENT OF FUEL OIL FROM THE PREVIOUS RANGE OF 2.8 TO 3.5 PER CENT BY WEIGHT TO AN AVERAGE OF 2.5 PER CENT, WITH EFFECT FROM JANUARY 1, 1986, + HE SAID.
+PRIOR APPROVAL IS REQUIRED UNDER THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE FOR THE INSTALLATION AND ALTERATION OF FURNACES, OVENS AND CHIMNEYS IN FACTORIES, AND IN EXERCISING THESE CONTROLS CARE IS TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THE EMISSION OF POLLUTANTS IS KEPT TO A MINIMUM, + HE ADDED.
MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT AS HIGH TOTAL SUSPENDED PARTICULATE CONCENTRATIONS OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY AND NOT JUST IN KWUN TONG, OTHER PLANS TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT INCLUDED REDUCTION OF THE EMISSION OF DUST TO THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGH THE PROVISION OF APPROPRIATE LEASE CONDITIONS TO CONTROL SITE FORMATION WORKS AND THE OPERATION OF CEMENT BATCHING PLANTS.
+CONTROLS ON PARTICULATE EMISSIONS FROM STATIONARY SOURCES, SUCH AS THE CASTLE PEAK AND LAMMA POWER STATIONS, HAVE BEEN AGREED FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT, HE SAID.
+MEASURES ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO CONTROL DUST GENERATED BY CONSTRUCTION AND RECLAMATION WORKS, AND A NEW SCHEME FOR TAKING ACTION AGAINST SMOKING VEHICLES HAS RECENTLY BEEN ENDORSED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.+
MR CHAMBERS SAID THE HIGH LEVELS OF NITROGEN DIOXIDE WERE A RELATIVELY NEW PHENOMENON IN HONG KONG. THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS UNCLEAR AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT WAS STILL INVESTIGATING THE MATTER.
SMOKING OFFENCE PENALTIES STILL ADEQUATE
*****
IN 1984 AND 1985 THE GOVERNMENT RECEIVED 228 AND 250 REPORTS RESPECTIVELY ABOUT SMOKING IN NO-SMOKING AREAS AND THE FINE IMPOSED IN MOST CASES RANGED FROM $100 TO $200, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LEE YU-TAI, MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT UNDER THE SMOKING (PUBLIC HEALTH) ORDINANCE, SMOKING WAS PROHIBITED IN PUBLIC LIFTS, SINGLE DECK PUBLIC LAND TRANSPORT VEHICLES OTHER THAN TAXIS, TRAINS AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES, AND THE LOWER DECKS OF DOUBLE-DECK PUBLIC LAND TRANSPORT VEHICLES.
/+IL ADDITION,