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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1987
SPEAKING AT A SEMINAR TODAY (WEDNESDAY) AT THE TUEN MUN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE ON THE CONTROL OF POLLUTION FROM INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS IN TUEN MUN, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICER (LIQUID AND SOLID WASTES), DR ELLEN CHAN, POINTED OUT THAT IN TUEN MUN TOWN CENTRE, BLEACHING AND DYEING FACTORIES AND ELECTROPLATING FACTORIES WERE FOUND TO BE THE WORST INDUSTRIAL POLLUTERS.
+TRADE EFFLUENTS PRODUCED BY THE BLEACHING AND DYEING FACTORIES ARE OFTEN HOT, CORROSIVE IN NATURE AND HIGHLY COLOURED,+ SHE SAID.
+TRADE WASTES PRODUCED BY THE ELECTROPLATERS ARE ALSO HIGHLY CORROSIVE AND CONTAIN HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES SUCH AS CYANIDE AND HEAVY METALS SUCH AS ZINC, COPPER AND CHROMIUM.+
DESPITE THE AVAILABILITY OF PROPER DRAINAGE FOR RECEIVING DISCHARGES, DOMESTIC SEWAGE, INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS AND POLLUTED WASTE WATERS OFTEN FIND THEIR WAY INTO STORM WATER DRAINS VIA UNAUTHORISED CONNECTIONS, SURFACE CHANNELS, KERB GULLY TRAPS AND GRATING OPENINGS.
SHE POINTED OUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES ORDINANCE REQUIRED THAT THE QUALITY OF WASTE WATERS DISCHARGED INTO PUBLIC FOUL SEWERS SHOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE FABRIC OF SEWERS, THE SAFETY OF SEWER WORKERS AND THE OPERATION OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESS DOWNSTREAM.
+THE QUALITY REQUIRED DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF BUSINESS THE FACTORY IS ENGAGED IN, VOLUME OF WATER USED, TYPES OF WASTES GENERATED AND ITS LOCATION, SHE SAID.
+LIMITATIONS NEED TO BE PLACED, + DR CHAN SAID, +ON POLLUTANTS SUCH AS COLOUR, HEAVY METALS, AND OTHER TOXIC AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. WHERE THE QUALITY OF A TRADE EFFLUENT IS IN BREACH OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, PRE-TREATMENT WILL NEED TO BE PROVIDED AT THE FACTORY'S OWN EXPENSE. SUCH PRE-TREATMENT MAY BE INSTALLED IN AN INDIVIDUAL FACTORY OR AS A CENTRALISED SYSTEM IN THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDING TO SERVE SOME OR ALL OF THE OCCUPIERS.+
DR CHAN STRESSED THAT FACTORY OWNERS MUST FIRST APPOINT AN AUTHORISED PERSON WHO SPECIALISED IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT, THEN APPROACH THE DEPARTMENT ON EFFLUENT QUALITY REQUIREMENTS. THE PROPOSED TREATMENT SYSTEM WOULD THEN BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT FOR APPROVAL.
/+ONCE THE ...........
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