MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1988
3
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE WASTE DISPOSAL (LIVESTOCK WASTE) REGULATIONS 1987 RELATE TO STORAGE CONTAINERS; "IN SITU COMPOSTING" A POLLUTION-FREE METHOD OF PIG HUSBANDRY; AND SOAKAWAY-PIT.
MEMBERS SUPPORTED THE PROPOSAL THAT FARMERS WHO APPLY FOR EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES AFTER RECEIVING CAPITAL GRANTS AND LOANS BE PAID THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES AND THE GRANTS AND LOANS THEY HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED.
HOWEVER, FARMERS SHOULD TAKE UP THIS OPTION WITHIN A SPECIFIED PERIOD (SAY 12 MONTHS) AFTER RECEIVING THE CAPITAL GRANTS AND LOANS.
MEMBERS ALSO SUPPORTED THE PROPOSAL THAT EFFLUENT TREATMENT DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS BE SET UP ON ABOUT A DOZEN FARMS то SHOW FARMERS HOW TO OPERATE WITHIN THE CONTROLS BY EMPLOYING DRY MUCK-OUT, PIG-ON LITTER OR WET MUCK-OUT AND TREATMENT.
HOWEVER, MEMBERS EMPHASISED THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHEME DEPENDED VERY MUCH ON FARMERS' CO-OPERATION.
EPCOM MEMBERS WERE ALSO BRIEFED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROGRAMME OF MARINE DISPOSAL OF SLUDGE ARISING FROM SHA TIN AREA AND THE MARINE WATER MONITORING PROGRAMME UNDERTAKEN BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD).
AT THE MEETING, MEMBERS NOTED THAT PLANNING STUDIES HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT TO DEVELOP THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE STRATEGY FOR SLUDGE DISPOSAL FOR THE SHA TIN AREA.
IT HAS BEEN PROPOSED THAT MARINE DISPOSAL BE UNDERTAKEN INITIALLY AT A SITE KAST OF WAGLAN ISLAND. MEMBERS ALSO ASKED THE TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE SITES FOR LONG-TERM PURPOSES.
EPD
THE PROPOSED SYSTEM IS PLANNED TO BE OPERATED, ON AN APPRAISAL BASIS, FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS COMMENCING IN LATE 1989.
DURING THIS INITIAL FIVE-YEAR MARINE DISPOSAL PROGRAMME, ONLY SLUDGES FROM THE SHA TIN SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS AND SHA TIN WATER TREATMENT WORKS WILL BE DUMPED, THEREFORE ALLOWING CAREFUL ASSESSMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ACCEPTABILITY OF THE SITE WITH REGARD TO ITS LONG-TERM OPERATION.
THE DISPOSAL OF SLUDGES IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT IS SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENT OF THE LONDON CONVENTION ON THE DUMPING OF WASTE AT SEA (LONDON DUMPING CONVENTION) 1972 AS PROMULGATED IN HONG KONG BY THE DUMPING AT SEA ACT 1974 (OVERSEAS TERRITORIES) ORDER 1975.
/IN ORDER