WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1989
SUPPORT FOR OZONE PROTECTION BILL
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HONG KONG MUST SUPPORT THE AIMS OF THE OZONE LAYER PROTECTION BILL 1989 BECAUSE TO OPPOSE IT WOULD ALLOW THE DEPLETION OF THE OZONE LAYER AND PERMIT MORE AND MORE ULTRA-VIOLET RADIATION TO PENETRATE THE ATMOSPHERE AND AFFECT ALL LIVING ORGANISMS ON EARTH.
THE HON PETER WONG SAID THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) DURING THE SECOND READING DEBATE ON THE BILL.
HE SAID, HOWEVER, THAT THERE WERE TWO CRITICISMS WITH SOME JUSTIFICATION BE LEVELLED AT THE BILL.
FIRSTLY, THE ADMINISTRATION HAD TAKEN TOO LONG IN BILL TO LEGCO MEMBERS AND, IN VIEW OF THE NEED FOR FULFIL ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL, DEADLINE IMPOSED WAS TOO TIGHT.
THAT COULD
GETTING THE HONG KONG ΤΟ THE JUNE 30
SECONDLY, MR WONG SAID, HE HAD DOUBTS WHETHER THE CONTROLS WERE TIGHT ENOUGH AND WHETHER THE LIST OF SUBSTANCES TO BE CONTROLLED WERE COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH.
"WE ARE GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT ONLY THE CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS (CFC'S) WILL BE RESTRICTED STRAIGHT AWAY WHILST THE HALONS WILL ONLY BE RESTRICTED FROM 1992 ONWARDS.
"THE CONTROLS ON CFC ARE ON THE LEVEL OF IMPORTS AND NOT THE ACTUAL RATE OF CONSUMPTION; IN OTHER WORDS NOT AT THE RATE AT WHICH THEY ARE DISCHARGED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE,' HE SAID.
MR WONG SAID THE RECENT HELSINKI DECLARATION HAD WARNED THAT THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL WAS ALREADY OUTDATED AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, LIKE METHYL CHLOROFORM AND CARBON TETRACHLORIDE, SHOULD BE ADDED ΤΟ THE SCHEDULED SUBSTANCES.
HE ADDED THAT WHAT HAD BEEN GRATIFYING WAS THE LACK OF ANY OPPOSITION FROM INDUSTRY TO THE PROPOSALS, DESPITE THE INCONVENIENCE AND HIGHER COSTS ENTAILED.
MORE WORK HAD TO BE DONE TO EDUCATE ALL THE USERS SO THAT THEY USED THESE CHEMICALS SPARINGLY AND ENSURED THAT THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM WAS DISCHARGED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
"I AM PREPARED TO SUPPORT THIS BILL ON THE CONDITION THAT THERE WILL BE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ALL ASPECTS OF THE CONTROLS IN ONE YEAR'S TIME WITH THE VIEW THAT WE STEP UP TO THE BEST PRACTICE IN THE WORLD, HE SAID.
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IN THE MEANTIME, MR WONG SAID, HE WOULD BE WATCHING WITH INTEREST THE REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE QUOTA SYSTEM AND HOW THEY WORKED OUT IN PRACTICE. HE WOULD ALSO LOOK TO THE ADMINISTRATION ΤΟ SET A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR ALL TO EMULATE IN THE REDUCTION IN USE OF HALONS FOR FIRE-DRILL EXERCISES.
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