WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1991
THE
"ONCE THEY ARE FULLY COMMISSIONED AT THE END OF 1992, CHEMICAL WASTE TREATMENT FACILITIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE VIRTUALLY ALL OF HONG KONG'S CHEMICAL WASTE," HE SAID.
BASIC
ORDER
MR LEWIS SAID THE EXISTING ORDINANCE, WHICH PROVIDED THE FRAMEWORK OF CONTROL, WOULD NEED TO BE REFINED AND EXTENDED IN THAT THERE WOULD BE PROVISIONS TO ENSURE THE PROPER HANDLING OF
SUCH WASTE FROM ITS POINT OF PRODUCTION OR IMPORTATION TO ITS POINT OF FINAL DISPOSAL.
"THIS APPROACH WILL REQUIRE CHEMICAL WASTE PRODUCERS TO BB REGISTERED. AND FOR WASTE COLLECTORS AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES ΤΟ ВВ LICENSED.
"IT WILL INCLUDE A TRIP-TICKET' SYSTEM TO MONITOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIGNMENTS OF CHEMICAL WASTE AND REQUIREMENTS RELATING то THE STORAGE, PACKAGING AND LABELLING OF WASTE, HE SAID.
WAS
MR LEWIS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO IMPLEMENT THESE CONTROLS CHIEFLY THROUGH CHEMICAL WASTE REGULATIONS MADE UNDER THE ORDINANCE.
TURNING TO THE MAIN PROVISIONS OF THE BILL, MR LEWIS SAID CURRENTLY THE APPLICATION OF THE ORDINANCE TO CHEMICAL WASTE WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED FOR.
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"THIS IS ADDRESSED IN CLAUSES 4 5 AND 6 OF THE BILL WHICH: CONFIRM THE APPLICATION TO CHEMICAL WASTE OF THE SECTIONS RELATING THE LICENSING OF WASTE COLLECTORS, THE PROHIBITION ON UNLICENSED COLLECTORS AND THE PROHIBITION ON THE UNAUTHORISED DISPOSAL OF WASTES (SECTIONS 10, 11 AND 16 OF THE ORDINANCE RESPECTIVELY), HE NOTED.
"
HE SAID THE BILL ALSO PROVIDED FOR THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, WHO IS ALREADY THE WASTE DISPOSAL AUTHORITY FOR ALL TYPES OF WASTES, TO BE THE SOLE COLLECTION AUTHORITY FOR CHEMICAL WASTE UNDER THE ORDINANCE.
THERE WAS ALSO A CLAUSE PROVIDING FOR A DEFINITION OF "CHEMICAL WASTE" TO BE PRESCRIBED BY REGULATIONS.
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MR LEWIS NOTED THAT THE DIFFICULTY OF FINDING A SIMPLE DEFINITION FOR "CHEMICAL WASTE HAD BEEN RECOGNISED WIDELY BY LEGISLATORS WHO HAD SOUGHT TO REGULATE CHEMICAL WASTE. WHETHER OR NOT PARTICULAR WASTE SHOULD BE REGARDED AS CHEMICAL WASTE MIGHT DEPEND UPON THE FORM AND CONCENTRATION OF THAT WASTE.
A
"BY PROVIDING THE DETAILED DEFINITION IN THE REGULATIONS WE WILL HAVE A DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY TO ENABLE US TO REFINE AND DEVELOP THAT DEFINITION IN THE LIGHT OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AND CHANGES IN KNOWLEDGE, EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARDS, HE ADDED.
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THE BILL ALSO ENABLED CERTAIN MINIMUM STANDARDS TO BE SPECIFIED REGULATIONS WITH REGARD TO IN-HOUSE TREATMENT FACILITIES ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO PROHIBIT THEM.
IN
FOR
MR LEWIS EXPLAINED THAT THE MAJOR AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY THE BILL WAS THE EXTENSION OF THE REGULATION-MAKING POWERS TO PROVIDE THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS IN THE SCHEME OF CONTROL.
/THE DIRECTOR