FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 191
IF
OF
WOULD HAVE
DR LEE SAID THE PROBLEM OF CONTAMINATED VEGETABLES BEEN MUCH SERIOUS AND DIFFICULT TO HANDLE
THE PRESENT EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF CONTROL OF PESTICIDES WERE NOT IN EXISTENCE IN THE TERRITORY
FARMERS LOCAL AND THAT THERE WERE NO CONSTANT EDUCATION
THE AGRICULTURE AND SAFE AND PROPER USE OF PESTICIDES BY DEPARTMENT (AFD).
ON FISHERIES
THE
HE SAID THE FIRST SUCH INCIDENT IN THE TERRITORY WAS. REPORTED IN NOVEMBER 1987 WHEN MORE THAN A AFTER EATING CHINESE FLOWERING
BERN
HUNDRED PEOPLE WERE HOSPITALISED CABBAGES LATER FOUND ΤΟ HAVE METHAMIDOPHOS, A HIGHLY TOXIC ORGANO-PHOSPHORUS PESTICIDE WHICH WAS NOT PERMITTED FOR IMPORTATION OR USE IN HONG KONG.
CONTAMINATED
BY
THEN, "SINCE
SPORADIC CASES
WERE
OCCURRED BUT ALL
ΤΟ CONFIRMED
HAVE
VEGETABLES ORIGINATED
CONTAMINATED WITH METHAMIDOPHOS FROM OUTSIDE HONG KONG.
"TO FURTHER SAFEGUARD THE GENERAL CONTAMINATED VEGETABLES, AFD HAS
PUBLIC
FROM
CONSUMING
METHOD ΤΟ
WHETHER CHECK
A ALSO DEVELOPED THERE IS EXCESSIVE
QUICK
SCREENING
LEVEL OF PESTICIDE
RESIDUALS ON VEGETABLES.
THE THROUGH CONDUCTED BY
THE VEGETABLE MARKETING "THIS METHOD IS CURRENTLY ADOPTED BY
VEGETABLES THAT ARE MARKETED ORGANISATION TO SCREEN ORGANISATION TO SUPPLEMENT REGULAR CHECKS ON VEGETABLES STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH," HE CONTINUED.
DR LEE
MUCH
WERE
WAS
TRACING THE HISTORY OF PESTICIDE CONTROL IN HONG KONG, SAID IN THE EARLY 50'S WHEN FARMING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES MORE ACTIVE THAN TODAY, THERE WAS NO CONTROL ON PESTICIDES WHICH
ΤΟ PROTECT THEIR CROPS FROM COMMONLY AND CASUALLY USED BY FARMERS
INSECT DAMAGE.
NUMBER OF HE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE EARLY 50'S, THERE WERE A
BY THE
USE CAUSED
IMPROPER
OF A ACCIDENTS
HIGHLY TOXIC ORGANO-PHOSPHORUS COMPOUND PARATHION IN THE FARMING COMMUNITY.
FATAL
—
"AS A RESULT, CONTROL
ON AGRICULTURAL POISONS WAS INTRODUCED IN 1955 UNDER THE EMERGENCY (AGRICULTURAL REGULATIONS MADE UNDER THE EMERGENCY REGULATIONS ORDINANCE.
"THESE REGULATIONS
PROHIBITED
URGENTLY POISONS)
THE IMPORTATION, SOME ORGANO-PHOSPHORUS PURCHASE, SALE OF POSSESSION OF WHICH WERE SET OUT IN THE SCHEDULE, HE SAID.
**
EXPORTATION, INSECTICIDES
IN 1970, THE CONTROL OF AGRICULTURAL POISONS WAS PUT UNDER PHARMACY AND POISONS (AGRICULTURAL POISONS) REGULATIONS.
"AS THIS LEGISLATIVE CHANGE
THE
WAS PURELY A TIDYING CASES CONTINUED
EXERCISE, IN THE TO OCCUR OPERATORS AND USERS,
H
PESTICIDE POISONING ACCIDENTAL EARLY 70'S. THE VICTIMS WERE MAINLY PESTICIDE DR LEE SAID.
то
ACCIDENTS WERE VARIED BUT VERY HE SAID THE CAUSES OF THESE THEY OFTEN
WERE ATTRIBUTABLE
THE
USAGE, HANDLING, IMPROPER
INFORMATION DISPOSAL AND STORAGE OF THE TOXIC PESTICIDES; THE LACK OF ON THE CONTAINERS AND THE IMPROPER PACKAGING OF THESE CHEMICALS.
/"IN A