TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 1992
HK FACES ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, TODAY (TUESDAY) CALLED FOR COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT TO MEET THE MANY AND VARIED ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES THAT HONG KONG FACES IN SUSTAINING ITS ECONOMIC GROWTH.
MR EASON WAS SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE CITY LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG,
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WELCOMED THE PUSH BY GREEN GROUPS AND THE YOUNGER GENERATION FOR ACTION ON ENVIORNMENTAL PROTECTION AS A SIGN THAT THE TIME AND MOOD ARE RIPE FOR HONG KONG TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE AND TO TACKLE THE POLLUTERS AND PROBLEMS THEY CAUSE WITH GREATER ENERGY AND DETERMINATION.
HE SAID WHILE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE THE LEAD, THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY IS NEEDED TO SUCCEED.
MR EASON SAID TOTAL PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME AREA HAD GROWN BY 337 PER CENT IN REAL TERMS FROM 1987/88 TO 1991/92.
ON AIR POLLUTION, MR EASON SAID THE INTRODUCTION OF REGULATIONS PROHIBITING THE USE OF HIGH SULPHUR FUEL OIL ON JULY
1990 HAD REDUCED DRASTICALLY THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE ON HEALTH.
THE INTRODUCTION OF UNLEADED PETROL ON APRIL 1 LAST YEAR PAVED THE WAY FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF STRINGENT VEHICLE EMISSION STANDARDS FOR NEW PETROL VEHICLES ON JANUARY 1 THIS YEAR,
ON
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL, MR EASON SAID THREE LARGE STRATEGIC LANDFILLS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAD BEEN EARMARKED AS PART OF A CONTROL AND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME STRETCHING WELL INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.
IN ADDITION, A PURPOSE-BUILT TREATMENT CENTRE WILL BE COMMISSIONED ON TSING YI IN APRIL NEXT YEAR TO HANDLE ABOUT 100,000 TONS OF CHEMICAL WASTES PRODUCED ANNUALLY.
MR BASON SAID A NUMBER OF SEWAGE SCHEMES ΤΟ IMPROVE WATER QUALITY WERE ALREADY WELL UNDER WAY.
THESE INCLUDED A $1.3 BILLION PROJECT IN NORTHWEST KOWLOON AND
A $0.9 BILLION PROJECT TO ABATE POLLUTION IN TOLO HARBOUR.
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IN ADDITION, A SERIES OF SEWAGE MASTER PLANS, INVOLVING SEWERING OR RESEWERING OF THE REST OF HONG KONG ARE ALREADY PLANNING OR IMPLEMENTATION STAGE.
ON WAYS TO TACKLE NOISE POLLUTION, MR EASON SAID APART FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NOISE CONTROL ORDINANCE WHICH PROVIDED BETTER CONTROL OVER NOISY CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT STEP TAKEN WAS THE DECISION TO RELOCATE THE NEW AIRPORT AWAY FROM THE URBAN AREA, THEREFORE BENEFITING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM THE ABSENCE OF AIRCRAFT NOISE.
/TURNING TO