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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1993
"THERE IS NO SINGLE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD AND THE MAXIMUM PERMITTED CONCENTRATIONS VARY FROM PLACE TO PLACE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT LOCAL CONSIDERATIONS.
*
CITING STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31 THIS YEAR, MRS WONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT CARRIED OUT 161 BACTERIOLOGICAL AND 46 METALLIC TESTS ON SAMPLES OF CRUSTACEANS AND FOUND FIVE AND ONE SAMPLES RESPECTIVELY NOT COMPLYING WITH STANDARDS.
DURING THE SAME PERIOD, OF THE 367 BACTERIOLOGICAL AND 61 METALLIC TESTS ON SAMPLES OF MOLLUSCS, 42 AND 12 RESPECTIVELY FOUND NOT COMPLYING WITH THE STANDARDS.
WERE
AS REGARDS FRESH VEGETABLES, OUT OF THE 885 SAMPLES TESTED FOR PESTICIDE RESIDUE, 15 WERE FOUND NOT COMPLYING WITH STANDARDS.
MRS WONG ALSO NOTED THAT 14 PROSECUTIONS WERE TAKEN OUT IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, ALL AGAINST SUPPLIERS OF PESTICIDE-TAINTED VEGETABLES.
EIGHT OF THESE CASES SECURED CONVICTION WITH PENALTIES RANGING FROM $600 TO $2,000 WHILE THE JUDGMENT.
IMPOSED
REMAINING 91X ARE PENDING
PERSONAL
ΤΟ PUBLICISE THE IMPORTANCE OF ADHERING TO GOOD HYGIENE AND FOOD HYGIENE PRACTICES, MRS WONG SAID THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REGULARLY CONDUCTED HEALTH EDUCATION ACTIVITIES.
ON THE PROTECTION AND REGULATION OF CULTURE OF MARINE FISH, MRS WONG SAID THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES WAS EMPOWERED UNDER THE MARINE FISH CULTURE ORDINANCE TO PROSECUTE ANY PERSON WHO POLLUTED THE WATER IN ANY FISH CULTURE ZONE.
DISCHARGES OF EFFLUENT IN WATER CONTROL ZONES ARE ALSO STRICTLY CONTROLLED UNDER THE WATER POLLUTION ORDINANCE VIA A LICENSING SCHEME ADMINISTERED BY THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
MRS WONG NOTED THAT AT PRESENT, OVER 90 PER CENT OF THE TERRITORY'S WATERS HAD BEEN DECLARED AS WATER CONTROL ZONES WITH TWO MORE ZONES TO BE DECLARED THIS YEAR AND THE FINAL ONE, VICTORIA HARBOUR, SCHEDULED TO BE DECLARED IN PHASES BY 1997.
FURTHERMORE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS EMBARKED ON A COMPREHENSIVE SEWERAGE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME TO ENSURE THAT ALL SIGNIFICANT EFFLUENTS CAN BE COLLECTED, TREATED AND PROPERLY DISPOSED OF.
REFERRING то DEEP BAY WHICH IS THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT LOCAL OYSTER BREEDING BEDS, MRS WONG SAID IT WAS ALREADY A WATER CONTROL ZONE AND STATUTORY MEANS WERE IN PLACE ΤΟ CONTROL DISCHARGES OF EFFLUENTS AND DISPOSAL OF WASTE.
"HOWEVER, THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO POLLUTION IN DEEP BAY IS LIVESTOCK WASTE AND DEEP BAY IS ONE AREA IN WHICH THE ENFORCEMENT OF CONTROLS OVER LIVESTOCK WASTE DISPOSAL IS CURRENTLY SUSPENDED PENDING REVIEW, SHE SAID.
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