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"Environment HK 95" released
"Environment Hong Kong 1995", a publication reporting on various aspects of pollution prevention and control work carried out by the Government, is launched by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (Thursday).
"For the benefit of the general public, much of the information is presented in the form of feature articles, which are written in a simple and easily readable manner," a spokesman for the department said.
Topics covered in the feature articles range from apparently prosaic matters such as the results of surveys of the types and amounts of solid wastes produced each day in Hong Kong to the rather more racy topic of the effect of pollution on the sex life of snails and the contentious issue of noise from open-air concerts.
"Those who are concerned about Hong Kong's water quality will be interested to read an article on how the Environmental Protection Department uses computer models to minimise the adverse effects of reclamations on water quality and on the great debate on how best to clean up Victoria Harbour.
"For people who want to know something about what is being done to address those local environmental problems that affect their day to day life, such as industrial effluents flowing down side alleys and over footpaths in Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan or the stink caused by livestock waste in the River Indus and other New Territories waterways, there are articles on the work carried out by the EPD's Local Control Offices," the spokesman said.
Reference material for those who are interested in the more technical aspects of environmental work, is grouped together in the "Green Pages" at the back of the report.
Here readers will find information on existing and planned legislation on the control of air and water pollution, noise and wastes and environmental assessment, as well as data on the state of the environment in Hong Kong, lists of booklets, leaflets and reports on environmental matters issued by the Government, statistics on complaints and enforcement activities and so on.
The "Green Pages" include also a section on the major milestones in the development of environmental protection in Hong Kong going back to the enactment of a Clean Air Ordinance in 1959.