XN000022-1974-05-19 — Page 1

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GIS新聞處

SUNDAY, MAY 19, 1974

DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN

THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG ISLAND SHOULD BE DECLARED A SMOKE CONTROL AREA IMMEDIATELY, AND THE REST OF HONG KONG SHOULD FOLLOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THIS IS ONE OF MANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD BY THE AIR POLLUTION SUB-COMMITTEE TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CEPCON).

THE AIR POLLUTION SUB-COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY MR. WALTER SULKE, IS ONE OF THREE SUB-COMMITTEES FORMED UNDER THE MAIN ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH IS UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF HR. JOHN HARDEN. THE OTHER TWO ARE THE WATER AND LAND POLLUTION SUB-COMMITTEE, UNDER MR. HIM.G. FORSGATE, AND THE NOISE POLLUTION SUB-COMMITTEE, UNDER MR. HENRY LYTTON.

SINCE THEY WERE ESTABLISHED IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, THE THREE · SUB-COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN HOLDING REGULAR HEETINGS TO DISCUSS WAYS OF COMBATTING VARIOUS FORMS ON POLLUTION IN HONG KONG.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AIR POLLUTION SUB-COMMITTEE INCLUDE A CALL FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO CONTROL POLLUTION BY OXIDES OF SULPHUR.

THE SUB-COMMITTEE PROPOSES THAT THIS LEGISLATION SHOULD BE PROCESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH ALL PARTIES CONCERNED. AT THE SAME TIME, LAUS SHOULD BE DRAFTED TO IMPUSE APPROPRIATE STANDARD ON DIESEL ENGINE EMISSION.

WHERE LEGISLATION IS REQUIRED, THE SUB-COMMITTEE STRONGLY FEELS THAT IT KUST BE CAPABLE OF EASY ENFORCEMENT. THE PENALTIES FOR OFFENDERS MUST BE SEVERE ENOUGH TO MAKE THEN TAKE DUE NOTE AND TO SERVE AS A DETERRENT TO OTHERS WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE FAIL TO COMPLY.

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IT ALSO CONSIDERS THAT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE EQUIPPED AS SOON AS. POSSIBLE WITH THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEASURING AND MONITORING EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE.

MEANWHILE, A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS TO CONTROL NOISE POLLUTION AND POLLUZION ON LAND AND WATER HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE OTHER TWO

SUB-COMMITTEES.

THE NOISE POLLUTION SUB-COMMITTEE HAS SUGGESTED MEASURES FOR

IT FEELS THIS WOULD COMBATTING THE NUISANCE OF CONSTRUCTION NOISE. BEST BE TACKLED EITHER BY BANNING THE USE OF SUCH EQUIPMENT AS COMPRESSORS AND DRILLS DURING CERTAIN HOURS, OR BY SETTING A NOISE LIMIT WHICH SHOULD NOT BE EXCEEDED AT ANY TIME.

AS THE FIRST STEP, THE SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT THE USE OF AIR COMPRESSORS, PNEUMATIC DRILLS, CONCRETE VIBRATORS AND ALL TYPES OF MECHANICAL HAMMERS SHOULD BE BANNED FROM 8 P.M. TO 6 A.M. AND ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, EXCEPT IN CASES OF AUTHORISED EMERGENCY WORK

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Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong T

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