XN000022-1974-06-26 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1974

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AFTER HIS VISIT TO TSING YI, MR. MCGREGOR WENT ON TO SHEUNG SHUI IN THE NEW TERRITORIES FOR A SHOP-FLOOR TOUR OF HONG KONG PAPER MILLS LT) WHERE HE SAW MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS IN PROGRESS. THE COMPANY EMPLOYS OVER 80 WORKERS AND PRODUCES INDUSTRIAL PAPER FOR PACKAGING PURPOSES.

MR. MCGREGOR SAID HE WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THIS PLANT AS IT PROVIDED A FINE EXAMPLE OF REPROCESSING OF WASTE MATERIALS AND THEREFORE AN AID TO HIGHER ECOLOGICAL STANDARDS.

+NOT ONLY IS THIS PLANT RECYCLING WASTE PAPER BUT IN ITS OWN MANUFACTURING LAYOUT IT IS RECYCLING THE WATER IT USES AND REDUCING TO ACCEPTABLE LEVELS THE DISCHARGED EFFLUENT.

+1 WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE SUCH PLANTS IN HONG KONG ALTHOUGH WATER SUPPLY COULD BE A PROBLEM.+

WARNING AGAINST PLASTIC BAGS AS HEAD COVERS SUFFOCATION CASES REPORTED IN UNITED STATES

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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY WARNED AGAINST THE +CURRENT FAD+ AMONG MANY PEOPLE TO USE PLASTIC BAGS TO COVER THEIR FACES DURING A DOWNPOUR INSTEAD OF DEPENDING ON RAINCOATS AND UMBRELLAS.

A SPOKESMAN SAID THE +FAD+ WAS +CONSPICUOUSLY APPARENT+ DURING THE DRAGON BOAT RACES ON MONDAY, AND HE EXPLAINED THIS PROMPTED THE WARNING +IN VIEW OF THE PROSPECT OF MUCH RAIN AND STRONG WINDS IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.+

HE DESCRIBED THE +FAD+ AS +VERY DANGEROUS, AND HE GAVE TWO REASONS:-

* UNDER THE PRESSURE OF STRONG WINDS, THEY COULD SUDDENLY BLOCK THE NOSE AND MOUTH, WHICH IN TURN COULD CAUSE SUFFOCATION.

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EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF WIND, THE IMPACT OF CONTINUOUS RAIN DURING A DOWNPOUR COULD MAKE THE BAGS ADHERE TO THE NECK, ALSO CAUSING SUFFOCATION.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID NOT LONG AGO THERE WERE REPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES THAT MANY YOUNG PEOPLE HAD BEEN SUFFOCATED IN PRECISELY SUCH WAYS BY PLACING PLASTIC BAGS OVER THEIR HEADS WHILE PLAYING AS +SPACEMEN+.

+IT IS NECESSARY TO PUT THE COMMUNITY ON ALERT, + HE EXPLAINED. +AN APPARENTLY CONVENIENT WAY OF MOVING ABOUT IN THE RAIN CAN BE PRETTY LETHAL. WE WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE A TRAGEDY IN HONG KONG THAT COULD SO EASILY BE AVOIDED.

+HENCE THIS WARNING.+

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