XN000022-1974-12-20 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1974

CONSULTANTS APPOINTED TO ADVISE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS FOR HONG KONG

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES LIMITED, A PROMINENT BRITISH FIRM OF CONSULTANTS, TO ASSIST IN PREPARING COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION FOR HONG KONG.

THE CONTRACT, WORTH JUST OVER $1 MILLION, WAS SIGNED BY MR. JOHN SIDWICK, A DIRECTOR OF E.R.L. AND MR. ALAN ARMSTRONG- WRIGHT, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

MR. SIDWICK ARRIVED IN HONG KONG EARLIER THIS WEEK TO CONCLUDE NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE CONTRACT AND TO COLLECT DATA FOR THE STUDY. HE WILL BE FLYING BACK TO BRITAIN TONIGHT AND IS DUE TO RETURN TO HONG KONG TOWARDS THE END OF JANUARY WITH A TEAM OF EXPERTS FOR DETAILED DISCUSSIONS ON THE PROJECT. DURING THE INTERVENING PERIOD, THE CONSULTANTS WILL BE COLLECTING AND EVALUATING DATA ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WHICH WILL THEN FORM THE BASIS OF THEIR DRAFT CONTROL MEASURES.

MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID THE CONSULTANTS' MAIN TASK WILL BE TO ASSIST WITH THE PREPARATION OF A GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ORDINANCE FOR HONG KONG. THIS ORDINANCE WILL COVER ALL ASPECTS OF POLLUTION - LAND, SEA, AIR AND NOISE - AND WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS AND ADVICE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (EPCOM).

THE CONSULTANTS WILL ALSO ADVISE ON THE SETTING UP OF A POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY WHICH WILL BE THE WATCHDOG FOR THE LEGISLATION.

MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID THAT ONCE THE DRAFT PROPOSALS HAD BEEN AGREED, THE SECOND PHASE WOULD BEGIN WITH THE PREPARATION OF DETAILED CONTROL MEASURES, INCLUDING DRAFTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEGISLATION AND ESTABLISHING CONTROL AUTHORITIES AND CONTROL SYSTEMS.

THE ENTIRE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE ABOUT 18 MONTHS TO COMPLETE, BUT THE SECOND PHASE SHOULD BEGIN WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE CONSULTANTS BEGINNING WORK. THEIR SUBMISSIONS ON EACH FIELD OF POLLUTION CONTROL SHOULD THEN START COMING FORWARD AT INTERVALS OF THREE MONTHS.

MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID THERE WAS A NEED FOR OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL EASE COULD BE BROADENED WITHOUT DETRIMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT. +FOR THIS REASON CAREFULLY FORMULATED CONTROLS SHOULD BE STIPULATED IN LEGISLATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. TO BE EFFECTIVE, THESE CONTROLS WILL HAVE TO BE PRACTICAL AND WITHIN THE CAPACITY OF INDUSTRY TO INTRODUCE.+

/HE ADDED THAT