XN000022-1975-06-04 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1975.

HELP REDUCE EXCESSIVE NOISE PUBLIC URGED

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MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE TODAY URGED TO HELP REDUCE EXCESSIVE NOISE IN HONG KONG BY BEING MORE CONSIDERATE AND TO SUGGEST PRACTICAL WAYS OF ABATING NOISE POLLUTION.

THE CALL CAME FROM UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN DURING AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE IN COUNCIL TODAY, AND WAS IMMEDIATELY SUPPORTED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. JAMES ROBSON.

DOTH SPEAKERS FELT THAT A LITTLE CONCERN AND CONSIDERATION BY PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS COULD GO A LONG WAY IN ALLEVIATING NOISE POLLUTION. THE MOST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION, IN FACT, RESTS WITH THE PUBLIC THEMSELVES,+ SAID MR. CHEONG-LEEN.

AS A START, MR. ROBSON SAID, +MOTORISTS AND MOTOR CYCLISTS CAN ENSURE THAT THEIR VEHICLES ARE PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND ARE NOT MAKING MORE NOISE THAN THE MANUFACTURER INTENDED- RECORD SHOP PROPRIETORS CAN PLAY THEIR LOUDSPEAKERS AT A MODERATE LEVEL AND STILL ADVERTISE THEIR WARES SATISFACTORILY, AND OWNERS OF PREMISES WITH LARGE AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS CAN ENSURE THAT THESE UNITS ARE INSTALLED SO AS NOT TO DISTURB UNDULY NEARBY RESIDENTS.+

MR. ROBSON ALSO CALLED FOR SUPPORT FROM THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND SAID THAT CONSTRUCTION NOISE COULD BE CONSIDERABLY REDUCED BY USING SOUND SUPPRESSED EQUIPMENT WHICH WAS NOW READILY AVAILABLE AND GENERALLY NOT EXPENSIVE.

HOWEVER, BOTH MR. ROBSON AND MR. CHEONG-LEEN AGREED THAT THERE WERE NO EASY SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF NOISE POLLUTION.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT THERE WAS NOT MUCH LEGISLATION TO CONTROL EXCESSIVE NOISE AND THE PRESENT LAW WAS FRAGMENTED AND NOT EASY TO ENFORCE, ENQUIRIES HAD BEEN MADE ABOUT LEGISLATION OVERSEAS AND IN MANY PLACES SIMILAR LEGISLATION WAS EITHER ONLY PARTIALLY ENFORCED OR NOT AT ALL.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN EXPLAINED THAT A SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (EPCOM), OF WHICH HE IS A MEMBER, HAD CATEGORISED THE SOURCES OF NOISE AS FOLLOWS: TRAFFIC, AIRCRAFT, CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES, INDUSTRIAL SOURCES, RECREATIONAL AND ADVERTISING SOURCES, AND AIR-CONDITIONERS.

THERE APPEARED TO BE LITTLE HONG KONG COULD DO UNILATERALLY TO ABATE AIRCRAFT NOISE TO ANY SPECTACULAR DEGREE, HE SAID, BUT AIRLINES WERE MAKING INCREASING USE OF THE QUIETER AIRCRAFT BEING MANUFACTURED AND THE BENEFIT OF THE STRICT NOISE STANDARDS IN THE U.S.A. SHOULD MAKE ITSELF FELT IN HONG KONG.

/AS TO TRAFFIC