XN000022-1977-05-25 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1977

CONTROL OF OIL DISPERSANT CHEMICALS *****

THE MARINE DEPARTMENT WILL BE INTRODUCING CONTROL OVER THE USE OF OIL DISPERSANT CHEMICALS WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF HONG KONG.

UNDER THE UNITED KINGDOM'S DUMPING AT SEA ACT 1974 (OVERSEAS TERRITORIES) ORDER 1975, WHICH WAS EXTENDED TO HONG KONG LAST YEAR, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS THE POWERS TO REQUIRE THE USERS OF OIL DISPERSANT CHEMICALS INTENDED FOR DEPOSIT IN HONG KONG WATERS TO OBTAIN A LICENCE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MARINE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT THE OBJECTIVE OF THESE LICENSING PROCEDURES WAS TO RESTRICT THE USE OF SUCH CHEMICALS TO THOSE PRODUCTS THAT WERE OF LOW TOXICITY TO MARINE LIFE.

ALTHOUGH MANY NEW METHODS ARE BEING DEVELOPED, THE USE OF MODERN LOW TOXICITY CHEMICALS PRESENTS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF DEALING WITH OIL SPILLS AND THIS IS LIKELY TO BE SO FOR SOME YEARS TO COME, HE ADDED,

AS AN INTERIM MEASURE, THE DEPARTMENT WILL LICENCE THOSE OIL DISPERSANT CHEMICALS APPROVED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY'S WARREN SPRING LABORATORY AS BEING SUITABLE FOR OIL SPILL CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS AT SEA, ON COASTAL WATERS AND BEACHES.

AN INITIAL LIST OF WARREN SPRING LABORATORY APPROVED OIL DISPERSANT CHEMICALS WILL BE PUBLISHED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT NEXT MONTH, IT WILL COME INTO EFFECT FROM JANUARY 1, 1978.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WOULD BE SETTING UP ITS OWN TESTING FACILITIES FOR THESE CHEMICALS AND DRAW UP ITS OWN LIST OF OIL DISPERSANT CHEMICALS TO REPLACE THE INTERIM MEASURE+.

THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT'S LIST WILL BE PUBLISHED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT WITH EFFECT FROM JANUARY 1, 1979. ONLY PRODUCTS CONTAINED IN THE LIST WILL THEN BE ALLOWED TO BE USED WITHIN HONG KONG WATERS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN APPROVED FOR USE BY THE WARREN SPRING LABORATORY.

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