XN000022-1978-11-01 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1978

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SPECIAL ZONE PROPOSED FOR DYEING AND FINISHING MILLS

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THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO DESIGNATE A SPECIAL ZONE TO GROUP TOGETHER DYEING AND FINISHING MILLS, PERHAPS IN A REMOTE PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF POLLUTION AND TO FACILITATE THE SUPPLY OF UNTREATED WATER FOR THEIR USE.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, MR. TIEN PUT IN PERSPECTIVE THE POLLUTION PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THESE FACTORIES.

+WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WHEN SOME OF THESE MILLS WERE FIRST ESTABLISHED, THEY WERE NOT LOCATED IN CROWDED OR THICKLY POPULATED AREAS, HE SAID. SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENTS SOMEHOW CHANGED THE IR ENVIRONMENT SO THAT THEY ARE NOW IN HIGHLY DEVELOPED AREAS +SOME EVEN WITH HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS OVERLOOKING THEIR ONCE TOWERING CHIMNEY-STACKS.+

HE AGREED THAT POLLUTION SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO CONTINUE OR FURTHER AGGRAVATED. MOST OF THE MILLS ARE AT PRESENT SITUATED IN FLATTED FACTORY BUILDINGS AND THE CHEMICALLY CONTAMINATED EFFLUENTS, OBNOXIOUS FUMES AND SMOKE FROM THE IR BOILER OPERATIONS ARE AMONG THE CAUSES OF POLLUTION.

HOWEVER, TO CONTROL THEM AND TO IMPROVE UPON EXISTING CONDITIONS REQUIRE THE INSTALLATION OF SUITABLE EQUIPMENT WHICH ARE FAIRLY EXPENSIVE. THERE IS ALSO THE COST INVOLVED IN RUNNING AND OPERATING SUCH EQUIPMENT.

THIS ADDITIONAL COST MAY WELL PROVE TO BE TOO HEAVY A BURDEN FOR THESE MILLS WHICH ARE COMPARATIVELY WEAK FINANCIALLY BECAUSE OF THE IR SMALL PROFIT MARGIN.

THEY, HOWEVER, PLAY AN INDISPENSABLE PART IN THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY AS THEY PROVIDE SERVICE AND SUPPORT TO THE GARMENT MAKING SECTOR.

+THE CLOSURE OF SUCH MILLS WILL MEAN THAT THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY WILL LOSE MUCH OF THE SERVICE AND SUPPORT IT NEEDS TO BE VERSATILE, FLEXIBLE AND COMPETITIVE AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE CONSEQUENCES TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WILL BE VERY SERIOUS INDEED, MR. TIEN SAID.

A PROBABLE SOLUTION IS TO PERMIT EXISTING MILLS TO MAINTAIN BUT NOT TO EXCEED THE IR PRESENT LEVEL OF POLLUTANT DISCHARGE WHILE SUBJECTING NEW PLANTS TO STRICT CONTROL.

THIS MR. TIEN DISMISSED, AS THE FORMULA COULD BLOCK EFFECTIVELY ANY FURTHER GROWTH, DEFEAT THE VERY PURPOSE OF CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT UPON EXISTING CONDITIONS, AND CREATE A PRIVILEGED CLASS OF AGING MILLS WITH NO INCENTIVE FOR FURTHER EXPANSION OR TO RENOVATE.

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