XN000022-1985-06-21 — Page 9

FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1985

THE REPORT ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE INTRODUCTION OF UNLEADED PETROL. MEMBERS NOTED THAT THE LEVEL OF LEAD IN PETROL WAS REDUCED FROM 0.4 GM/LITRE TO 0.25 GM/LITRE ON JANUARY 1 THIS YEAR.

THESE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE RESEARCHED AND REFINED DURING THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PROJECT TO BE CARRIED OUT LATER THIS YEAR. THEY WILL FORM THE BASIS OF A FINAL REPORT TO BE SUBMITTED AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

THE EPCOM MEETING ALSO NOTED THE ACTION TAKEN TO IMPROVE POLLUTION CONTROL AT POPULAR BEACHES AND THE STUDIES INITIATED BY THE BEACH POLLUTION ACTION COMMITTEE ON BOOMING OF BEACHES TO PREVENT MARINE REFUSE FLOWING INTO BATHING AREAS.

THE TRIAL BOOMING SCHEME AT REPULSE BAY, IMPLEMENTED DURING THE LAST SWIMMING SEASON, HAS RECENTLY BEEN EVALUATED BY THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

IN VIEW OF ITS EFFECTIVENESS, THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS AGREED TO EXTEND THE SCHEME TO STANLEY MAIN BEACH AND DEEP WATER BAY THIS SUMMER.

MEMBERS ALSO LEARNED THAT THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, HAS REVIEWED THE EFFICIENCY OF ITS REFUSE COLLECTION VESSELS (+SEACATS+) OPERATING WITHIN GAZETTED BEACH LIMITS AND NEW DESIGNS AIMED AT GREATER OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY ARE BEING DEVELOPED.

ALSO DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING WAS A STUDY REPORT PREPARED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ON ASBESTOS LEVELS IN AMBIENT AIR IN HONG KONG.

THIS STUDY OF 24 LOCATIONS IN HONG KONG, WHICH WERE CHOSEN FOR THEIR PROXIMITY TO POTENTIAL ASBESTOS SOURCES, HAS ESTABLISHED THAT AMBIENT AIR ASBESTOS CONCENTRATIONS IN HONG KONG ARE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THOSE FOUND IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES.

THE REPORT CONCLUDED THAT COMPARISON OF THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY WITH SIMILAR STUDIES CARRIED OUT OVERSEAS. TAKEN TOGETHER WITH KNOWN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA FOR ASBESTOS EXPOSURE, STRONGLY SUGGESTS THAT PRESENT LEVELS OF AMBIENT AIR ASBESTOS LEVELS SHOULD NOT GIVE RISE TO CONCERN.

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