XN000022-1985-11-20 — Page 23

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 17

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CALL TO STRENGTHEN POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES *****

PURELY LEGISLATIVE CONTROLS ON POLLUTION ARE UNLIKELY TO BE WHOLLY SUCCESSFUL UNTIL THERE HAS BEEN CREATED IN SOCIETY A CLIMATE OF OPINION DEMANDING THAT THE ENVIRONMENT BE PROTECTED ACCORDING TO EPCOM (ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE).

TO THAT END, A WORKING GROUP SET UP BY THE COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED A SERIES OF MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN EXISTING ENVIRONMENT-RELATED SUBJECTS IN SCHOOLS, EXPAND EXTRA-MURAL STUDIES AND OPEN MORE FIELD STUDIES CENTRES.

IN ENDORSING THE PROPOSALS AT ITS MEETING THIS (WEDNESDAY) EVENING, EPCOM ALSO STRESSED THE NEED FOR MORE SPECIALISED AND TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING TO DEVELOP SKILLS IN ENY IRONMENTAL PLANNING AND POLLUTION CONTROL AMONG PERSONNEL WORKING IN INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE.

IN ADDITION THERE WAS A NEED FOR MANY PROFESSIONS, AND NOT ONLY THOSE OF A SCIENTIFIC OR TECHNICAL NATURE, TO BE AWARE OF THE IMPACT THAT DECISIONS OF THEIR MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE UPON THE ENVIRONMENT.

THE WORK ING PARTY PLACED PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON SCHOOLS APPROACHING THE SUBJECT IN A PRACTICAL RATHER THAN THEORETICAL WAY, THAT LEARNING BE ACTIVE RATHER THAN PASSIVE AND THAT ANALYSIS BE PREFERRED TO DESCRIPTION.

SPECIFICALLY, EPCOM HAS SUGGESTED THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SHOULD INCORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES INTO ANY GENERAL STUDIES PROGRAMMES, AND THAT MORE QUESTIONS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BE INCLUDED IN PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS.

MEANS SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED WHEREBY SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES MIGHT USEFULLY LIAISE WITH VOLUNTARY BODIES OVER THE PROVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS AND IN THE FIELD.

EPCOM ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN URGENT NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL FIELD STUDIES CENTRES FOR THE USE OF SCHOOL CHILDREN. IT RECOMMENDED THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO EXPANDING EXISTING FACILITIES IN CERTAIN OF THE COUNTRY PARKS AND THAT SCHOOLS BE ENCOURAGED TO MOUNT DAY FIELD TRIPS AND MAKE USE OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES BEING PROVIDED IN THE PARKS AND AT THE MAI PO MARSHES.

THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE AGREED TO GIVE HIS SUPPORT TO FURTHERING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT. OTHER ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TO:

/(A)

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