XN000022-1985-12-27 — Page 5

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1985

TO ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEME, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE ANIMAL WASTE COLLECTION SERVICES AT AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD. THE PAPER PROPOSES THAT WASTE COLLECT SERVICES, WHETHER THEY WERE OPERATED BY COMMERCIAL INTERESTS OR FARMERS' CO-OPERATIVES WOULD, FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONTROL AND ACCOUNTABILITY, NEED TO BE LICENSED UNDER THE WASTE DISPOSAL ORDINANCE.

THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT EXPECT TO COMMIT ITSELF TO THE PROVISION OF EITHER FREE OR SUBSIDIZED COLLECTION SERVICES BUT IT WOULD, IN LINE WITH THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR DOMESTIC, INDUSTRIAL AND TRADE WASTES, EXPECT TO PROVIDE SITES AND THE SERVICE FOR FINAL DISPOSAL OF ANIMAL WASTE.

MR HOWARD POINTED OUT THAT SOME OF THE PROPOSALS WOULD INEVITABLY GIVE RISE TO A NEED TO COMPENSATE LIVESTOCK KEEPERS WHO WOULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THEM. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THIS MIGHT HAPPEN WERE MENTIONED IN THE PAPER. HE ALSO DREW ATTENTION TO THE SUGGESTION THAT PEOPLE KEEPING LIVESTOCK IN AREAS WHERE THIS IS ALREADY SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITED SHOULD NOT BE COMPENSATED.

MR HOWARD STRESSED THAT THERE WOULD BE A LENGTHY PERIOD BETWEEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF NEW CONTROLS.

+IN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CASES, THIS WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY MITIGATE THE EFFECT OF IMPOSING NEW AND TIGHTER CONTROLS AND WOULD ENABLE LIVESTOCK-KEEPERS TO CONSIDER THEIR POSITION AND TO ORGANISE EITHER FOR COMPLIANCE OR FOR SOME ALTERNATIVE FORM OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

*

+IT IS ALSO PROPOSED THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ANY NEW CONTROL MEASURES SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PROGRAMME OF AGRICULTURAL AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY EXTENSION SERVICES, WHICH WOULD ADVISE FARMERS HOW BEST TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW CONTROLS, ASSIST THEM TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF COMPLIANCE IN INDIVIDUAL CASES, DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON RELEVANT WASTE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY AND PROMOTE ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES,+ MR HOWARD SAID.

MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WHO WISH TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE PROPOSALS SHOULD WRITE TO THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.

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