XN000022-1986-10-08 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER &, 1986

THE LEGISLATION MUST NEVERTHELESS BE SUFFICIENTLY PRECISE TO ENABLE EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT. IT MUST BE CAPABLE OF BEING APPLIED IN A MANNER WHICH IS EQUITABLE AND REALISTIC IN THE LIGHT OF LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES, SINCE IT WILL AFFECT OUR INDUSTRIES AS WELL AS THE ENVIRONMENT.

+THESE ARE COMPLEX ISSUES AND SO THERE WILL BE CAREFUL PUBLIC CONSULTATION, HE SAID.

ON THE CONTROL OF WATER POLLUTION, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT NEW REGULATIONS WERE MADE UNDER THE WATER CONTROL ORDINANCE IN JUNE.

PARTICULAR ATTENTION WAS BEING GIVEN TO IMPROVING WATER QUALITY IN TOLO HARBOUR AND THE SHING MUN RIVER, AND TO SERIOUSLY POLLUTED NULLAHS AND STREAM COURSES.

+THE INDISCRIMINATE DUMPING OF ANIMAL WASTE INTO STREAMS IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF POLLUTION. THIS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BY A BAN ON LIVESTOCK KEEPING IN THE URBAN AREAS AND BY STRICT CONTROLS IN RURAL DISTRICTS,+ HE SAID.

TURNING TO ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEM OF POLLUTION CAUSED BY FACTORY EFFLUENT DISCHARGED DIRECTLY INTO THE STORMWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT TO TACKLE IT MANY FACTORIES HAD BEEN SERVED NOTICE, UNDER THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE, REQUIRING THEM TO DIRECT POLLUTING DISCHARGES INTO THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM.

LEGISLATIVE CONTROLS WERE ALSO BEING PREPARED TO CONTROL THE STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION, TREATMENT AND FINAL DISPOSAL OF TOXIC AND OTHER DÅNGEROUS WATER MATERIALS.

SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THE FIRST TWO +AIR QUALITY+ ZONES COVERING THE HARBOUR AREA AND TSUEN WAN-KWAI CHUNG WOULD BE DECLARED UNDER THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

+THESE ZONES WILL FORM THE BASIS OF AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN HONG KONG, AND THEY WILL BE SUBJECT TO COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING AND CONTROL PROCEDURES,

+ IN ALL THIS, THE NEEDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT MUST BE BALANCED AGAINST THE ABILITY OF INDUSTRY TO COMPLY WITH NEW REQUIREMENTS, WHILE STILL REMAINING COMPETITIVE IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS, SIR EDWARD SAID.

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