XN000022-1987-05-18 — Page 8

MONDAY, MAY 18, 1987

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AN ON-GOING EXERCISE

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THE PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IS AN ON-GOING EXERCISE AND WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 1987 WILL STIMULATE FURT HER EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

MR CHAMBERS WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP WHICH WAS ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL TO MARK THE START OF A SERIES OF COMMEMORATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY ON JUNE 5.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY HAD BEEN OFFICIALLY CELEBRATED IN HONG KONG.

+AND IT IS QUITE APPROPRIATE THAT THIS SHOULD BE SO, NOT ONLY BECAUSE THERE IS AN INCREASING AWARENESS IN HONG KONG OF THE NEED TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE HAVE TAKEN SEVERAL MAJOR STEPS DURING THE PAST YEAR TO TACKLE LONG-STANDING POLLUTION PROBLEMS AND TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG REMAINS A GOOD PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE,+ HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS RECALLED THAT BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT CAME INTO OPERATION A YEAR AGO, THE POLLUTION CONTROL POWERS WERE EXERCISED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.

+THIS WAS NOT ONLY CONFUSING AND INCONVENIENT FOR THE PUBLIC BUT MADE IT DIFFICULT TO PURSUE CO-ORDINATED POLICIES.

+ NOW THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THE FUNCTIONS ARE CENTRALISED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT. THIS SHOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE MORE EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND PROJECTS, HE ADDED.

MR CHAMBERS ALSO HIGHLIGHTED SEVERAL MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SCENE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN RECENT MONTHS - THE DECLARATION OF THE FIRST WATER CONTROL ZONE AND THE FIRST AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ZONES THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE WATER POLLUTION REGULATIONS: THE PUBLICATION OF THE NEW REGULATIONS REGARDING AIR POLLUTION CONTROL AND THE DRAFT NOISE CONTROL BILL.

+THERE ARE PLANS FOR A CHEMICAL WASTE TREATMENT PLANT PROJECTS TO CLEAN UP THE TERRITORY'S NULLAHS AND WATERCOURSES AND THERE IS AN AMBITIOUS SCHEME TO DEAL WITH THE LONG-STANDING PROBLEM OF POLLUTION CAUSED BY LIVESTOCK WASTES, MR CHAMBERS SAID.

MR CHAMBERS SAID TODAY'S WORKS HOP WAS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT IN THAT IT WAS THE FIRST OF ITS TYPE TO BE HELD IN HONG KONG USING THE TRAINING PACKAGE DEVELOPED BY THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION FOR THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME.

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+THIS WORKSHOP, + MR CHAMBERS SAID, AND OTHERS WHICH I UNDERSTAND ARE TO BE ORGANISED IN THE FUTURE, REPRESENTS A STEP FORWARD IN THAT IT FOCUSES ON THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DECIDE THE LEVEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS WHICH THEIR ORGANISATIONS WILL ADOPT.+

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