XN000022-1988-06-15 — Page 28

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1988

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AIM IS SELF-REGULATION WITHIN PEST CONTROL INDUSTRY

THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS THAT SELF-REGULATION WITHIN THE PEST CONTROL INDUSTRY, COUPLED WITH A HIGHER LEVEL OF PUBLIC AWARENESS, IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY TO ENCOURAGE COMPANIES ΤΟ RAISE SAFETY STANDARDS, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY PROF THE HON POON CHUNG-KHONG, MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT AT PRESENT THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT CONSIDERING THE INTRODUCTION OF STATUTORY CONTROLS OVER THE OPERATION OF PEST CONTROL COMPANIES.

"INSTEAD, A

AT

NUMBER OF NON-STATUTORY MEASURES AIMED ENCOURAGING SELF-REGULATION WITHIN THE INDUSTRY ARE BEING CONSIDERED," HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THESE WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE HONG KONG PEST CONTROL ASSOCIATION, AN ASSOCIATION OF THE MAJOR PEST CONTROL COMPANIES OPERATING IN HONG KONG.

CODE OF PRACTICE ASSOCIATION, THE OPERATORS AND THE MEMBERS OF THE

THE PROPOSED MEASURES INCLUDED DRAWING UP A WHICH WOULD BE BINDING UPON MEMBERS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF TRAINING COURSES FOR PEST CONTROL ORGANISATION OF SEMINARS ON PEST CONTROL MATTERS FOR TRADE AND THE PUBLIC.

"THESE EFFORTS WILL BE ACTIVELY DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED, HE SAID.

FI

SUPPORTED BY THE GOVERNMENT

INDIRECT

CONTROL WAS

IN ADDITION, HE SAID THAT AN ELEMENT OF BEING CONSIDERED BY MEANS OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES ORDINANCE.

THESE AMENDMENTS WOULD EXTEND THE EXISTING CONTROLS UNDER THE ORDINANCE TO COVER THE IMPORT, SUPPLY, STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION, RETAILING, LABELLING, BOTTLING AND MAXIMUM CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF NON-AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES, INCLUDING ALL THOSE CURRENTLY USED BY PEST CONTROL COMPANIES, MR CHAMBERS ADDED.

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