XN000022-1988-07-03 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JULY 3, 1988

H.K. NEEDS MORE ATTENTION IN POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL

DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DR STUART REED, TODAY (SUNDAY) SAID THAT HONG KONG NEEDED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION ΤΟ POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

DR REED WAS SPEAKING AT A SEMINAR ORGANISED ASSOCIATION.

BY CONSERVANCY

"THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT WE PACK MUCH OF OUR COMMERCIAL AND TOURIST ACTIVITY, TOGETHER WITH OUR LIVING JUST TWO OR THREE HUNDRED SQUARE KILOMETRES, DR REED SAID.

PI

INDUSTRIAL,

SPACE INTO

"IN ADDITION, THE NATURE OF THE TOPOGRAPHY AND METEOROLOGY HERE MEANS THAT POLLUTION EMITTED BY ALL THIS ACTIVITY THAT 15 CONCENTRATED INTO A VERY SMALL SPACE, IS NOT READILY DISPERSED AND CAN BE TRAPPED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.'

++

DR REED GAVE A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES OF THE POLLUTION PROBLEMS FACED BY HONG KONG AS A RESULT OF THIS SITUATION AND THEN WENT ON TO DESCRIBE THE WAY IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS RESPONDING TO THE THREAT POSED BY POLLUTION IN TERMS OF:

INSTITUTION BUILDING AND IN PARTICULAR THE ESTABLISHMENT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT IN APRIL 1986.

OF

* IMPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF

POLLUTION CONTROLS.

INTRODUCTION OF 1

COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROGRAMME TO PROVIDE THE OBJECTIVE INFORMATION NEEDED ΤΟ ENSURE THAT ANY NEW LEGISLATION, OR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES, MEET THE SPECIFIC LOCAL NEEDS IN HONG

KONG.

PROVISION OF IMPROVED FACILITIES FOR THE COLLECTION, TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF SEWAGE AND SOLID WASTES.

PLANNING AGAINST POLLUTION TO ENSURE THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT LEAD TO THE CRPATION OF NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.

PROMOTING PUBLIC AWARENESS.

"ALL THESF PROGRAMMES WILL REQUIRE THE CONTINUING ACTIVE ANI VOCAL SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY IF WE ARE TO SUCCEED IN MAKING HONG KONG A PLACE WHERE IT IS NOT ONLY HEALTHY BUT ALSO AGREFABLE TO LIVE 1 DR REED SAID.

CHOOSE ORGANISED

"IT IS CERTAINLY GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM TO SEE HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE CONSERVANCY ASSOCIATION AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEND THEIR SUNDAY AFTERNOONS ATTENDING THESE SESSIONS BY THE ASSOCIATION," HE CONCLUDED.

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