XN000022-1989-05-12 — Page 25

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FRIDAY, MAY 12. 1989

STEERING GROUP BRIEFED ON FARMS VISITS

PROJECTS ON

MEMBERS OF THE STEERING GROUP ON DEMONSTRATION PRIVATE FARMS, FORMED UNDER THF LIVESTOCK WASTE L'ONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE. WERE BRIEFED TODAY (FRIDAY) ON VISITS BEING MADE BY FARMERS TO SEE WASTE TREATMENT SYSTEMS IN OPERATION.

AREAS. SYSTEMS.

THE FARMERS. WHO WISH TO CONTINUE LIVESTOCK FARMING IN CONTROL ARE VISITING PRIVATE FARMS WHICH HAVE ADOPTED WASTE TREATMENT

THE FIRST IN THE SERIES OF VISITS WAS MADE EARLIER THIS WELK TO A POULTRY FARM IN SHEUNG SHUT WHICH HAS IMPLEMENTED THE DRY MUCK-OUT METHOD.

MEMBERS LEARNT THAT DURING THE VISIT THE FARMERS EXPRESSED KEEN INTEREST IN THE OPERATION OF THE TREATMENT FACILITY AND EXCHANGED VIEWS WITH BOTH THE FARM OPERATOR, MR WU WAH-KIT, AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SYSTEM.

ON

THEY ALSO LEARNT THAT MORE FARM VISITS OF THIS NATURE WOULD BE ARRANGED TO ENABLE THE LIVESTOCK FARM OPERATORS TO CONSIDER THE VARIOUS OPTIONS WHICH THEY COULD CHOOSE IN ORDER то COMPLY WITH ANTI-POLLUTION REGULATIONS.

EPD REPRESENTATIVES GAVE A BRIEFING ON THE PROGRESS OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS ON PRIVATE FARMS.

THE REPRESENTATIVES EXPLAINED THAT SO FAR FIVE TREATMENT SYSTEMS, COMPRISING THREE DRY MUCK-OUT AND TWO PIG-ON-LITTER METHODS, HAVE BECOME OPERATIONAL AND BEEN HANDED OVER TO THE FARM OPERATORS.

IN

ANOTHER PIG-ON-LITTER SYSTEM, COVERING SIX PIG HOUSES, 13 FACT OPERATIONAL, BUT ONE PIG HOUSE HAS REQUIRED MINOR MODIFICATION AND THIS IS BEING CARRIED OUT.

THE OPERATORS OF THE TWO FARMS EMPLOYING THE HYBRID METHOD WILL BE TRAINED ON THE SYSTEM AS SOON AS ITS COMMISSIONING HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

AS FOR THE FARM THAT HAS ADOPTED THE MORE COMPLICATED WET MUCK-OUT SYSTEM, MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL WORKS ARE EXPECTED то BE COMPLETED IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, ALLOWING FOR EARLY COMMISSIONING OF

THE SYSTEM.

AFTER THE MEETING, THE STEERING GROUP MEMBERS JOINED MEMBERS OF THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE IN VISITING A FARM IN THE NORTH DISTRICT TO MONITOR THE OPERATION OF THE TREATMENT SYSTEMS THERE.

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