XN000022-1989-06-18 — Page 2

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SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 1989

INDUSTRY TO BE CONSULTED ON POLLUTION WHITE PAPER

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THE GOVERNMENT, IN THE COMING MONTHS. WILL BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS ON

RECENTLY PUBLISHED COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT'S POLICY IN THE WHITE PAPER ON POLLUTION, THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DR STUART REED, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

DR REED WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION AND CONTROL EXHIBITION IN NEW TOWN PLAZA, SHA TIN, ORGANISED BY THE WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY WORKING GROUP 1989.

HE SAID. IN PARTICULAR, DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WOULD BE ON THE INTENTIONS DECLARED IN THE WHITE PAPER TO EXTEND ΤΟ ADDITIONAL GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS IN HONG KONG THE CONTROLS ON SULPHUR IN FUEL OIL THAT APPLY ALREADY TO AREAS SUCH AS SHA TIN, NORTH DISTRICT, TAI PO AND JUNK BAY.

THERE WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENTS ΤΟ THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE SO THAT IT BECOMES A MORE EFFICIENT AND COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUMENT

FOR IMPROVING THE WATER QUALITY OF THE WATERS AROUND HONG KONG.

DR REED SAID INDUSTRY WAS OFTEN CONSIDERED AS THE ONLY VILLAIN IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCENE.

"THIS IS NOT HOW IT SHOULD BE AT ALL. INDUSTRIALISTS, LIKE THE REST OF US. ARE ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE. THEREFORE, THE SAME INTEREST IN CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER, AND A REASONABLY QUIET ENVIRONMENT.

"IN REALITY, THE INTEREST OF THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR IN IMPROVING OUT ENVIRONMENT GOES WAY BEYOND THE INTEREST OF INDIVIDUAL INDUSTRIALISTS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

"FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE EXTEND THE EXISTING LIMITATIONS ON SULPHUR IN FUEL OIL TO THE REMAINDER OF HONG KONG, WE WILL CUT DOWN THE AMOUNT OF BRONCHIAL AND OTHER ILLNESSES AMONGST THE WORKFORCE WHICH MEANS LESS WORK TIME LOST THROUGH SICKNESS.

"IT MEANS ALSO THAT WE WILL NEED LESS IN THE AND HOSPITAL SERVICES, WHICH MUST FOLLOW THROUGH TO A ON TA REVENUE TO FUND SUCH SERVICES.

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WAY OF MEDICAL SMALLER DEMAND

DR REED SAID THERE WERE OCCASIONS WHEN THE REDEVELOPMENT OF OLD INDUSTRIAL SITES WAS SEVERELY CONSTRAINED BECAUSE OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS FROM ADJACENT INDUSTRIAL PREMISES.

IN SUCH CASES, THE INDUSTRIALIST WHO WISHED TO REDEVELOP LOSE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY, BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE SULPHUR EMISSIONS.

COULD DIOXIDE

/DR REED