XN000022-1990-05-31 — Page 13

THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1990

12

ASBESTOS WASTE ACTION PLAN ANNOUNCED

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) TODAY (THURSDAY} ANNOUNCED A SERIES OF MEASURES THE DEPARTMENT WILL TAKE TO STOP FURTHER MALPRACTICE IN ASBESTOS WASTE MANAGEMENT.

THE EPD'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (WASTE AND WATER CONTROL), MR

THE ASBESTOS JOHN BOXALL, SAID THE MEASURES INCLUDED

WASTE ACTION PLAN AND A NEW TRIP TICKET SYSTEM ON THE CONTROL OF ASBESTOS WASTE.

ACTION MR BOXALL SAID UNDER THE ASBESTOS WASTE

PLAN THE EPD OF ASBESTOS WASTE DISPOSAL AT THE

WOULD INCREASE THE SUPERVISION LANDFILLS AT TSEUNG KWAN O AND PILLAR POINT.

THE ASBESTOS WASTE ACTION PLAN AND THE TRIP TICKET SYSTEM WILL BE LAUNCHED TOMORROW (FRIDAY).

ASBESTOS

ABATEMENT

WASTE PRODUCERS AND

CONTRACTORS WILL GIVEN A TWO-WEEK GRACE PERIOD BEOFRE FULL-SCALE IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION PLAN ON JUNE 15.

BE

THE

MR BOXALL SAID ADVISORY AND WARNING LETTERS WOULD BE ISSUED ADVICE PARTIES INVOLVED IN MALPRACTICES. IF THEY DID NOT HEED THE WARNING, THE EPD WOULD SUSPEND OR CANCEL THEIR PERMITS.

то

OR

THE ISSUE OF NEW PERMITS WOULD BE SUSPENDED IF A CONTRACTOR CONTINUED TO CONTRAVENE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CODE OF PRACTICE ON THE HANDLING, TRANSPORT AND DISPOSAL OF ASBESTOS WASTE (COP), MR BOXALL SAID.

THUS CONTRACTORS WOULD BE DENIED ENTRY ΤΟ THE LANDFILL FOR ASBESTOS WASTE DISPOSAL AND HAVE TO CEASE BUSINESS IN ASBESTOS WASTE MANAGEMENT.

ANY CONTRACTORS FOUND GUILTY OF REPEATED MALPRACTICES WOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S SPECIALIST LIST OF ASBESTOS ABATEMENT CONTRACTORS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

EPD

REGULATED THE DISPOSAL OF

MP BOXALL SAID CURRENTLY THE ASBESTOS WASTE THROUGH A PERMIT SYSTEM.

THE PERMIT REQUIRED THE WASTE PRODUCERS AND DISPOSAL CONTRACTORS TO FOLLOW THE COP FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1985.

IN RECENT YEARS, THERE HAD BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF ASBESTOS WASTE REQUIRING DISPOSAL, AND MANY CONTRAVENTIONS OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COP.

THIS PLACED AT RISK THE HEALTH OF THE WORKERS INVOLVED IN ASBESTOS WASTE MANAGEMENT AND THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL, PARTICULARLY IF THE ASBESTOS WASTE WAS TRANSPORTED IN AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION.

MR BOXALL SAID APART FROM THE ASBESTOS WASTE ACTION PLAN THE EPD WOULD ALSO INTRODUCE A NEW TRIP TICKET SYSTEM то CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF ASBESTOS WASTE FROM ONE PARTY TO ANOTHER.

/UNDER THE