XN000022-1990-07-09 — Page 14

MONDAY, JULY 9, 1990

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EPCOM SUPPORTS SETTING UP TWO MORE WATER CONTROL ZONES

MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EPCOM), AT A MEETING THIS (MONDAY) AFTERNOON, DISCUSSED AND UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED THE PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH TWO NEW WATER CONTROL ZONES IN DEEP BAY AND MIRS BAY.

THE DEEP BAY WATER CONTROL ZONE'S CATCHMENT EXTENDS FROM YUNG LONG BATHING BEACH AND YUEN LONG/KAN TIM SUBZONES IN THE WEST TO THE RIVER GANGES SUBZONE IN THE NORTH.

THE MIRS BAY WATER CONTROL ZONE MAINLY COVERS THE STRETCH OF WATER IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE TERRITORY.

IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE CONTROLS IN THE TWO ZONES SHOULD INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1 THIS YEAR, OR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER WATER POLLUTION CONTROL (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE COMES INTO EFFECT.

COME

THE

THE

EPCOM NOTED WITH GRAVE CONCERN THE DETERIORATION IN QUALITY OF HONG KONG'S WATERS, THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE EXISTING LEGISLATION AND THE DELAY IN ENACTING THE AMENDMENTS то STRENGTHEN THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE.

THE AMENDMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LATER THIS MONTH.

EPCOM CHAIRMAN, DR WANG GUNGWU, EMPHASISED THE NEED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE AND EFFECTIVE ACTION TO CONTROL POLLUTION AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY.

HE REMARKED THAT THE EXEMPTION PROVISIONS IN THE EXISTING LEGISLATION EFFECTIVELY CONFERRED A LICENCE TO POLLUTE AND THEIR REPEAL WAS OVERDUE. HE ALSO CRITICISED INDUSTRY FOR DRAGGING ITS FEET ON THE AMENDMENT BILL.

INDUSTRY'S OBJECTION WAS GENERALISED, WITHOUT CONCRETE DATA ΤΟ SUPPORT ITS CLAIM THAT THE MAJORITY OF FACTORIES, SUCH AS THOSE IN THE TEXTILE BLEACHING AND DYEING SECTOR, WOULD NOT BE ABLE ΤΟ COMPLY WITH THE EFFLUENT STANDARDS AND WOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

POINTING OUT THAT EVERYONE HAD A PART TO PLAY IN REDUCING POLLUTION, DR WANG URGED INDUSTRY TO STOP POSTURING AND ADOPT A MORE POSITIVE STANCE AND TAKE STEPS ΤΟ SEEK ADVICE, INTRODUCE WASTE MINIMISATION MEASURES, AND, WHERE NECESSARY, INSTALL TREATMENT FACILITIES.

HE SAID THAT AVAILABLE DATA SHOWED THAT THE CAPITAL COST OF TREATMENT FACILITIES FOR TEXTILE FACTORIES WITH FLOW RATES OF 3,000 TO 4,000 CUBIC METRES PER DAY AMOUNTED TO ONLY A FEW PER CENT (1.2 PER CENT TO 3.4 PER CENT) OF THE FACTORIES' CAPITAL INVESTMENT.

TECHNICAL ADVICE WAS AVAILABLE FROM THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL AND THE CENTRE OF ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY

INDUSTRY, WELL AS MANY PRIVATE CONSULTANCY FIRMS, HE ADDED.

FOR

AS

/HE REGRETTED