XN000022-1991-08-29 — Page 15

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1991

AS FROM JANUARY 1 NEXT YEAR,

IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS SHOULD FOLLOW THE 1992 EDITION OF THE HONG KONG IMPORTS AND EXPORTS CLASSIFICATION LIST (HARMONIZED SYSTEM) IN COMPLETING IMPORT OR

EXPORT DECLARATIONS.

IMPORTERS AND

EXPORTERS ARE REMINDED TO LODGE SUCH DECLARATIONS WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER THE IMPORTATION OR EXPORTATION OF GOODS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

OCTOBER.

THE NEW CLASSIFICATION LIST WILL BE PUBLISHED FOR SALE AROUND

TO FAMILIARISE IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS WITH THE NEW COMMODITY CLASSIFICATION AND CODING SYSTEM, FREE TRAINING SEMINARS WILL BE ORGANISED NEAR THE END OF THIS YEAR. MORE DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE COURSE.

GRADING OF BEACH WATER QUALITY

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) TODAY (THURSDAY) ANNOUNCED GRADES ON THE BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY OF ALL BATHING BEACHES IN HONG KONG.

THE PURPOSE OF THE GRADING SYSTEM IS ΤΟ INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE STATE

OF

BACTERIOLOGICAL VARIOUS BEACHES.

SWIMMERS AND POLLUTION AT

THE GRADING WILL BE SEASON, TO COINCIDE WITH THE USUALLY SAMPLED.

ANNOUNCED

FREQUENCY

BIWEEKLY DURING

THE BATHING

AT WHICH BEACH WATERS ARR

THE GRADING IS BASED ON THE MOST RECENT E. COLI DATA OBTAINED BY THE EPD IN ITS ROUTINE MONITORING PROGRAMME. AS WITH LAST YEAR, THE GRADING ALSO INCLUDES AN ESTIMATE OF THE RISK OF SUFFERING SOMB MINOR SKIN OR GASTROINTESTINAL COMPLAINTS AS A RESULT OF SWIMMING AT A BEACH WHICH HAS SOME DEGREE OF POLLUTION.

THE ESTIMATE IS BASED ON A VERY LARGE BODY OF STATISTICAL INFORMATION GATHERED IN HONG KONG IN RECENT BATHING SEASONS.

THE GRADING OF SOME BEACHES MAY VARY DURING THE SUMMER. THIS REPRESENTS A NATURAL FLUCTUATION IN THE BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF BATHING WATERS IN MOST CASES, AS RAIN AND TIDES BRING MORE OR LESS POLLUTION TO THE BEACHES.

HOWEVER, THE GRADES GIVE A GOOD GENERAL PICTURE OF THE WATER QUALITY AT BATHING BEACHES AT THE TIME OF REPORTING AND FORM THE BEST AVAILABLE FORECAST FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

/AN EPD