XN000022-1992-01-21 — Page 9

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1992

RANGED P.P.M.

UNLEADED

HE SAID LEVELS OF LEAD DETECTED IN

PETROL SAMPLES FROM 0 TO 8 P.P.M., WELL WITHIN THE PERMISSIBLE LIMIT OF 13

MR

LEE ALSO SAID OVER 110,000 TESTS WERE CONDUCTED DURING THE YEAR FOR THE MONITORING OF POLLUTION IN HONG KONG'S TERRITORIAL WATERS.

"TOXIC METALS, ORGANICS AND NUTRIENTS CONCENTRATIONS REMAINED THE PRINCIPAL PARAMETERS OF INTEREST.

"INDICATIONS ARE THAT SERIOUS POLLUTION PROBLEMS PERSIST IN A NUMBER OF MARINE AREAS, HE SAID.

.

IN THE CASE OF DRUGS SUBMITTED FOR REGISTRATION AND SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION, OR FOR INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS WITH REGARD TO ALLEGED INEFFICACY, 41 ITEMS (5.7 PER CENT) FAILED TO PASS ACCEPTANCE TESTS OF ONE SORT OF ANOTHER, OUT OF A TOTAL OF 728 EXAMINED.

"COMPARED WITH FAILURE RATES OF 8.8 PER CENT AND 12.5 PER CENT IN 1990 AND 1989 RESPECTIVELY, THE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS SUBMITTED FOR EXAMINATION IS REASSURING,"

HE SAID.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE NUMBERS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE EXAMINATIONS OVER THE YEARS HAD CONTINUALLY REACHED RECORD LEVELS WITH AN ANNUAL PROGRESSION WHICH REMAINED UNABATED.

SOME 138,998 EXHIBITS AND SAMPLES WERE HANDLED LAST YEAR COMPARED WITH 132,372 IN 1990 AND 118,219 IN 1989 DESPITE NOT HAVING HAD ANY STAFFING INCREASE SINCE 1989.

MEANWHILE, 5,700 QUESTIONABLE DOCUMENT ITEMS WERE EXAMINED THE LABORATORY LAST YEAR.

BY

WHILE HANDWRITING CASES DECLINED OVER THE YEAR, MR LEE SAID THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FORGED OR COUNTERFEIT OFFICIAL TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND IDENTITY CARDS WITH 146 CASES, A 22 PER CENT INCREASE OVER 1990.

HE SAID THE NUMBER OF CREDIT CARD FORGERY CASES RECEIVED ALSO DOUBLED LAST YEAR TO 50 CASES, TWO CASES OF WHICH INVOLVED ORGANISED SYNDICATES.

MR LEE ALSO SAID THE LABORATORY IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO A NEW, PURPOSE-BUILT FACILITY IN HO MAN TIN LATER THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL HOUSE UNDER ONE ROOF ALL OPERATIONAL LABORATORY UNITS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SCATTERED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HARBOUR.

THE NEW LABORATORY WILL HAVE A TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF 8,000 SQUARE METRES WHICH WILL CATER FOR THE LABORATORY'S NEEDS IN SOME YEARS TO COME.

AS COURTS TODAY DEMAND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO BE OF THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE QUALITY, MR LEE SAID THE LABORATORY HAS THE CONTINUOUS TASK OF KEEPING ANALYTICAL METHODS UNDER REVIEW, REFINING AND MAKING MORE RIGOROUS QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCEDURES, AND TAKING LABORATORY WORK HIGHER LEVELS OF ACCURACY AND PRECISION WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY.

TO

/HE SAID