XN000022-1992-06-12 — Page 7

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FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1992

NEW BILL TO CONTROL AIR POLLUTION

THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY) THE AIR POLLUTION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992 WHICH SEEKS TO PROVIDE MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION IN HONG KONG.

CONTROL

ACCORDING TO AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL WIDE RANGE PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, MR FRED TROMP, THE BILL PROPOSED A OF CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED IN 1983.

WHICH

ARE

LICENCE

AMONG THE MANY PROPOSALS, THREE MAJOR OBJECTIVES

ΤΟ

RELEASE CONTROL THE

OF ASBESTOS, ΤΟ

THE REMOVE

EXEMPTION BEING ENJOYED BY SOME FACTORIES FROM BEING REQUIRED TO HOLD A

ΤΟ OPERATE THE SO-CALLED "SPECIFIED PROCESSES" AND TO ISSUE A TECHNICAL

PROTECTION DEPARTMENT IN MEMORANDUM TO GUIDE THE ENVIRONMENTAL ABATEMENT OF AIR POLLUTION.

+

THE

"ASBESTOS IS KNOWN TO CAUSE CANCER BUT THE RELEASE OF IT FROM

FORTH IS BUILDING WORKS AND SO

NOT CONTROLLED UNDER THE CURRENT

ORDINANCE.

"WE HAVE PROPOSED THAT ALL WORKS INVOLVING ASBESTOS MUST BE UNDER CARRIED OUT BY REGISTERED QUALIFIED PERSONS WITH THE ADVICE AND THE SUPERVISION OF REGISTERED CONSULTANTS", MR TROMP SAID.

TO

"IT IS INTENDED THAT HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS WILL BE REQUIRED CARRY OUT SURVEYS TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OF ASBESTOS. IN ADDITION,

DANGEROUS BLUE AND BROWN THE IMPORT AND SALE OF THE MOST WILL BE BANNED.'

ASBESTOS

SAID MR TROMP

HE HOPED THAT THE DEPARTMENT COULD START TO REGISTER QUALIFIED LATER THIS YEAR.

ENVIRONMENTAL

AND PERSONS

PROTECTION COMPANIES

THE FULL RANGE OF CONTROLS ON ASBESTOS ABOUT ONE YEAR AFTERWARDS.

IS

ΤΟ AIMED

COME IN

THE

ORDINANCE CURRENT

MORE

THE

HAS IDENTIFIED 23

OF TYPES

POTENTIALLY

SERIOUS AIR POLLUTING PROCESSES SUCH AS POWER

AND CEMENT STATIONS, STEEL WORKS

WORKS

THEM AND REQUIRES

TO BE "SPECIFIED REGISTERED WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AS PROCESSES".

HOWEVER, MR TROMP POINTED OUT THAT "ONLY SOME OF THESE

SPECIFIED PROCESSES WERE PRESENTLY CONTROLLING THEIR LICENCES ISSUED BY THE EPD AND MOST WERE, IN FACT, EXEMPTED UNDER EXISTING LAW.

EMISSIONS

UNDER THE

MANY OF THESE FACTORIES WERE CONTINUING TO USE OUT-DATED THEM то START то EQUIPMENT AND PROCESSES AND THE TIME HAD COME FOR CLEAN UP THEIR ACT.

"THE EXEMPTIONS WOULD BE REMOVED IN PHASES CONSULTATION WITH THE INDUSTRIES INVOLVED, HE SAID.

AND IN FULL

/MR TROMP