XN000022-1993-04-30 — Page 6

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1993

PRODUCERS

WITH RESPECT TO THE REGISTRATION OF CHEMICAL WASTE WHICH STARTED IN MAY 1992, MR BOXALL SAID ALL KNOWN WASTE PRODUCERS HAD APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION.

FOR NEW POTENTIAL WASTE PRODUCERS, THEY MUST BE REGISTERED WITH EPD BEFORE THEY START PRODUCING CHEMICAL WASTE.

"WITH THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONTROL SCHEME, ALL CHEMICAL WASTE WILL BE DIRECTED TO SUITABLE FACILITIES FOR PROPER TREATMENT, THUS EFFECTIVELY REDUCING POLLUTION TO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND SAFEGUARDING THE PUBLIC FROM POTENTIAL HAZARDS," MR BOXALL SAID.

THE MAXIMUM PENALTY UNDER THE VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE NEW REGULATION IS UP TO $200,000 IN FINE AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS.

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STRINGENT CONTROL ON CONSTRUCTION NOISE

THE NOISE CONTROL (AMENDMENT) BILL 1993 WHICH SEEKS TO PROVIDE THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK REQUIRED TO TIGHTEN THE CONTROL OF NOISE FROM CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES DURING NIGHT-TIME AND HOLIDAYS IS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT REEKS TO EMPOWER THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS TO APPLY MORE STRINGENT CONTROLS ΤΟ "DESIGNATED AREAS", WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY POPULATED OR PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE AREAS.

"AT PRESENT, THERE ARE NO CONTROLS OVER CERTAIN NOISY CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES SUCH AS DROPPING OP RUBBLE AND STEEL BARS FROM A HEIGHT AT NIGHT OR ON HOLIDAYS. ТНІЯ 18 CLEARLY UNACCEPTABLE AND THE AMENDMENTS, TOGETHER WITH REGULATIONS, WOULD PROVIDE FOR A BAN OF THESE ACTIVITIES, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

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"FURTHERMORE, SOME CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS ALLOWED AT PRESENT, WILL ALSO BE BANNED DURING THESE SENSITIVE HOURA BECAUSE THEIR OPERATIONS ARE STILL CAPABLE OF CAUSING ANNOYANCE TO NEIGHBOURS," HE ADDED.

THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE BANNED IN THE DESIGNATED AREAS ARE THE ERECTION AND DISMANTLING OP FORMWORK OR SCAFFOLDING, THE LOADING, UNLOADING OR HANDLING OF RUBBLE, WOODEN BOARDS, STEEL BARS, WOOD OR SCAFFOLDING MATERIAL; AND HAMMERING.

SIMILARLY, THE USE OF DUMP TRUCKS, VIBRATORY POKERS, CONCRETE LORRY MIXERS, BULLDOZERS AND HAND-HELD PERCUSSIVE BREAKERS WILL BR BANNED.

UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM, A PERMIT WOULD NOT BE ISSUED FOR SUCH WORK UNLESS IT WAS FOR ESAENTIAL PURPOSER OR HAD IMPORTANT SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS.

WITH A VIEW TO PROMOTING QUIET APPLICATIONS INVOLVING THE USE OF QUIET CONSIDERED.

CONSTRUCTION PRACTICRS, METHODS WOULD ALSO BE

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