XN000022-1993-12-07 — Page 13

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1993

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THE GROUP WILL REVIEW EXISTING POLICIES ON HOUSING SOCIAL SECURITY, WELFARE SERVICES, MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, RESIDENTIAL CARE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY.

IT WILL ALSO IDENTIFY THE DEMAND FOR AND THE WAYS TO CO-ORDINATE THESE SERVICES.

ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF THE HOME, MR STRACHAN SAID THERE WAS A NEED TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF RESIDENTIAL CARE.

"THEY REQUIRE SOME FORM OF CARE BECAUSE THEIR HEALTH HAS DETERIORATED AND BECAUSE THEY EITHER DO NOT HAVE A FAMILY OR THEIR FAMILIES ARE, FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, NOT ABLE TO LOOK AFTER THEM, HE ADDED.

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS PLANS ΤΟ PROVIDE 5,800 ADDITIONAL SUBVENTED PLACES IN CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES AND IN HOMES FOR AGED WITHIN THESE FOUR FINANCIAL YEARS,

BY 1997, THERE WILL BE NEARLY 20,000 SUCH SUBVENTED PLACES.

BY THAT TIME, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO PROVIDE A NETWORK OF SEVEN NURSING HOMES WITH 1,400 PLACES.

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FIRST ECOTOXICOLOGY WORKSHOP HELD IN HK

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A THREE-DAY WORKSHOP ON ECOTOXICOLOGY ORGANISED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT IS LAUNCHED TODAY (TUESDAY).

ECOTOXICOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES ON LIVING ORGANISMS AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

THE WORKSHOP, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG, WILL EXAMINE HOW DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HAVE APPROACHED THIS PROBLEM SO AS то HELP DEVELOP NEW STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING TOXIC SUBSTANCES IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF HONG KONG.

THESE TOXICS, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF WHICH IS COMPLEX INDUSTRIAL DISCHARGES, MAY PERSIST IN THE ENVIRONMENT FOR MANY YEARS DISRUPTING ECOSYSTEM AND AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF HUMAN BEINGS EITHER DIRECTLY OR AS A RESULT OF ENTERING THE HUMAN FOOD CHAIN, FOR EXAMPLE THROUGH CONTAMINATION OF SEAFOOD.

A TOTAL OF SEVEN EXPERTS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND THE NETHERLANDS, TOGETHER WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WILL TAKE PART IN THE WORKSHOP, WHICH WILL INCLUDE VISITS, PRESENTATIONS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, AS WELL AS A FIELD EXCURSION AND TECHNICAL SESSION.

THROUGH THIS WORKSHOP, IT IS HOPED THAT ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND EMISSION STANDARDS, THAT TRULY REFLECT THE DEGREE OF RISK THAT POLLUTANTS POSE TO THE COMPONENTS OF THE ECOSYSTEM, COULD EVENTUALLY BE SET.

/SPEAKING AT