XN000022-1994-07-06 — Page 31

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SEAFOOD SAMPLED FOR TEST

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1994

SEAFOOD AT WHOLESALE AND RETAIL MARKETS IS

REGULARLY SAMPLED FOOD SURVEILLANCE

FOR EXAMINATION UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S PROGRAMME, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS SHELLEY LAU, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MRS PEGGY LAM, MRS LAU SAID

10 IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR, ABOUT 1.1 PER CENT AND PER CENT OF SEAFOOD SAMPLES WERE FOUND TO BE UNSATISFACTORY WHEN SUBJECTED TO CHEMICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS RESPECTIVELY.

"THE BACTERIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION MAY BE AVOIDED BY PROPER CLEANING AND THOROUGH COOKING BEFORE CONSUMPTION, SHE SAID.

H

"GIVEN THE DIETARY INTAKE OF THE POPULATION, THE LEVEL OF HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION IS NOT LIKELY TO POSE A HAZARD," SHE ADDED.

MRS LAU SAID THE PUBLIC WAS INFORMED OF THE RESULTS OF THE FOOD SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMME THROUGH QUARTERLY PRESS CONFERENCES, WHEN HEALTH MESSAGES WERE ALSO DISSEMINATED.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS ALSO REMINDED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF THE IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SANITATION AND HYGIENE.

SHE THE

ON THE EFFECT OF MUD DUMPING AT EAST SHA CHAU ON SEAFOOD, SAID NO SIGNIFICANT CONTAMINATION TREND HAD BEEN DETECTED DURING FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF 1993 DESPITE ISOLATED INCIDENTS OF HIGH METAL CONCENTRATION IN MARINE ORGANISM.

SHE TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT DUMPING ACTIVITIES WERE CONTROLLED BY LICENCES UNDER THE DUMPING AT SEA ACT (OVERSEAS TERRITORIES) ORDER, FOR WHICH THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WAS THE LICENSING AUTHORITY.

"STRICT DUMPING LICENCE

LICENCE CONDITIONS ARE ENFORCED, SUCH AS REQUIREMENTS FOR TAMPER-PROOF AUTOMATIC SELF-MONITORING DEVICES, ΤΟ ENSURE THAT DISPOSALS ARE SAFELY RESTRICTED TO WITHIN THE CONFINES THE PIT,' SHE SAID.

即申

OF

A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME OF WATER QUALITY, SEDIMENT QUALITY AND MARINE BIOTA MONITORING HAS BEEN ADOPTED, WHICH EMBRACES COMPLIANCE MONITORING OF INDIVIDUAL PITS TO ENFORCE CONTRACT CONDITIONS ON OPERATIONAL PRACTICE AS WELL AS WIDER SCALE ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT.

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