TNAG-1604-FCO40-2211-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-reports-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 37

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substances used in industry; amendments to the Employment Ordinance

to improve provisions for long service payments to employees; and amendments to the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance to impose general responsibilities on employers and employees in respect of work safety.

(£)

51.

Environment

In the field of environmental protection, the Hong Kong Government are continuing their efforts to combat pollution. Particular attention is now being paid to controlling the discharge

of untreated wastes from factories and to checking the uncontrolled

disposal of livestock wastes into streams, which is a major cause of

water pollution. The Waste Disposal Ordinance was amended in October 1987 to prohibit the keeping of livestock in the urban area and the new towns and to provide for a ten-year animal waste control programme. New plans are also being prepared for the disposal of solid waste which, when fully operational, should enable the municipal incinerators, the source of much air pollution, to be

closed down. In addition, new and costly schemes are being prepared

for more effective sewage disposal which are likely to call for an investment of as much as HK$ 10 billion over the next decade.

(g)

Culture, Recreation and Sport

52. Hong Kong is well provided with venues for cultural, sporting

and recreational activities. In 1987, Town Halls, each with 1,400

seat auditorium, were opened in the new towns of Sha Tin and Tuen Mun and further progress was made with building the large Hong Kong

Cultural Centre in Kowloon which is due to open in 1989. When this is completed, there will be as many as 21,000 theatre and concert

hall seats situated throughout the territory for performances by

local ochestras and companies and visiting performers from

overseas. The first students in music, drama, dance and related

technical arts have now graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for

Performing Arts.

53.

As regards sports, Hong Kong now possesses exceptionally good

facilities. There are a number of modern stadia, both outdoor and

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