TNAG-1729-FCO40-2442-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 114

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comprehensive set of environmental legislation covering

all the main aspects of pollution control

noise and waste disposal.

-

air, water,

5/5e 28. ?/se

I note Professer Poon's concern about the

deterioration of our environment and agree with his

observation that urgent and serious intervention is

needed. It is for this reason that the Government intends

more than

to spend over $10 billion on environmental infrastructuré

over the next decade. However, I cannot agree with his

suggestion that the enforcement of pollution control is a

negative approach to the problem. Our experience is that

industry takes little notice of advice on pollution

reduction methods before the introduction of legislative

controls.

stit

29.

I understand that this has been the experience

elsewhere in the world and I see no reason why Hong Kong

should be different in this respect. Indeed, it is not

uncommon for industry, especially the more responsible and

larger companies, to welcome controls, providing they are

properly enforced, because it places all those involved in

the same sector on an equal footing.