TNAG-1734-FCO40-2447-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 217

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Public housing estates built

of adestos related material

of

Question No. 10

Written Reply by Hon. C.R. Saunders, JP, Secretary

for Lands and Wokks, to question by Dr. Hon. Conrad Lam in Legislative Council on 29 June 1988

10. MR. LAM asked:

Question:

Will Government inform this Council how many residents are accommodated in public housing built of asbestos-related materials, where are these buildings located, and what measures will Government take to safeguard the health of the residents living in these buildings?

SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS:

sir,

An public housing estates, asbestos is found mainly in asbestos-cement, which contains a small amount

of asbestos fibres mixed into the concrete. Building

materials made of asbestos-cement have been used in the

past for balcony and staircase balustrading as well as for

roof insulation. The Director of Environmental Protection

has confirmed however that, provided they are not

disturbed, the existence of these materials does not pose

an undue health risk to residents.

A total of 325 blocks in Marks III, IV and V

estates built between 1962 and 1969, housing 667,000

tenants, have been identified as containing some

asbestos-cement products. All these blocks are scheduled for redevelopment under the Long-Term Housing Strategy and

safe methods have been devised by the Housing Department

in conjunction with the Environmental Protection

Department and Labour Department for the removal of

asbestos-cement materials during demoliton or repair prior

to redevelopment.

In addition, 1,664 temporary housing

structures built prior to 1984, housing about 90,000

tenants, have asbestos-cement roofing. The use of this

material for roofing ceased in 1984.