107
1
168
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I think that is looking too far ahead. We have this specific problem which we
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-There is need to plan far ahead, Mr. Chairman.
MR. A. DE O. SALES asked the following question:-
"As the house-to-house collection of refuse by private concerns and individuals appears to have developed considerably as it seems to fill a need in the community, may this Council know-
(a) what precautions your Department is already taking to ensure the eventual safe disposal of such refuse?
(b) what arrangements, if any, are being or will be made to collaborate with these collectors so as to safeguard the health of the community?
(c) whether it is intended to license them or otherwise exercise a measure of control over their activities?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"This question concerns the activities of non-Government refuse collecting concerns.
2.
3.
4.
I do not know exactly what you mean by "safe disposal of refuse". Refuse is not a valuable commodity except in so far as it contains material for salvage such as old tins and plastic ware. In all countries a certain amount of salvaging is carried out by refuse collectors, whether Government or non-Government but there is no reason to believe that this is necessarily an unhygienic process. On the assumption that you are referring primarily to the sanitary aspects, then the answer is that private cleansing companies normally dispose of refuse collected by them in exactly the same manner as is followed by the staff of the Urban Services Department, that is by delivery to Refuse Collecting Vehicles at scheduled stops or direct to barges at dust boat stations.
With the approval of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee departmental staff have for some weeks been conducting a course of free lectures to the proprietors and employees of the cleansing companies. These lectures cover the relevant legislation and contain suggestions for improvements in method, notably the need for covers to containers, the limiting of piles at scheduled Refuse
5.
6.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
169
Collecting Vehicle stops, and the importance of punctual delivery. The supervisory staff are satisfied that some improvement has been effected.
The draft Public Health and Urban Services Bill contains provision for the licensing of private cleansing companies as it is fully realized that there must be a legal basis for effective control by this department. The relevant Select Committee have agreed that only private cleansing companies which satisfy certain basic sanitary conditions should be eligible for registration and licensing. These basic essentials, which have been passed to all known cleansing companies, are roughly as follows:
(a) all regulations governing removal and storage of refuse to be observed;
(b) receptacles for storage of refuse to be of a type approved by the Council;
(c) adequate facilities to be provided for cleansing and storage of working gear;
(d) not more than two receptacles to be used by each employee at any one time;
(e) up-to-date lists of employees, with individual numbers, to be produced when required;
(f) name of licensee or firm and number of employee to be clearly painted on all its refuse receptacles.
It is certainly the intention to enforce this control vigorously in due course in order to effect a much needed improvement."
MR. SALES: --As you are aware, it is my New Year's resolution not to ask any supplementary questions.
MR. KAN:-A point of clarification on paragraph 3 of your reply. When you refer to collection by the staff of the Urban Services Department this does not infer that house-to-house collection by the staff of the Urban Services Department does exist.
CHAIRMAN: No, my reply does not infer that at all, Mr. Kan. It is collection from other small dumps.
MR. KAN:-Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. A. DE O. SALES asked the following question:
"(a) Because the mosquito situation in Hong Kong appears to have deteriorated this year, will the Chairman please state the number of summonses taken out and convictions registered against householders and building contractors whose negligence is a contributory factor?
Page 92 of 10
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107
1
168
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I think that is looking too far ahead. We have this specific problem which we
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-There is need to plan far ahead, Mr. Chairman.
MR. A. DE O. SALES asked the following question:-
"As the house-to-house collection of refuse by private concerns and individuals appears to have developed considerably as it seems to fill a need in the community, may this Council know-
(a) what precautions your Department is already taking
to ensure the eventual safe disposal of such refuse? (b) what arrangements, if any, are being or will be made to collaborate with these collectors so as to safeguard the health of the community?
(c) whether it is intended to license them or otherwise
exercise a measure of control over their activities?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"This question concerns the activities of non-Government
refuse collecting concerns.
2.
3.
4.
I do not know exactly what you mean by "safe disposal of refuse". Refuse is not a valuable commodity except in so far as it contains material for salvage such as old tins and plastic ware. In all countries a certain amount of salvaging is carried out by refuse collectors, whether Government or non-Government but there is no reason to believe that this is necessarily an unhygienic process. On the assumption that you are referring primarily to the sanitary aspects, then the answer is that private cleansing companies normally dispose of refuse collected by them in exactly the same manner as is followed by the staff of the Urban Services Department, that is by delivery to Refuse Collecting Vehicles at scheduled stops or direct to barges at dust boat stations.
With the approval of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee departmental staff have for some weeks been conducting a course of free lectures to the proprietors and employees of the cleansing companies. These lectures cover the relevant legislation and contain suggestions for improvements in method, notably the need for covers to containers, the limiting of piles at scheduled Refuse
5.
6.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
169
Collecting Vehicle stops, and the importance of punctual delivery. The supervisory staff are satisfied that some improvement has been effected.
The draft Public Health and Urban Services Bill contains provision for the licensing of private cleansing companies as it is fully realized that there must be a legal basis for effective control by this department. The relevant Select Committee have agreed that only private cleansing com- panies which satisfy certain basic sanitary conditions should be eligible for registration and licensing. These basic essentials, which have been passed to all known cleansing companies, are roughly as follows:
(a) all regulations governing removal and storage of
refuse to be observed;
(b) receptacles for storage of refuse to be of a type
approved by the Council;
(c) adequate facilities to be provided for cleansing and
storage of working gear;
(d) not more than two receptacles to be used by each
employee at any one time;
(e) up-to-date lists of employees, with individual numbers,
to be produced when required;
(f) name of licensee or firm and number of employee to
be clearly painted on all its refuse receptacles.
It is certainly the intention to enforce this control vigor- ously in due course in order to effect a much needed improvement."
MR. SALES: --As you are aware, it is my New Year's resolution not to ask any supplementary questions.
MR. KAN:-A point of clarification on paragraph 3 of your reply. When you refer to collection by the staff of the Urban Services Depart- ment this does not infer that house-to-house collection by the staff of the Urban Services Department does exist.
CHAIRMAN: No, my reply does not infer that at all, Mr. Kan. It it collection from other small dumps.
MR. KAN:-Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. A. DE O. SALES asked the following question:
"(a) Because the mosquito situation in Hong Kong appears to have deteriorated this year, will the Chairman please state the number of summonses taken out and convictions registered against houscholders and building contractors whose negligence is a contributory factor?
Page 92 of 10
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