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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and Gentlemen, the meeting is called to order.
## MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 1988, were confirmed.
## PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of April 1988.
## QUESTIONS
1. MRS. ELEANOR C. M. LING on behalf of MISS VICTORIA CHAN YING asked the following question (in English):—Last year I voiced my concern about wet towels served in restaurants. With the prevailing threat of a hepatitis epidemic, I wish to know whether the Urban Services Department has taken any extra measures to control the hygiene standard of such towels to discourage the transmission of the hepatitis virus by the common use of wet towels?
MR. L. H. KWAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question asks what extra measures the department has taken to control the hygiene standard of wet towels served in restaurants to discourage the transmission of the hepatitis virus.
Bylaw 20 of the Food Business (Urban Council) By-laws stipulates that towels which have been used by customers must be sterilized by immersion in boiling water for not less than one minute before they can be used by customers again. All restaurant operators have to abide by this bylaw.
District Health Inspectors during their inspections to restaurants check as a routine the sterilizing equipment and the cleanliness of towels for use by customers to ensure that this legal requirement is complied with.
Since the transmission of hepatitis is through the fecal to oral route, it would be highly unusual for this disease to be spread through the use of towels used in common. In any case, immersion in boiling water for one minute would kill the virus. There is therefore no need to take extra measures to control the use of wet towels used in this regard.
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2. MRS. ELEANOR C. M. LING on behalf of MISS VICTORIA CHAN YING asked the following question (in English): We are all aware that pesticides are harmful to health. I shall be grateful to know the measures taken by the Urban Services Department to monitor the application of pesticides at restaurants and their kitchen to prevent the contamination of food and utensils?
MR. L. H. KWAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question asks what measures the department has taken to monitor the application of pesticides at restaurants and their kitchens to prevent the contamination of food and utensils.
Food business operators are required under the Food Business (Urban Council) By-laws to protect food from risk of contamination and refrain from using 'soiled' utensils (whether by pesticides or otherwise). Any person who fails to do so will be prosecuted and is liable, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $5,000 plus imprisonment for 3 months.
During their routine inspections to food premises, District Health Inspectors, apart from reminding licensees of the need to abide by the relevant bylaws in this regard, also give advice on the proper way to avoid pest infestations. Such advice includes filling up crevices to prevent harbourage, using boiling water to kill pests where the application of pesticides is inappropriate; advice is also given that, if pesticides must be used, it should be applied after business hours so that all foods and utensils can be removed from the application area and well covered and placed in suitable containers during the disinfestation process; soiled utensils must be thoroughly washed before they can be used again. Furthermore, whenever restaurant operators are asked to carry out disinfestation, the District Health Inspector always follows up with a further visit to ensure termination of infestation, paying particular attention to checks on signs of contamination.
In the past 2 years, no complaint about contamination of food or utensils with pesticides has been received.
3. THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in English):— Can the Urban Council consult and collaborate with the Regional Council to sponsor and/or organize Chinese martial arts exhibition programmes, as part of traditional Chinese Culture, and for the purpose of promoting Chinese martial arts as a non-combative form of healthy exercise?
MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG, Chairman of the Recreation Select Committee, replied as follows (in English):-This question concerns the promotion of Martial Arts and asks whether the Council can consult and collaborate with the Regional Council to sponsor and/or organize Martial Arts exhibitions for the purpose of promoting this as a non-combative form of exercise.
The simple answer to this question, Mr. Chairman, is 'Yes', but I suppose my honourable friend would want me to go on a bit.
Page 12 of 182
Page 12 of 182
16
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and Gentlemen, the meeting is called to order.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 1988, were confirmed.
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and
Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of April 1988.
QUESTIONS
1. MRS. ELEANOR C. M. LING on behalf of MISS VICTORIA CHAN YING asked the following question (in English):—Last year I voiced my concern about wet towels served in restaurants. With the prevailing threat of a hepatitis epidemic, I wish to know whether the Urban Services Department has taken any extra measures to control the hygiene standard of such towels to discourage the transmission of the hepatitis virus by the common use of wet towels?
MR. L. H. KWAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question asks what extra measures the department has taken to control the hygiene standard of wet towels served in restaurants to discourage the transmission of the hepatitis virus.
Bylaw 20 of the Food Business (Urban Council) By-laws stipulates that towels which have been used by customers must be sterilized by immersion in boiling water for not less than one minute before they can be used by customers again. All restaurant operators have to abide by this bylaw.
District Health Inspectors during their inspections to restaurants check as a routine the sterilizing equipment and the cleanliness of towels for use by customers to ensure that this legal requirement is complied with.
Since the transmission of hepatitis is through the fecal to oral route, it would be highly unusual for this disease to be spread through the use of towels used in common. In any case, immersion in boiling water for one minute would kill the virus. There is therefore no need to take extra measures to control the use of wet towels used in this regard.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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2. MRS. ELEANOR C. M. LING on behalf of MISS VICTORIA CHAN YING asked the following question (in English): We are all aware that pesticides are harmful to health. I shall be grateful to know the measures taken by the Urban Services Department to monitor the application of pesticides at restaurants and their kitchen to prevent the contamination of food and utensils?
MR. L. H. KWAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE Select CommITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question asks what measures the department has taken to monitor the application of pesticides at restaurants and their kitchens to prevent the contamination of food and utensils.
Food business operators are required under the Food Business (Urban Council) By-laws to protect food from risk of contamination and refrain from using 'soiled' utensils (whether by pesticides or otherwise). Any person who fails to do so will be prosecuted and is liable, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $5,000 plus imprisonment for 3 months.
During their routine inspections to food premises, District Health Inspectors, apart from reminding licensees of the need to abide by the relevant bylaws in this regard, also give advice on the proper way to avoid pest infestations. Such advice includes filling up crevices to prevent harbourage, using boiling water to kill pests where the application of pesticides is inappropriate; advice is also given that, if pesticides must be used, it should be applied after business hours so that all foods and utensils can be removed from the application area and well covered and placed in suitable containers during the disinfestation process; soiled utensils must be thoroughly washed before they can be used again. Furthermore, whenever restaurant operators are asked to carry out disinfesta- tion, the District Health Inspector always follows up with a further visit to ensure termination of infestation, paying particular attention to checks on signs of contamination.
In the past 2 years, no complaint about contamination of food or utensils with pesticides has been received.
3. THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in English):— Can the Urban Council consult and collaborate with the Regional Council to sponsor and/or organize Chinese martial arts exhibition programmes, as part of traditional Chinese Culture, and for the purpose of promoting Chinese martial arts as a non-combative form of healthy exercise?
MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG, Chairman of the Recreation Select COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question concerns the promotion of Martial Arts and asks whether the Council can consult and collaborate with the Regional Council to sponsor and/or organize Martial Arts exhibitions for the purpose of promoting this as a non-combative form of exercise.
The simple answer to this question, Mr. Chairman, is 'Yes', but I suppose my honourable friend would want me to go on a bit.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.