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words. It is mentioned that in order to achieve maximum efficiency, the existing arrangement for collection of refuse has to be maintained. Apart from raising efficiency, should we not take into consideration the health and hygiene of the general public. If financial condition permits, should we make better arrangements so that the health of general public will not be affected?
DR. RONALD LEUNG (in English):-I said that we agreed to the suggestion and we applied this principle to all refuse collection points. But in some exceptional cases I have mentioned, we cannot carry out because of some practical situations.
MR. JOSEPH CHAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, according to my experience, in the past the time of collection of refuse was done in the morning or at least collection was not undertaken during meal time. At present, however, for some buildings early in the morning at 4.00 or 5.00 a.m., refuse is collected overnight and transported to the refuse collection points. As it is left at the on-street refuse collection points which are exposed to sunlight and rains, unpleasant smell will be generated. If refuse is collected only around noon when people are taking their meals, it is quite obvious that we have not taken the health of members of the public. Mr. Chairman, can we make further improvements in this regard? Besides maximizing the efficiency, the Urban Council should also aim at improving the health of the public. Is this our major aim?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Would you like to try this supplementary?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English):—It is a suggestion rather than a question.
MR. JOSEPH CHAN (in Cantonese):—What I mean is that can we collect refuse in the morning instead of collecting it in the afternoon, because bad smell will be generated if refuse is kept in the RCPs for several hours in the afternoon. I hope we can arrange to collect refuse in the morning instead.
DR. RONALD LEUNG (in Cantonese):-Arrangements are made as far as possible for the RCVs to collect refuse outside meal times but in some exceptional circumstances for example due to traffic congestion or a particularly high yield of refuse which requires the RCVs to undertake a number of trips. Even if we plan to collect refuse before noon, because of the extra trips involved then collection of refuse has to be done at the meal time. In principle, we agreed that we should avoid collecting refuse during meal times. However, there are exceptional circumstances, for example, traffic congestion or a particularly high yield of refuse which give rise to the RCVs to travel several times to collect refuse during meal times. As regards refuse being left open generating unpleasant smell, no problems exist in our permanent refuse collection points. There may be some problems in some on-street temporary refuse collection points.
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MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, as far as I know, these are not exceptional circumstances. It happens frequently. Mr. Chairman, can we arrange to change the time of collection as traffic congestion is not very uncommon every day. Members of the public have to suffer frequently if refuse is being collected during the meal time. Mr. Chairman, can we make such improvement?
CHAIRMAN (in English):--You have made three statements, Mr. CHAN. you should really cut supplementary in the form of question rather than making comment. Do you wish to ask another supplementary? I think the reply has been most extensive. The supplementary reply to your statement has been quite exhausted. I think the subject has been well-ventilated. I am quite sure that all attempts will be made by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee to make the improvements you have asked for.
4. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):- I have noticed that some moving refuse collection vehicles, which are not loaded, emit foul odour. In addition, other loaded ones have splashed foul water over the road surface. As it normally takes some time for the water to dry up, the foul smell thus generated is so unpleasant that the public just cannot stand. May I know what steps have been, or will be, taken by the Urban Services Department to improve the situation?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE replied (in English):-This question concerns two different points: (a) emission of foul odour from moving refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) when they are empty and (b) the dripping of dirty water from moving RCVs on roads, thereby causing an environmental nuisance. It also asks what remedial measures could be taken to improve the situation.
Being in the tropical region, particularly in summer, refuse in Hong Kong starts to putrefy many hours before it is delivered to the RCVs for transportation to the final disposal sites (such as incineration plants, composting plant and sanitary landfills). Inevitably, the loading hopper and the body of the RCV get stained in the loading and transportation process. Although the contents have been discharged at the disposal sites, foul smell can still be detected if one gets sufficiently close to the RCV. To reduce this environmental nuisance it has long been the standing practice of the Department to wash all refuse collection vehicles with strong water pressure jets twice a week. This cleansing includes the loading hopper, the body floor and the side panels inside the body. Smell is only faintly detectable after such thorough washing. On long term basis, a plan is in hand to install an automatic vehicle washer in all future UC depots to wash the exterior of all RCVs every day. Furthermore, the Department has suggested to the Director of Environmental Protection to install automatic arc-jet sprays at refuse disposal sites—like those used in some advanced overseas countries—to let RCVs pass through to rid off dust and dirt adhesions before leaving.
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words. It is mentioned that in order to achieve maximum efficiency, the existing arrangement for collection of refuse has to be maintained. Apart from raising efficiency, should we not take into consideration the health and hygiene of the general public. If financial condition permits, should we make better arrangements so that the health of general public will not be affected?
DR. RONALD LEUNG (in English):-I said that we agreed to the suggestion and we applied this principle to all refuse collection points. But in some excep tional cases I have mentioned, we cannot carry out because of some
practical situations.
MR. JOSEPH CHAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, according to my experience, in the past the time of collection of refuse was done in the morning or at least collection was not undertaken during meal time. At present, however, for some buildings early in the morning at 4.00 or 5.00 a.m., refuse is collected overnight and transported to the refuse collection points. As it is left at the on-street refuse collection points which are exposed to sunlight and rains, unpleasant smell will be generated. If refuse is collected only around noon when people are taking their meals, it is quite obvious that we have not taken the health of members of the public. Mr. Chairman, can we make further improvements in this regard? Besides maximizing the efficiency, the Urban Council should also aim at improving the health of the public. Is this our major aim?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Would you like to try this supplementary?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English):—It is a suggestion rather than a question.
MR. JOSEPH CHAN (in Cantonese):—What I mean is that can we collect refuse in the morning instead of collecting it in the afternoon, because bad smell will be generated if refuse is kept in the RCPs for several hours in the afternoon. I hope we can arrange to collect refuse in the morning instead.
DR. RONALD LEUNG (in Cantonese):-Arrangements are made as far as possible for the RCVs to collect refuse outside meal times but in some exceptional circumstances for example due to traffic congestion or a particularly high yield of refuse which requires the RCVs to undertake a number of trips. Even if we plan to collect refuse before noon, because of the extra trips involved then collection of refuse has to be done at the meal time. In principle, we agreed that we should avoid collecting refuse during meal times. However, there are exceptional circumstances, for example, traffic congestion or a particularly high yield of refuse which give rise to the RCVs to travel several times to collect refuse during meal times. As regards refuse being left open generating unplea- sant smell, no problems exist in our permanent refuse collection points. There may be some problems in some on-street temporary refuse collection points.
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MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, as far as I know, these are not exceptional circumstances. It happens frequently. Mr. Chairman, can we arrange to change the time of collection as traffic congestion is not very uncommon every day. Members of the public have to suffer frequently if refuse is being collected during the meal time. Mr. Chairman, can we make such improvement?
CHAIRMAN (in English):--You have made three statements, Mr. CHAN. you should really cut supplementary in the form of question rather than making comment. Do you wish to ask another supplementary? I think the reply has been most extensive. The supplementary reply to your statement has been quite exhausted. I think the subject has been well-ventilated. I am quite sure that all attempts will be made by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee to make the improvements you have asked for.
4. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):- I have noticed that some moving refuse collection vehicles, which are not loaded, emit foul odour. In addition, other loaded ones have splashed foul water over the road surface. As it normally takes some time for the water to dry up, the foul smell thus generated is so unpleasant that the public just cannot stand. May I know what steps have been, or will be, taken by the Urban Services Department to improve the
situation?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE replied (in English):-This question concerns two different points: (a) emission of foul odour from moving refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) when they are emtpy and (b) the dripping of dirty water from moving RCVs on roads, thereby causing an environmental nuisance. It also asks what remedial measures could be taken to improve the situation.
Being in the tropical region, particularly in summer, refuse in Hong Kong starts to putrefy many hours before it is delivered to the RCVs for transporta- tion to the final disposal sites (such as incineration plants, composting plant and sanitary landfills). Inevitably, the loading hopper and the body of the RCV get stained in the loading and transportation process. Although the contents have been discharged at the disposal sites, foul smell can still be detected if one gets sufficiently close to the RCV. To reduce this environmental nuisance it has long been the standing practice of the Department to wash all refuse collection vehicles with strong water pressure jets twice a week. This cleansing includes the loading hopper, the body floor and the side panels inside the body. Smell is only faintly detectable after such thorough washing. On long term basis, a plan is in hand to install an automatic vehicle washer in all future UC depots to wash the exterior of all RCVs every day. Furthermore, the Department has suggested to the Director of Environmental Protection to install automatic arc-jet sprays at refuse disposal sites-like those used in some advanced overseas countries—to let RCVs pass through to rid off dust and dirt adhesions before leaving.
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