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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English). Mr. Chairman, yes, I can promise that I will do it. Actually, the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign has succeeded in encouraging the householders to put all their refuse in plastic bags in a tidy manner. We have succeeded in this and I think in the forthcoming meeting, i.e. tomorrow, there will be a Keep Hong Kong Clean Committee meeting. We can discuss whether educational programmes can be launched to encourage the householders to separate their wastes in front of their doorsteps and echo the theme. I appreciate the suggestion from Mr. MAN.
5. MR. TONG KAM-BIU asked the following question (in Cantonese): Baskets are commonly used to hold remains of food in cooked food stalls. They are left on the roadside or in backlanes for collection by cleaners. Such remains emit odour and leachate. Flies, cockroaches, and mosquitoes are bred while rodents, cats, and dogs are also attracted there. Environmental hygiene is thus affected and diseases spread. I have the following questions:
(i) Are there any provisions that stipulate baskets are not allowed for holding food remains by these stalls?
(ii) If the answer is 'yes', how many summonses were issued by the Council in 1989? And what positive actions can be taken by the Council to strengthen prosecution and check the situation?
(iii) Will the Council consider legislative amendments requiring all food premises to use closed containers to hold food remains?
(iv) Will the Council consider the use of vehicles specially designed to convey food remains in an unexposed manner?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE replied as follows (in English): Mr. Chairman, this question concerns containers for food remains used by cooked food stalls.
By-law 51 of the Hawker (Urban Council) By-laws requires that every licensee, whether itinerant or operating from a fixed pitch, should provide such number of refuse bins or receptacles as may be necessary to hold the refuse resulting from the conduct of his business. Such bins or receptacles should be of sound construction and conform to such requirements and specifications as the Council may from time to time specify. Obviously, a basket does not fall into this category.
The By-law also requires that every licensee shall ensure that any refuse or waste material emanating from the business of the licensee shall be deposited in the refuse bins or receptacles, and that all refuse which is so accumulated is deposited in a public refuse bin or a refuse disposal vehicle operated by the Urban Services Department.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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given to licensees where the means of storage and disposal of food remains and other refuse are not satisfactory. The licensees normally act upon the warning to rectify the situation, in view of which the Department has not issued any summonses for breach of the By-law. However, some licensees may from time to time use baskets to collect food remains and this has caused unsatisfactory conditions at the stalls. The Department will step up action to remind licensees that this is not the proper way to deal with food remains, and will take prosecution action against them if they ignore the Department's warning and fail to comply with the requirement of the law.
As far as food premises are concerned, the provision of adequate receptacles with close-fitting covers for waste, including food waste, is controlled by way of standard licensing requirements and conditions. There is already provision within the Food Business (Urban Council) By-laws with regard to storage of waste and legislative amendment is therefore not necessary.
There is at present no specific classification of food remains, which are treated and accepted as normal waste for disposal. Food waste is usually mixed with other types of waste when delivered to refuse collection points, and it constitutes only a minor portion of the total waste collected. Separate collection of food waste is neither practicable nor economically feasible, bearing in mind the resources available. There is also presently no such legal requirement.
Refuse collection vehicle drivers and staff attending refuse collection points are instructed to drain off waste water prior to departure. As a new fleet of refuse collection vehicles will come into service in the next couple of months, the problem of dripping vehicles should be effectively alleviated.
MR. TONG KAM-BIU (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, although I do know that we have By-law 51 and other specifications and requirements, yet undeniably the general situation particularly in densely populated areas is unsatisfactory. Most cooked food stalls simply use baskets to deal with their food remains in the backlanes or roadsides. The leachate dripped from the food remains gives rise to odourous smell and destroys the pavement. I would like to know if there is any penalty for such conduct? Will their licences be suspended or cancelled? Is the penalty strong enough to have a deterrent effect and is the enforcement of By-law 51 carried out to our satisfaction?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English): Mr. Chairman, I also have similar observations of the problems of putting the food remains or food wastes into baskets by the cooked food stallholders. I also admit that in the past the Department had not been too actively involved in the prosecution or enforcement of this By-law. As outlined in the reply, the previous warning had been given in every case and after the warning, the licence holders always rectified the situations. So far, according to the reply, there had been no prosecutions because they had rectified the situation after our warnings. So I think in the future, the Department may have to do more active enforcement of
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-.--..
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English). Mr. Chairman, yes, I can promise that I will do it. Actually, the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign has succeeded in encouraging the householders to put all their refuse in plastic bags in a tidy manner. We have succeeded in this and I think in the forth-coming meeting, ie tomorrow, there will be a Keep Hong Kong Clean Committee meeting. We can discuss whether educational programmes can be launched to encourage the householders to separate their wastes in front of their door steps and echo the theme. I appreciate the suggestion from Mr. MAN.
5. MR. TONG KAM-BIU asked the following question (in Cantonese):-Baskets are commonly used to hold remains of food in cooked food stalls. They are left on the roadside or in backlanes for collection by cleaners. Such remains emit odow and leachate. Flies, cockroaches and mosquitoes are bred while rodents, cats and dogs are also attracted there. Environmental hygiene is thus affected and diseases spread. I have the following questions:
(i) Are there any provisions that stipulate baskets are not allowed for holding
food remains by these stalls?
in
(ii) If the answer is 'yes', how many summonses were issued by the Council
1989? And what positive actions can be taken by the Council to strengthen prosecution and check the situation?
(iii) Will the Council consider legislative amendments requiring all food premises
to use closed containers to hold food remains?
(iv) Will the Council consider the use of vehicles specially designed to convey
food remains in an unexposed manner?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE replied as follows (in English): Mr. Chairman, this question concerns containers for food remains used by cooked food stalls.
By-law 51 of the Hawker (Urban Council) By-laws requires that every licensee, whether itinerant or operating from a fixed pitch, should provide such number of refuse bins or receptacles as may be necessary to hold the refuse resulting from the conduct of his business. Such bins or receptacles should be of sound construction and conform to such requirements and specifications as the Council may from time to time specify. Obviously, basket does not fall into this category.
The By-law also requires that every licensee shall ensure that any refuse of waste material emanating from the business of the licensee shall be deposited in the refuse bins or receptacles, and that all refuse which is so accumulated is deposited in a public refuse bin or a refuse disposal vehicle operated by the Urban Services Department.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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49
given to licensees where the means of storage and disposal of food remains and other refuse are not satisfactory. The licensees normally act upon the warning to rectify the situation, in view of which the Department has not issued any summonses for breach of the By-law. However, some licensees may from time to time use baskets to collect food remains and this has caused unsatisfactory conditions at the stalls. The Department will step up action to remind licensees that this is not the proper way to deal with food remains, and will take prosecution action against them if they ignore the Department's warning and fail to comply with the requirement of the law.
As far as food premises are concerned, the provision of adequate receptacles with close-fitting covers for waste, including food waste, is controlled by way of standard licensing requirements and conditions. There is already provision within the Food Business (Urban Council) By-laws with regard to storage of waste and legislative amendment is therefore not necessary.
There is at present no specific classification of food remains, which are treated and accepted as normal waste for disposal. Food waste is usually mixed with other types of waste when delivered to refuse collection points, and it constitutes only a minor portion of the total waste collected. Separate collection of food waste is neither practicable nor economically feasible, bearing in mind the resources available. There is also presently no such legal requirement.
Refuse collection vehicle drivers and staff attending refuse collection points are instructed to drain off waste water prior to departure. As a new fleet of refuse collection vehicles will come into service in the next couple of months, the problem of dripping vehicles should be effectively alleviated.
MR. TONG KAM-BIU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, although I do know that we have By-law 51 and other specifications and requirements, yet undeniably the general situation particularly in densely populated areas is unsatisfactory. Most cooked food stalls simply use baskets to deal with their food remains in the backlanes or roadsides. The leachate dripped from the food remains gives rise to odourous smell and destroys the pavement. I would like to know if there is any penalty for such conduct? Will their licences be suspended or cancelled? Is the penalty strong enough to have a deterrent effect and is the enforcement of By-law 51 carried out to our satisfaction?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English):--Mr. Chairman, I also have the similar observations of the problems of putting the food remains or food wastes into baskets by the cooked food stallholders. I also admit that in the past the Department had not been too actively involved in the prosecution or enforcement of this By-law. As outlined in the reply, the previous warning had The use of baskets for holding food remains as mentioned in the question been given in every case and after the warning the licence holders always is not considered to be the proper use of refuse bins or receptacles under rectified the situations. So far, according to the reply, there had been no By-law 51. Staff of the Department make frequent checks on cooked food prosecutions because they had rectified the situation after our warnings. So I stalls to ensure that proper refuse bins are used at the stalls. Warning is think in the future, the Department may have to do more active enforcement of
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