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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCILOur strategy in Hong Kong has been entirely different; that is, the liberal placement of litter containers so that individuals have little or no excuse for not depositing litter in the proper receptacle. This approach, combined with public education through the aegis of the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, has raised public consciousness about littering over the years. This campaign has certainly had some success, even though engendering civic-mindedness in this regard has to be a long-term effort, starting with our youth. Yet, in spite of all this, littering still takes place, and it is not hard to imagine the results if there were no litter receptacles.
The Maryland concept is nevertheless interesting, even though it is by no means new. It is believed that there have been other attempts---with varying degrees of success---in a variety of locations in the US, Canada, the UK, and Western Europe. The idea is, however, 'ahead of its time' so far as Hong Kong is concerned. Were we to go ahead with a scheme such as this, the physical removal of dumped litter plus heavy enforcement presence would, at the end of the day, entail more problems and manpower than the present extensive reliance on litter containers.
On a related note, Members will be aware that the thrust of the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign is changing, and one of the issues that is going to receive focus will be waste reduction and recycling. I believe that in the war against littering in public places, Hong Kong does not take a 'back seat' to any city in the world.
4. MR. FUNG KWONG-CHUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):- According to newspapers, the Regional Services Department will adopt a new measure to eliminate the nuisance caused by the dripping of air-conditioners. R.S.D. will give advance warning or issue letters of advice, pamphlets, and posters to occupiers of target buildings where such a kind of nuisance may exist. The aim is to encourage them to maintain and use their air-conditioners properly. R.S.D. will instruct their staff to carry out duties in the evening when necessary in order to speed up the investigation of related complaints. As the urban area is more and more densely populated, the problems the Council is facing are much more serious than those of the Regional Council. I would like to ask whether the Department would consider adopting measures similar to those adopted by R.S.D. in addition to carrying out general publicity campaigns? Moreover, someone suggests that the compulsory installation of proper draining devices in air-conditioners can also help solve the problem. Therefore, I suggest the Department study the above proposals with the department concerned, e.g., Buildings and Lands Department or Housing Department.
MR. WONG SHUI-LAI, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—The question is in two parts and relates to the prevention of water dripping from air-conditioners.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCILThe first part concerns whether the Department would initiate measures similar to the Regional Services Department to alert the public to the proper use and maintenance of air-conditioners.
In fact, for many years now, an annual exercise has been mounted by both Municipal Departments in conjunction with the Director of Health to undertake concerted publicity campaigns throughout the territory under the theme of ‘A Well Maintained Air-conditioner Benefits Us All'. The aim is to alert the public to check their air-conditioners for dripping and other potential nuisances before the onset of the summer months.
This year, the campaign will be launched in early May. Departmental action is already in hand regarding the issue of advisory letters to householders and the distribution of posters and educational leaflets about dripping air-conditioners and the penalty for such an offence. The posters will be provided to the management of private buildings, shopping arcades, commercial and industrial buildings, Owners Incorporations, and Mutual Aid Committees for posting in common areas of buildings. Publicity will also be carried out through the mass media, TV-API's, and Radio-API's. Apart from the educational campaign, our health staff will also intensify enforcement action. When the situation requires, night visits to ascertain any dripping nuisance will also be undertaken by district staff in cases where an air-conditioner under complaint is only operating during the evening hours.
Over the past 12 months, a total of 2,300 cases have been investigated, and 653 nuisance notices and 1,551 advisory letters have been issued. According to Departmental records, virtually every notice was subsequently complied with, the only exception being one offender who was prosecuted and fined $800 by the Court.
The second part asks whether it is possible to make it compulsory that all air-conditioners should be provided with proper draining devices to prevent dripping.
It is, unfortunately, a fact of life that all air-conditioners, irrespective of model or age, will sometimes drip---particularly in very humid weather. The usual way to abate the nuisance is to provide a metal tray with a rubber hose at the bottom to drain the water or to connect the weep hole of the air-conditioner by means of a rubber hose to an appropriate exit drain.
In the longer term, the Department favours the provision of air-conditioner brackets with proper drainage connections being a design requirement for all buildings and will be consulting the Buildings and Lands Department on this suggestion. The Housing Department has already taken action to ensure that concrete brackets for air-conditioners are connected to proper drains in all its new public housing estates.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, I have two questions. In paragraph 5, Mr. WONG says that 2,300 cases have been investigated, 653...
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Our strategy in Hong Kong has been entirely different that is, the liberal placement of litter containers so that individuals have little or no excuse for not depositing litter in the proper receptacle. This approach, combined with public education through the aegis of the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, has raised public consciousness about littering over the years. This campaign has certainly had some success, even though engendering civic-mindedness in this regard has to be a long term effort, starting with our youth. Yet in spite of all this, littering still takes place and it is not hard to imagine the results if there were no litter receptacles.
The Maryland concept is nevertheless interesting, even though it is by no means new. It is believed that there have been other attempts---with varying degrees of success in a variety of locations in the US, Canada, the UK and Western Europe. The idea is, however, 'ahead of its time' so far as Hong Kong is concerned. Were we to go ahead with a scheme such as this, the physical removal of dumped litter plus heavy enforcement presence would at the end of the day entail more problems and manpower than the present extensive reliance on litter containers.
On a related note, Members will be aware that the thrust of the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign is changing and one of the issues that is going to receive focus will be waste reduction and recycling. I believe that in the war against littering in public places, Hong Kong does not take a 'back seat' to any city in the world.
4. MR. FUNG KWONG-CHUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):- According to newspapers, Regional Services Department will adopt a new measure to eliminate the nuisance caused by the dripping of air-conditioners. R.S.D. will give advance warning or issue letters of advice, pamphlets and posters to occupiers of target buildings where such kind of nuisance may exist. The aim is to encourage them to maintain and use their air-conditioners properly. R.S.D. will instruct their staff to carry out duties in the evening when necessary in order to speed up the investigation of the related complaints. As the urban area is more and more densely populated, the problems the Council is facing are much more serious than those of the Regional Council. I would like to ask whether the Department would consider adopting measures similar to those adopted by R.S.D. in addition to carrying out general publicity campaigns? Moreover, someone suggests the compulsory installation of proper draining device in air-conditioners can also help solving the problem. Therefore, I suggest the Department to study the above proposals with the department concerned, e.g. Buildings and Lands Department or Housing Department.
MR. WONG SHUI-LAI, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—The question is in two parts and relates to the prevention of water dripping from air-conditioners.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The first part concerns whether the Department would initiate measures similar to the Regional Services Department to alert the public to the proper use and maintenance of air-conditioners.
In fact, for many years now, an annual exercise has been mounted by both Municipal Departments in conjunction with Director of Health to undertake concerted publicity campaigns throughout the territory under the theme of ‘A Well Maintained Air-conditioner Benefits Us All'. The aim is to alert the public to check their air-conditioners for dripping and other potential nuisances before the onset of the summer months.
This year, the campaign will be launched in early May. Departmental action is already in hand regarding the issue of advisory letters to householders and the distribution of posters and educational leaflets about dripping air-conditioners and the penalty for such offence. The posters will be provided to the management of private buildings, shopping arcades, commercial and industrial buildings, Owners Incorporations and Mutual Aid Committees for posting in common areas of buildings. Publicity will also be carried out through the mass media, TV-API's and Radio-API's. Apart from the educational campaign, our health staff will also intensify enforcement action. When the situation requires, night visits to ascertain any dripping nuisance will also be undertaken by district staff in cases where an air-conditioner under complaint is only operating during the evening hours.
Over the past 12 months, a total of 2 300 cases have been investigated and 653 nuisance notices and 1 551 advisory letters have been issued. According to Departmental records, virtually every notice was subsequently complied with, the only exception being one offender who was prosecuted and fined $800 by the Court.
The second part asks whether it is possible to make it compulsory that all air-conditioners should be provided with proper draining devices to prevent dripping.
It is unfortunately a fact of life that all air-conditioners, irrespective of model or age, will sometimes drip-particularly in very humid weather. The usual way to abate the nuisance is to provide a metal tray with a rubber hose at the bottom to drain the water or to connect the weep hole of the air-conditioner by means of a rubber hose to an appropriate exit drain.
In the longer term the Department favours the provision of air-conditioner brackets with proper drainage connections being a design requirements for all buildings, and will be consulting the Buildings and Lands Department on this suggestion. The Housing Department has already taken action to ensure that concrete brackets for air-conditioners are connected to proper drains in all its new public housing estate.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I have two questions. In paragraph 5, Mr. WONG says that 2 300 cases have been investigated, 653
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