HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
133
construction sites or lots of hawking activities, the frequency of street-washing should warrant special attention so that environmental problems can be solved in a practical and effective way.
Hong Kong is an internationally renowned financial centre. Our streets must be kept clean and tidy to match the international image and status of Hong Kong. In addition, only when we have clean and tidy streets will tourists have a good impression of Hong Kong and the tourist industry be boosted.
Therefore, the Urban Council should formulate a plan for the frequency of street-washing that is both cost-effective and matches the actual needs of individual districts, so that cleansing workers can carry out their work more effectively. With these remarks, I support Mr. Stanley NG Wing-fai's motion.
MR. DANIEL TO BOON-MAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, Mr. NG's motion is a very good one. In relation to the tidiness of Hong Kong, air pollution and the reduction of dust, I think that the motion will help solving the problems. If the improvement in street-washing service can improve the citizens' quality of living, we are duty-bound to do it. After all, it is the role of the Urban Council to serve the community. So, this is a good thing. However, the content of the motion devotes a lot to talk about the effect of dust on air quality in Hong Kong. Dust is the number one enemy of clean air'. I must state that street-washing alone cannot adequately solve the problem. The USD should now consider sending workers to use heavy-duty street-sweeping vacuum cleaners to deal with the dust problem before washing the streets. I think that this is the way to thoroughly clean the streets. Many major cities in China have already adopted this method. They use heavy-duty street-sweeping vacuum cleaners to clean the streets before starting street-washing, which is more appropriate.
Before we can acquire such heavy-duty machines. I believe that the frequency of street-washing may be increased as a stopgap measure. I would like to make another point. How would a street be defined as 'highly polluted"? I think that the USD should refer to the EPD's materials and work closely operate with the EPD. The effective solution should be to identify accurately the pollution problem by referring to the EPD's statistical analysis for individual districts, and then to increase the frequency of street-washing in the respective streets. As for streets with a lot of hawking activities, especially wet goods trading, the environmental problems arising from odour and residues of food (for example, fish) demonstrate the need to pay special attention to these streets and include them into the category that requires frequent cleansing and washing.
Since this is a very good motion, I would like to appeal to Members to support it. With these remarks, I support the motion.
Page 136 of 198
Page 136 of 498
Page 136 of 498
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
133
construction sites or lots of hawking activities, the frequency of street-washing should warrant special attention so that environmental problems can be solved in a practical and effective way.
Hong Kong is an internationally renowned financial centre. Our streets must be kept clean and tidy to match the international image and status of Hong Kong. In addition, only when we have clean and tidy streets will tourists have a good impression of Hong Kong and the tourist industry be boosted.
Therefore, the Urban Council should formulate a plan for the frequency of street-washing that is both cost-effective and matches the actual needs of individual districts, so that cleansing workers can carry out their work more effectively. With these remarks, I support Mr. Stanley NG Wing-fai's motion.
MR. DANIEL TO BOON-MAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, Mr. NG's motion is a very good one. In relation to the tidiness of Hong Kong, air pollution and the reduction of dust, I think that the motion will help solving the problems. If the improvement in street-washing service can improve the citizens' quality of living, we are duty-bound to do it. After all, it is the role of the Urban Council to serve the community. So, this is a good thing. However, the content of the motion devotes a lot to talk about the effect of dust on air quality in Hong Kong. Dust is the number one enemy of clean air'. I must state that street-washing alone cannot adequately solve the problem. The USD should now consider sending workers to use heavy-duty street-sweeping vacuum cleaners to deal with the dust problem before washing the streets. I think that this is the way to thoroughly clean the streets. Many major cities in China have already adopted this method. They use heavy-duty street-sweeping vacuum cleaners to clean the streets before starting street-washing, which is more appropriate.
Before we can acquire such heavy-duty machines. I believe that the frequency of street-washing may be increased as a stopgap measure. I would like to make another point. How would a street be defined as 'highly polluted"? I think that the USD should refer to the EPD's materials and work closely operate with the EPD. The effective solution should be to identify accurately the pollution problem by referring to the EPD's statistical analysis for individual districts, and then to increase the frequency of street-washing in the respective streets. As for streets with a lot of hawking activities, especially wet goods trading, the environmental problems arising from odour and residues of food (for example, fish) demonstrate the need to pay special attention to these streets and include them into the category that requires frequent cleansing and washing.
Since this is a very good motion, 1 would like to appeal to Members to support it. With these remarks, I support the motion.
Page 136 of 198
Page 136 of 498
Page 136 of 498
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