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•Committee on this issue, so that a comprehensive review can be made. At the same time, can the Buildings Department and Water Supplies Department be requested to take part in the review, so that further improvement can be made after the comprehensive review?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, this can be done.
MR. KAM NAI-WAI (in Cantonese):—I have two questions, one of which has just been raised by Mr. WONG. The second question is about the review that Mr. CHAN said the Buildings Department is conducting. Does it mean that they will be fully replacing the Urban Services Department in handling the examination of buildings in water seepage cases? Is it their plan to replace the Urban Services Department in this duty, which will be fully taken over by the Buildings Department in future?
MR. JOSEPH Chan Yuek-sut (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, this is not the case. This is still being implemented by the Urban Services Department under the authority delegated by the law. It is only an overall study. The degree of technicality and technology is to be decided by the coordination report of the Buildings Department.
(5) MR. DANIEL TO BOON-MAN asked (in Cantonese):—
'(a) When staff of the Urban Services Department find that there are toxic or carcinogenic substances in domestic waste, such as discarded computers, monitors and mercury batteries etc, will they collect them? At present, what is the department's policy for the disposal of the above-mentioned toxic waste?
(b) Have the Environmental Protection Department and the Department of Health respectively provided the Department with suggested disposal methods of international standard and health instructions, so that the Department can properly dispose of toxic domestic waste?'
MR. JOSEPH Chan Yuek-sut, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, this question concerns the action taken by staff of the Urban Services Department in dealing with toxic or carcinogenic substances found in domestic waste.
There are already clear instructions for staff of the Urban Services Department to follow when dealing with toxic or carcinogenic waste. Under the existing legislation, the authority for the collection and disposal of toxic or carcinogenic waste (legally termed as chemical waste) is vested with the Director of Environmental Protection under the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation, Cap. 354. The Urban Services Department is only responsible for the collection of domestic waste. When suspected toxic or
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HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
297
•Committee on this issue, so that a comprehensive review can be made. At the same time, can the Buildings Department and Water Supplies Department be requested to take part in the review, so that further improvement can be made after the comprehensive review?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, this can be done.
MR. KAM NAI-WAI (in Cantonese):—I have two questions, one of which has just been raised by Mr. WONG. The second question is about the review that Mr. CHAN said the Buildings Department is conducting. Does it mean that they will be fully replacing the Urban Services Department in handling the examination of buildings in water seepuge cases? Is it their plan to replace the Urban Services Department in this duty, which will be fully taken over by the Buildings Department in future?
MR. JOSEPH Chan Yuek-sur (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, this is not the case. This is still being implemented by the Urban Services Department under the authority delegated by the law. It is only an overall study. The degree of technicality and technology is to be decided by the coordination report of the Buildings Department.
(5) MR. DANIEL TO BOON-MAN asked (in Cantonese):—
'(a) When staff of the Urban Services Department find that there are toxic or carcinogenic substances in domestic waste, such as discarded computers, monitors and mercury batteries etc, will they collect them? At present, what is the department's policy for the disposal of the above-mentioned toxic waste?
(b) Have the Environmental Protection Department and the Department of
Health respectively provided the Department with suggested disposal methods of international standard and health instructions, so that the Department can properly dispose of toxic domestic waste?"
MR. JOSEPH Chan Yuɛk-sut, ChairMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, this question concerns the action taken by staff of the Urban Services Department in dealing with toxic or carcinogenic substances found in domestic waste.
There are already clear instructions for staff of the Urban Services Department to follow when dealing with toxic or carcinogenic waste. Under the existing legislation, the authority for the collection and disposal of toxic or carcinogenic waste (legally termed as chemical waste) is vested with the Director of Environmental Protection under the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation, Cap. 354. The Urban Services Department is only responsible for the collection of domestic waste. When suspected toxic or
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