ENG-1972 — Page 253

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THE ENVIRONMENT

controlling emissions from motor vehicles. With the ready assistance of the China Light and Power Co, substantial progress has also been made in reducing the level of sulphur dioxide in the Hung Hom area. The annual moving average for sulphur dioxide for the month of July was 12 parts per hundred million compared to 70 parts per hundred million when the monitoring programme first began in April 1967.

Air pollution monitoring is carried out by the Air Pollution Control Unit of the Labour Department. Apart from the Hung Hom area, which now represents only a fourth of the maximum permitted level of 50 parts per hundred million set by the advisory committee, significant reduction has been achieved in many other areas during the year. The average readings at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in urban Kowloon were below five parts per hundred million, while readings at Un Chau Street and Central Market (both busy urban areas) stood at a mere one part per hundred million.

The considerable reduction in smoke densities achieved in the three smoke control zones, is due partly to inspections made by Smoke Inspectors of the control unit and partly to the co-operation from various fuel users. Although the unit offers constructive advice rather than stringent enforcement, during the year it was necessary to take 22 cases to court under the Clean Air Ordinance, with fines ranging from $30 up to a maximum of $2,000 for a second offence.

The growing concern about pollution of the environment has also been reflected in the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Environmental Pollution on Land and Water (EPCOM). Concerned mainly with problems of local pollution— particularly in the lowland New Territories where pollution is at its worst—the committee has devised a framework of controls, legislation and enforcement measures which is aimed at eliminating the future threat of pollution in the area. Reference has already been made in Chapters 7 and 14 to the 'Keep Hong Kong Clean' campaign which started in September.

The Pollution Control Unit of the Marine Department is responsible for dealing with oil pollution problems and the collection of harbour refuse. Under the overall guidance of a Marine Officer, the staff of the unit regularly inspect ships in the harbour receiving oil fuel bunkers, so as to prevent oil pollution. They also inspect tankers discharging oil fuel at various terminals, as well as inspecting the oil terminal itself. Since the unit was established in February 1971, numerous pollution offenders have been successfully prosecuted in court.

The Marine Department operates three tugs modified for the spraying of emulsi- fiers and the agitation of surface waters. One of these tugs is permanently allocated to the Pollution Control Unit, along with a patrol launch which is used for reporting sources of pollution to the Port Communications Centre of the Marine Department for subsequent follow-up action.

Harbour refuse collection services are divided into the five following operations: harbour scavenging services, ship-to-ship refuse collection, and the Causeway Bay, Yau Ma Tei, and Aberdeen typhoon shelter scavenging services. To cover these opera- tions, some 30 small craft are currently under contract to the Marine Department.