ENG-1992 — Page 429

THE ENVIRONMENT

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interceptor scheme, diverting further pollution sources away from the river for treatment, is scheduled to be completed in mid-1993 and its benefits will be visible afterwards.

There are also cases where using clean technology rather than conventional pollution control has produced environmental benefits. A good example is the case of a large film processor in the Port Shelter water control zone. It adopted a new processing system to prevent the discharge of a toxic pollutant, rather than building an expensive and wasteful treatment plant. Good results have been achieved.

The Waste Disposal Ordinance is complementary to the Water Pollution Control Ordinance in controlling industrial pollution. It provides the statutory framework for the management of all solid waste in Hong Kong.

The legislature passed new regulations to control chemical waste from industry and commerce in 1992: the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation; the Waste Disposal (Forms and Fees for Licences) Regulation; and the Waste Disposal (Appeal Board) Regulation were enacted.

These regulations empower the government to control chemical waste from its point of production to its point of disposal.

Under the regulations, chemical waste producers must register with the disposal authority, the Director of Environmental Protection, and must send their chemical waste to licensed facilities for treatment and disposal. Only licensed collectors may collect and transport chemical waste. The conditions in each licence demand a safe collection and transport service using skilled, trained staff and proper equipment and vehicles.

The regulations also impose statutory requirements for packaging, labelling and storage of chemical waste, to safeguard public health and minimise risk to the environment.

The regulations take effect in stages. Control of waste containing asbestos, poly- chlorinated biphenyls and tannery offcuts became effective in late 1992. Control on other chemical wastes will be implemented in early 1993 to coincide with the commissioning of the Chemical Waste Treatment Facility Centre.

Registration of existing chemical waste producers was completed in November, 1992, and new waste producers must apply for registration before beginning any activity that generates chemical waste. To assist chemical waste producers in complying with the new regulation, a number of guide books, leaflets and a new code of practice on packaging, labelling and storage of chemical waste were published. The codes of practice on asbestos waste and polychlorinated biphenyl waste were revised in the light of the controls on chemical waste.

Waste disposal licences will be issued under the Waste Disposal Ordinance to chemical waste disposal facilities, which will treat, recycle, or dispose of chemical waste in an environmentally acceptable manner. On its commissioning early in 1993, the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre will become one of the most important licensed disposal facilities in Hong Kong. It will provide also a fleet of licensed collection vehicles.

A system of consignment notes, called trip tickets, helps the cradle to grave control on chemical waste. A tailor-made computer information management system tracks waste movements engraved on the trip tickets. All responsible parties, including the waste producer, the waste collector and the reception manager of the waste disposal site must supply accurate details of each consignment of waste.

In addition to liquid and solid wastes, many factories and commercial enterprises produce emissions to the air. The Environmental Protection Department operates air