ENG-1994 — Page 483

THE ENVIRONMENT

During 1994, the department made 735 inspections, mainly of building demolition and renovation sites, temporary housing areas, housing estates and private buildings, to ensure materials containing asbestos were handled and disposed of properly in accordance with the relevant guidelines and codes of practice. Its asbestos laboratory, which is covered by the Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme, analysed 450 bulk samples and 62 air samples.

Construction and demolition wastes, including dredged material, that meet a tight quality specification, may be dumped at sea, subject to licensing controls under the Dumping at Sea Act 1974 (Overseas Territories) Order 1975. Anyone who intends to dump dredged marine spoil or excavated material that is unsuitable for reclamation purposes must first obtain a licence from the Director of Environmental Protection.

Spoil grounds have been designated for the disposal of dredged marine spoil or excavated materials unsuitable for reclamation. All marine dumping activities must be carried out at these designated areas in accordance with the marine dumping licences.

The large number of port and airport related projects has generated a vast quantity of materials requiring marine disposal. In view of the serious impact of illegal spoil dumping on marine life, the department maintains strict control. A vessel must be equipped with an automatic self-monitoring device before it can be listed in the marine dumping licence. The device will track all marine dumping operations by keeping a continuous record of the position and draft of the vessel, so that the authorities can trace any illegal dumping in a more cost-effective manner.

The department's inspectors operate frequent marine patrols, which are supplemented by helicopter patrols. Offenders who are caught are prosecuted, and repeat offenders face having their licences revoked or applications for new licences refused. Serious cases are taken to the district courts, where higher fines can be imposed.

Livestock Waste

Indiscriminate disposal of waste from the livestock industry is one of the main causes of pollution in streams in the New Territories, and constitutes a health hazard. The Waste Disposal Ordinance was further amended in 1994 to prevent pollution by livestock waste. Livestock-keeping is now banned in urban and environmentally-sensitive areas of Hong Kong. Where they are allowed, all livestock farms will be controlled by licensing to ensure that the farms are equipped with proper waste treatment systems.

Complementing these controls is an administrative scheme to help operators. If an operator wishes to continue in business, he is eligible for a grant and a loan to help him pay for pollution control facilities.

Since the start of the scheme, about $1.6 million has been paid out in capital grants and loans.

If an operator chooses to cease business, he is eligible for an allowance to help tide him over until he finds other employment. About $690 million has been paid out in such allowances to date, of which about $100 million was handed out in 1994.

During the year under review, the livestock waste control scheme stopped pollution equivalent to the raw sewage from 190 000 people being discharged into the environment. This brought the total reduction in livestock waste pollution to about 70 per cent since the inception of the control scheme.

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