ENG-1995 — Page 446

THE ENVIRONMENT

Industrial and Commercial Emissions

The growth of industry and commerce in Hong Kong has been achieved at the expense of severe degradation of the environment. The penalty is being paid in the form of adverse ecological changes, a heavy but usually hidden financial burden on the community, and great risks to community health.

The government's pollution control strategy aims not to harm industry and commerce but to work in partnership with firms so that all may benefit from a better environment. There are often direct economic benefits to be gained from activities that benefit the environment, such as recycling and the adoption of clean technology in manufacturing. These methods are better than-control techniques that have to be applied after a waste material has become a potential pollutant.

The government would prefer industry and commerce to recognise the benefits of waste minimisation and pollution prevention, but it is inevitable that laws are required. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the case of the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO), which started with the first water control zone in 1987 and has been gradually extended to cover most of Hong Kong waters. In 1995, 99 per cent of the territory's waters received protection under the WPCO including some of the most heavily industrialised parts of Victoria Harbour. The second phase of the Victoria Harbour Water Control Zone was declared, extending protection to the whole of Kowloon. The final phase, covering the north shore of Hong Kong Island, will be declared in 1996, bringing all effluent discharges in Hong Kong under control. The blanket survey in Victoria Harbour Water Control Zone Phase I was completed in 1995. More than 41 600 premises were visited and 5 509 effluent dischargers were identified, while 51 per cent of the dischargers had applied for a licence before the required date, July 1, 1995. Over 63 per cent of the applications have been granted with WPCO licences; 47 per cent of the electroplating, printed circuit board, bleaching and dyeing and tannery factories have commissioned installation of wastewater treatment plants and 23 per cent of these are now operating.

The Victoria Harbour (Phase 2) Water Control Zone, declared on 1 September 1995, covers the heavily urbanised areas in Kowloon with some of the highest population densities in the territory including Sham Shui Po, Yau Tsim Mong, Kowloon City and Wong Tai Sin. The dischargers there are dominated by the commercial sector. It is estimated that 5 234 effluent dischargers in these areas will be subject to licensing control after April 1, 1996.

Public sewers are being provided in some unsewered areas and house owners are being requested to connect their outlets to the new sewers. In 1995, 720 notices were issued to house or development owners under the Water Pollution Control (Sewerage) Regulation requiring them to connect to the public sewers and 10 connections were made.

In 1995, EPD inspectors made 29 500 inspections of effluent-producing premises. They took more than 6 000 effluent samples and conducted 33 000 laboratory tests. About 2 350 written warnings were issued and 230 prosecutions against the non- complying dischargers were completed.

These control measures have achieved a reduction of 16 700 kilograms of organic pollutants per day and the problem of waste from industrial, commercial and

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