ENG-1996 — Page 479

THE ENVIRONMENT

Industrial and Commercial Emissions

Rapid growth of industry and commerce in Hong Kong has caused 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 such as recycling and the adoption of clean technology in manufacturing. These methods are better than pollution-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, which started with the first water control zone in 1987 and has been gradually extended to cover all Hong Kong waters. All effluent discharges are now under control.

The last phase of the final Water Control Zone in Victoria Harbour, which covers the northern part of Hong Kong Island from Quarry Bay to Kennedy Town, was declared on April 1, 1996. About 3 850 effluent producers were identified in the blanket surveys, and over 60 per cent were related to food businesses. In all, 2 222 dischargers had submitted applications for discharge licences before the deadline of December 1, 1996, for dischargers existing before April 1, 1996.

Public sewers are being provided for 92 rural villages and house owners are being requested to connect their sewage outlets to the new sewers. In 1996, 1 129 notices were issued to house or development owners under the Water Pollution Control (Sewerage) Regulation requiring them to connect to the public sewers. So far some 120 sewer connections have been made and a total of 10 099 people are being served by the new sewerage system.

In 1996, EPD inspectors made 24 612 inspections of effluent-producing premises. They took more than 6 344 effluent samples and conducted 26 313 laboratory tests. About 1890 written warnings were issued and 337 prosecutions against the non- complying dischargers were completed.

These control measures have achieved a reduction of 4 920 kilograms of organic pollution per day and the problem of waste from industrial, commercial and institutional premises being discharged into storm water drains has also been alleviated. A total of 27 484 cubic metres per day of polluted effluent has been diverted to the foul sewerage system, which is equivalent to the pollution load from more than 88 559 people.

Hong Kong generates more than two million tonnes of sewage and industrial waste water daily, of which about 20 per cent receives proper treatment, 10

per cent receives partial treatment and the rest goes untreated. Over 90 per cent of private sewage treatment plants now operate satisfactorily and the water quality of many popular bathing beaches has improved in areas such as Hong Kong Island South and Sai Kung. Further improvement in water quality can be expected after upgrading and improvement works are commissioned.

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