ENG-2006 — Page 223

Chapter 9

Food Safety, Environmental

Hygiene, Agriculture and Fisheries

Because Hong Kong gets almost all its food from elsewhere, the authorities are more watchful than most about food safety. The Government has in place a wide array of measures to make sure that what people eat and drink is safe.

Environmental hygiene is another round-the-clock watch. Again, there is a store of safeguards to protect the community from pervasive diseases. Hong Kong continues to fortify itself well on the health front.

Organisational Framework

The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau is responsible for drawing up policies on food safety, environmental hygiene, animal health, and matters concerning agriculture and fisheries in Hong Kong. It also allocates resources for carrying out these policies.

In the areas of food safety and environmental hygiene, the bureau works closely with two departments, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD).

The FEHD is tasked with ensuring that food in Hong Kong is safe for consumption and that environmental hygiene standards are high.

The AFCD is responsible for implementing policies governing the agricultural and fishery industries and for helping them to stay competitive by providing them with infrastructural and technical support such as market facilities and animal disease diagnostic services. The department also administers loans to them and advises the Government on veterinary matters.

Public Cleansing Services

The FEHD provides services for street cleansing, waste collection and public toilets. Streets in all urban and rural areas are swept manually once to eight times a day, depending on the area's needs. For main thoroughfares, flyovers and high speed

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