ENG-2012 — Page 203

Chapter 9

Food Safety,

Environmental

Hygiene,

Agriculture and Fisheries

With over 90 per cent of its food imported, Hong Kong adopts a wide range of measures to safeguard food safety. The Government is also committed to maintaining a clean and hygienic living environment to protect public health.

Organisational Framework

The Food and Health Bureau (FHB) is responsible for drawing up policies (and allocating resources for their implementation) on food safety, environmental hygiene, animal health, agriculture and fisheries in Hong Kong. It works closely with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Government Laboratory (GL).

The FEHD ensures that food sold in Hong Kong is safe and fit for consumption and that a clean. and hygienic living environment is maintained for the people of Hong Kong.

The AFCD implements policies governing the agricultural and fisheries industries and provides 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 animal health matters.

The GL provides testing services to support the regular food surveillance programme of the FEHD's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) and assists the CFS in handling food incidents.

Public Cleansing Services

The FEHD provides services for street cleansing, household waste collection and public toilets. All streets are swept between one and eight times a day, depending on their condition. For main thoroughfares, flyovers and high-speed roads, mechanised cleansing is provided. In 2012, about 77 per cent of street cleansing services were outsourced. The FEHD and its contractors provide regular washing and flushing services for heavily used pavements, hawker blackspots and market areas. Additional cleansing services are provided where necessary to maintain environmental cleanliness and hygiene.

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