Author Archives: hksar gov

     Two restaurants in Aberdeen, Tin Yuen Chun Che Nice Food Restaurant and Wah Kee, violated the requirement of a statutory notice by failing to reduce cooking fume emissions and illegally installed furnaces and an exhaust system respectively. They were convicted and fined a total of $15,000 at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today (December 10) for contravening the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO) and the Air Pollution Control (Furnaces, Ovens and Chimneys) (Installation and Alteration) Regulations.
      
     EPD enforcement officers conducted an inspection in October last year and found that Tin Yuen Chun Che Nice Food Restaurant had failed to install proper cooking fume control equipment. The EPD then issued a statutory notice under the APCO requiring the restaurant to install proper equipment to reduce its emissions by the deadline. The restaurant continued to emit visible cooking fumes after the specified date, and was subsequently prosecuted by the EPD.
 
     Separately, the EPD found out that Wah Kee had installed cooking equipment, with a total fuel consumption capacity exceeding the statutory limit, without prior approval by the EPD for the installation work while the EPD was processing the application to install cooking stoves from the company in May this year. In addition, the inappropriate positioning of the outlet of its exhaust system also affected nearby residents. After evidence gathering, the EPD subsequently prosecuted the restaurant concerned under the Regulations. The department is continuing to follow up on the two cases to urge the restaurants to make improvements.
      
     An EPD spokesman reminded food business operators that they should properly design and install appropriate and effective air pollution control equipment in the kitchens of food premises to avoid causing air pollution. If they intend to install or alter furnaces, ovens, chimneys or flues with total gaseous fuel consumption capacity exceeding the exemption limit of 1,150 megajoules per hour, they have to submit an application to the EPD for the installation or alteration works in accordance with the regulations’ requirements, and such works can only be carried out after obtaining approval from the EPD.
      
     According to the APCO, food business operators should adopt effective remedial measures to abate excessive cooking fume emissions within a specified time limit upon receipt of a statutory notice. An offender is liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 on conviction for a first offence. According to the Air Pollution Control (Furnaces, Ovens and Chimneys) (Installation and Alteration) Regulations, offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and a daily fine of $500 may be imposed for a continuing offence. read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, December 10, 2018 is 105.6 (up 0.2 against last Saturday’s index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, December 8, 2018 was 105.4 (same as last Friday’s index).    read more

     A man was sentenced by the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today (December 10) to a 12-month probation order for criminally intimidating a Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) officer.
      
     The incident took place on January 30, 2018 when a health inspector was threatened by the 54-year-old man at the FEHD’s Kwai Tsing District Environmental Hygiene Office regarding the inspection of his staff canteen. He was then charged by the Police according to the Crimes Ordinance (Chapter 200).
      
     “Criminal intimidation against law enforcement officers is wrong and inappropriate, and also carries legal consequences,” an FEHD spokesman said.
      
     He reminded the public to co-operate with public officers in the execution of their duties.    read more

     The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, chaired the seventh meeting of the Steering Group on the Modification of Recycling and Refuse Collection Facilities in Public Places (the Steering Group) today (December 10) to discuss the improved designs for recycling bins (RBs) and litter containers (LCs) in public places and related work plan to consult relevant stakeholders.
 
     The Stage 2 consultancy study commissioned by the Steering Group is being conducted to review the designs of RBs and LCs in public places. After endorsing the conceptual designs proposed by the consultant at its last meeting, the Steering Group set up a working group comprising some members of the Steering Group, representatives of frontline staff and relevant departments to study and discuss the design details. Taking into account the comments from the Steering Group and the working group, the consultant has made further improvements to the conceptual designs, and produced prototypes for the Steering Group’s reference and for use in future consultation.
 
     Mr Wong said, “At today’s meeting, members discussed the improved designs and tried out the prototypes. The designs of RBs and LCs will follow ergonomic principles to facilitate frontline operation and use by the public. With the refinements, the design of the RBs and LCs is now more coherent to enable easy identification by the public. Members also agreed to conduct trials for RBs and LCs designed with a transparent feature at suitable indoor venues, to test whether transparency could improve the public’s recognition of the types of recyclables being collected by the bins and encourage source separation.
 
     “With reference to the experiences of other cities, the implementation of waste charging is usually complemented by adjustments to the design of RBs and LCs in public places. We anticipate that the improved designs of RBs and LCs could facilitate waste reduction and recycling, and will consult relevant stakeholders on the new designs shortly with a view to further improving them having regard to the views received.”
 
     The consultant will seek the views of frontline staff, the design industry, the academia and relevant stakeholders on the operation and design details of the new RBs and LCs in 2019. After collating and considering views received, the consultant will report and submit recommendations to the Steering Group.

     To support the implementation of municipal solid waste charging, the Steering Group was set up in February 2016 to review the design and distribution of recycling and refuse collection facilities in public places, and recommend modifications to facilitate waste reduction and resource recovery in the community. Chaired by the Secretary for the Environment, the Steering Group comprises members from the design, architectural, planning, academia and business sectors, non-profit making groups, district personalities and relevant government departments. In respect of adjustments to the number and distribution of RBs and LCs, having regard to a set of general planning parameters recommended by a consultancy study, relevant government departments have put forward an adjustment plan. It is expected that the number of RBs will be increased by 45 per cent to 4 000, and the number of LCs will be reduced by 40 per cent to 24 300 when municipal solid waste charging is implemented, enhancing the RB to LC ratio from 1:14 to 1:6. read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (December 10) investigating a case of invasive pneumococcal infection, and reminded the public to observe hygiene practices against the disease.

     The patient was a 30-month-old boy, who developed fever, vomiting, choking and convulsion on November 26. He was brought to Caritas Medical Centre for medical attention on the same day and was directly transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of Princess Margaret Hospital for further management. His condition deteriorated and he died this morning.

     His blood specimen tested positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was pneumococcal bacteraemia.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the boy had received pneumococcal vaccines. He had no recent travel history and his home contacts remained asymptomatic. No other similar cases or outbreaks have been reported so far at the nursery he attended. Investigations are ongoing.

     “Pneumococcal infection is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). It causes a wide range of diseases. More common ones include middle ear infection and chest infection. It may also cause various forms of invasive pneumococcal diseases, such as infection of the brain membranes and blood stream. The infection can be serious or even life-threatening,” a spokesman for the CHP said.

     Pneumococci are commonly found in the nose and throat of healthy people, particularly in children. Occasionally, these bacteria will cause an infection. They mainly spread through droplets via coughing and sneezing, close contact with the patients or contact with materials soiled with the bacteria.

     To prevent pneumococcal infection, the CHP appealed to the public for pneumococcal vaccination and hygiene practices:
 

• Keep hands clean at all times. Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, after touching public installations such as handrails or door knobs or when hands are contaminated by respiratory secretion after coughing or sneezing;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly. When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub as an effective alternative;
• Cover nose and mouth with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of the soiled tissue paper into a lidded rubbish bin, and then wash hands thoroughly;
• Put on a surgical mask when having respiratory symptoms;
• Maintain good indoor ventilation. Avoid going to crowded or poorly ventilated public places; high-risk individuals may consider putting on surgical masks while in such places; and
• Refrain from work or school when having respiratory symptoms. Seek medical advice if symptoms persist or deteriorate.

     The public may visit the CHP’s invasive pneumococcal disease page for more information. read more