The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 4) urged the public not to consume two kinds of ice cream from France, because the products may be contaminated with a pesticide, ethylene oxide, which is not authorised by the European Union (EU). The trade should stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Häagen-Dazs Belgian Chocolate Ice Cream
Brand: Häagen-Dazs
Place of origin: France
Net volumes: (i) 9.46 litres and (ii) 100 millilitres
Best-before dates: (i) June 13, 2023, and (ii) May 20, 2023, May 21, 2023, June 8, 2023, and June 9, 2023
Importer: General Mills Hong Kong Limited

Product name: Häagen-Dazs Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
Brand: Häagen-Dazs
Place of origin: France
Net volumes: (i) 80 millilitres, (ii) 3 x 80 millilitres, (iii) 100 millilitres, (iv) 473 millilitres and (v) 9.46 litres
Best-before dates: (i) May 22, 2023, (ii) May 23, 2023, and June 21, 2023, (iii) May 17, 2023, and May 29, 2023, (iv) June 11, 2023, and (v) May 29, 2023, and May 30, 2023
Importer: General Mills Hong Kong Limited

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that the above-mentioned products may be contaminated with a pesticide, ethylene oxide, which is not authorised by the EU. According to the information provided by the RASFF, the affected products have been imported into Hong Kong. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers for follow-up. Preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batches of the products concerned."

     Since ethylene oxide is not authorised by the EU, for the sake of prudence, the above-mentioned importer has stopped selling and removed from shelves the affected batches of the products upon the CFS's instructions and has initiated a recall. Members of the public may call the relevant importer at 2280 4996 during office hours for enquiries about the recall. 

     The spokesman urged the public not to consume the affected batches of the products if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batches of the products concerned immediately if they possess them.

     The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.

     The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, today (August 4) met with summer interns of the Post-secondary Student Summer Internship Programme at the Environmental Academy of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to learn about their experience and what they have gained during their internship.

     In the meeting, Mr Tse listened to the interns describing their work duties, on-the-job training and other experiences of the internship. Mr Tse encouraged the students to seize the opportunity to broaden their horizons, and to continue to learn hard to further equip themselves and plan for better future pathways.

     This year's summer internship programme lasted eight weeks from June to August, with a total of 78 students from local and overseas tertiary institutions joining the programme. Besides gaining practical experience by working in different units of the EPD, the interns visited various types of environmental protection infrastructure and facilities, including the organic resources recovery centre O．PARK1, T · PARK, the waste electrical and electronic equipment treatment and recycling facility WEEE ∙ PARK, EcoPark, West New Territories Landfill, Island West Transfer Station and Green@Community Recycling Stores.

     During the meeting with interns, Mr Tse also mentioned that extreme weather conditions have become more frequent in recent years, and he reminded everyone that immediate action should be taken to address the crisis of global climate change. He said that reduction of carbon emissions at source is among the key tasks of the EPD. Interns also learnt about the announcement of Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050 by the Government with the aim to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. The plan outlines four major decarbonisation strategies and measures, namely net-zero electricity generation, energy saving and green buildings, green transport, and waste reduction.

     Mr Tse pointed out that participation of young people is of utmost importance in the process of achieving carbon neutrality. As President Xi Jinping said in his important speech delivered in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, "Hong Kong will have a bright future only when its young people have good career prospects". Mr Tse expressed the hope that young people will enhance their understanding of climate change and proactively participate in the development of environmental protection and carbon reduction, green technologies, green finance and more, according to their own interests and strengths, as well as practise a low-carbon lifestyle and combat the challenges of climate change together.

     The summer internship programme has been held by the EPD for many years. Since 2015, a more systematic and diversified programme has been developed for students. Through the internship training they can learn about the EPD's policies and plans on environmental protection, energy, nature conservation and promotion of sustainable development, as well as the latest developments of waste management infrastructure. 

     Among the 78 interns participating in this year's summer internship programme, there were two non-ethnic Chinese students and one student with disabilities, who joined through the internship programmes for non-ethnic Chinese students and for students with disabilities run by the Civil Service Bureau. The EPD has been supportive of these internship programmes so that students can better explore their talents and potential, accumulate practical experience and prepare themselves for future employment.

      

     Hung Lee Crane Transportation Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (ECO). The company was convicted at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (August 4) and was fined $79,000.
      
     A crane driver employed by the company fell from a tailboard of a truck to the ground and sustained a back injury while working on November 30, 2019. His company failed to pay periodical payments to him during the injured employee's period of temporary incapacity on normal paydays or within seven days thereafter as required by the ECO, the amount of which should have been at the rate of four-fifths of the difference between the employee's monthly earnings at the time of the accident and his monthly earnings during the period of temporary incapacity. Moreover, the company also failed to take out an employees' compensation insurance policy for the employee.
      
     "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay periodical payments to injured employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the ECO and are required to take out insurance policies for all their employees to cover their liabilities both under the ECO and common law for injuries at work," an LD spokesman said.
      
     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will continue to make dedicated efforts in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     A spokesman for the Fire Services Department (FSD) said today (August 4) that the Director of Fire Services, Mr Andy Yeung, has tested positive in a COVID-19 nucleic acid test. He is undergoing isolation in accordance with the guidelines of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health.

     Mr Yeung last went to work today. He wore masks and followed relevant disease prevention measures at work, including conducting rapid antigen tests daily. He has no recent travel history.

     Mr Yeung conducted a nucleic acid test as a staff member working at the same floor tested positive for COVID-19. The two Deputy Directors of Fire Services, Mr Wong Chun-yip and Mr Derek Armstrong Chan, have also conducted nucleic acid tests today and the results are negative.

     The FSD has conducted thorough cleaning and disinfection operations at the office concerned and will continue to implement disease prevention measures vigorously. Arrangements have been made for relevant staff members to undergo COVID-19 tests in accordance with the advice from the CHP. All staff members have also been reminded to pay attention to personal hygiene and stay vigilant.

     The Ministry of Finance announced today (August 4) its plan to issue new ten-year Renminbi (RMB) sovereign bonds totalling RMB1 billion and additional RMB sovereign bonds due 2024 totalling RMB4 billion in Hong Kong. The RMB sovereign bonds will be issued through the Central Moneymarkets Unit of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. 

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government strongly welcomes the Ministry of Finance's continuing issuance of RMB sovereign bonds in Hong Kong. This demonstrates clearly the Central People's Government's full support of the development of Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre and the global offshore RMB business hub. It is conducive to further promoting the development of the bond market in Hong Kong and attracting more international capital to the Hong Kong market, which will help create strong impetus for the growth of Hong Kong."