Tag Archives: China

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (January 17) released the latest grading of water quality for six gazetted beaches that are open all year round for swimming.
 
     Six beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:          

Casam Beach	Golden Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Lido Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Silverstrand Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666. Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD’s dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast). read more

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements to facilitate the holding of Well-wishing Festival in Lam Tsuen during the Lunar New Year period. Road closure and traffic diversions ———————————— … read more

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on January 16 to noon today (January 17), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 134 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 111 010 samples of food imported from Japan (including 72 284 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 25 520 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

     The Transport Department (TD) today (January 17) reminded the public that the following special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in the vicinities of Causeway Bay, Jardine’s Lookout and Wan Chai Gap Park this Sunday (January 19) to facilitate the holding of the Walk for Millions event on Hong Kong Island.
 
Traffic arrangements
 
     From about 7am, road closures and traffic diversions will be implemented in phases in the road sections of Stadium Path, Caroline Hill Road northbound, Link Road southbound (uphill), Broadwood Road (downhill), Tai Hang Road and Mount Butler Road until the crowd disperses and the roads reopen; and
 
     From 6am, all on-street parking spaces at Stadium Path, Caroline Hill Road, Hoi Ping Road, Eastern Hospital Road and Coombe Road will be suspended.
 
Public transport service arrangements
 
     To facilitate the above road closure arrangements, the following bus and green minibus (GMB) route diversions and associated temporary relocation of bus stops will be implemented:
 

• Citybus (CTB) route Nos. 5B and 8H will operate in a circular route mode;
• CTB route No. 11 will be diverted via Perkins Road instead of Mount Butler Road;
• CTB route No. 41A will be diverted via Gloucester Road, Canal Road East and Stubbs Road instead of Tai Hang Road;
• The terminal of Causeway Bay-bound service of cross-harbour bus route No. 936 will change from Cotton Path to Tung Lo Wan Road;
• GMB route Nos. 5 and 30 will be diverted via Wong Nai Chung Road and Morrison Hill Road instead of Link Road;
• GMB route No. 14M on its journey to Jardine’s Lookout will be diverted via Wong Nai Chung Road instead of Link Road, and on its journey to Causeway Bay will be diverted via Tung Lo Wan Road and Leighton Road instead of Broadwood Road; and
• GMB route No. 24M will be diverted via Tung Lo Wan Road and Leighton Road instead of Tai Hang Road.

       For details of the special traffic and public transport arrangements, members of the public may visit the TD website (www.td.gov.hk), its mobile application “HKeMobility” or passenger notices issued by the relevant public transport operators.

     Members of the public are advised to make use of public transport services as far as possible to avoid traffic congestion and unnecessary delays. During the event, the TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation. The Police may adjust the traffic arrangements subject to the prevailing crowd and traffic conditions in the areas. Members of the public should pay attention to the latest traffic news through radio, television or the “HKeMobility” mobile application. read more

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (January 17) that the 2025 Lunar New Year (LNY) fairs will be held at 15 locations for seven days from January 23 (Thursday) to 7am on January 29. About 1 500 wet goods, dry goods and fast food stalls will be set up to enable the public to buy festive plants and flowers, LNY food, decorations and spring couplets (fai chun) to welcome the LNY.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, “The venues of the LNY fairs will be monitored using innovational and technological measures, and crowd control will be implemented as necessary. The footfall of the 15 LNY fairs will be displayed in a ‘green, amber and red lights’ format on the FEHD website to enable the public to know about the crowd conditions at the fairs. A green light means few people are inside the fair, the amber light indicates the fair venue is slightly crowded, while the red light shows that the fair venue is very crowded.”

     The spokesman added, “Admission to the LNY fairs will cease 15 minutes prior to the closing time every day. Persons who are interested in attending are advised to reserve sufficient time to enjoy the fun of visiting the LNY fairs.”

     The FEHD will adopt various waste reduction and recycling measures this year. Apart from collecting general recyclables including waste paper, plastics and metals in the fairs, the department will also arrange for contractors to collect bamboo sticks, wooden pallets, polyfoam and wilted or unsold flowers with reusable value. In addition, the FEHD will gather unsold pots of flowers and plants donated by vendors in the fairs, which will then be delivered to elderly homes, residential care homes for persons with disabilities and public hospitals by volunteer teams made up of FEHD staff on LNY Day (January 29).

     The FEHD reminded licensees that the stalls are solely for the purpose of selling and promoting the sale of the permitted commodities, and no other activities are allowed in the licensed area. If the FEHD considers that any activity conducted by the licensee to publicise, promote, display, show, offer or sell any permitted commodities in the venue is unlawful, contrary to the interest of national security, or being immoral or incompatible with the object of the LNY fair, the FEHD is entitled to direct the licensee to stop conducting such activity and the licensee must immediately comply with such direction, or the FEHD will terminate the licence agreement and reclaim the stall.

     In addition, as stated in the licence agreement, the height of dry goods must not exceed 3 metres, while the height of wet goods stalls and fast food stalls must not exceed 4.5m from ground level. For wet goods stalls and fast food stalls with a height of more than 3m from ground level, the licensee must, at his own expense, provide the FEHD with an original certificate issued by an authorised person, a registered structural engineer, or a competent person under the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations (Cap. 59I) to certify the structural safety of the stall structure before the LNY fairs are opened to the public. The licensee must also affix a copy of the aforesaid certificate on the structure of the stall. The competent person specified in Chapter 59I refers to scaffolding personnel who have received relevant training and have relevant experience. Their qualification requirements are consistent with requirements in the market that require the erection of bamboo scaffolding for construction projects. In other words, a licensee of wet goods stalls can hire qualified scaffolders to build stall structures and require the scaffolders sign a certificate to certify the safety of stalls.

     Furthermore, the FEHD reminded licensees that no floating LED glowing balloons and aquarium fish should be sold in the LNY fairs. If balloons or gas-filled articles are to be displayed or offered for sale, only air or helium is allowed to be used for inflating the products. There are also stipulations on the storage of helium cylinders at the fair venues. According to the licence agreement, licensees must not keep, store or use more than 150 litres (water capacity) of compressed helium, i.e. the respective general exempt quantity for which a licence is not required, pursuant to the Dangerous Goods (Application and Exemption) Regulation 2012 (Cap. 295E) in the licensed area. For the sake of safety, no floating LED glowing balloons will be allowed to be brought into the LNY fair venues.

     The spokesman also urged members of the public to keep the environment clean and not to litter while enjoying the festive season. Stall operators should also properly dispose of waste and keep their stalls and the surroundings clean and tidy.

     For information on the 2025 LNY fairs including the locations and opening hours, please visit the FEHD website or call the FEHD hotline at 2868 0000. read more