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 June 24 to noon today (June 25), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 236 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 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 61 977 samples of food imported from Japan (including 40 115 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 15 192 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     Mobile Libraries 9, 11 and 12 will suspend services during designated periods in July for routine maintenance, a spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 25).

     Mobile Library 11 will suspend services from July 2 to 6. The affected service points are Wan Tau Tong Estate and Tai Yuen Estate in Tai Po, Kwong Yuen Estate in Sha Tin, Cheung Ching Estate and Easeful Court in Tsing Yi, and Tin Wah Estate in Tin Shui Wai. For enquiries about Mobile Library 11 services, please call 2479 1055.

     Mobile Library 12 will suspend services from July 8 to 13. The affected service points are Kam Tsin Village and Tung Hing Road Car Park in Sheung Shui; Ka Fuk Estate in Fanling; Lei Muk Shue Estate, Bayview Garden and Sham Tseng Market Carpark in Tsuen Wan; Tai Wo Hau Estate in Kwai Chung; and Fu Cheong Estate in Sham Shui Po. For enquiries about Mobile Library 12 services, please call 2479 1055.

     Mobile Library 9 will suspend services from July 8 to 20. The affected service points are South Horizons in Ap Lei Chau, Oi Tung Estate in Aldrich Bay, Heng Fa Chuen in Chai Wan, Tin Wan Estate in Aberdeen, Tai Hong Street in Lei King Wan, and Sheung Wan Cultural Square. For enquiries about Mobile Library 9 services, please call 2505 4690.

     Readers are welcome to use other public libraries during the service suspension periods. They may also renew library materials by telephoning 2698 0002 or 2827 2833, or via www.hkpl.gov.hk.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said, with the Product Eco-responsibility (Amendment) Bill 2023 passed on October 18, 2023, the enhanced Producer Responsibility Scheme on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WPRS) will be implemented on July 1 this year with the following enhancements:
 

1. Under the WPRS, the maximum storage volume of refrigerators will be increased from 500 litres to 900 litres, and the maximum washing capacity of washing machines from 10 kilograms to 15kg;
2. Stand-alone tumble dryers and dehumidifiers will be covered by the WPRS; and
3. The requirement for providing the recycling label in the distribution and sales of products under the WPRS will be removed.

 
     Currently, when a customer purchases a new product under the WPRS (namely air-conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, computers, printers, scanners or monitors), the seller is required under the law to arrange for the customer a free door-to-door removal of the old product of the same type. Starting from July 1, customers can enjoy this same free removal service under the law when purchasing the above-mentioned four additional products under the WPRS, i.e. refrigerators and dryers with larger capacities, stand-alone tumble dryers and dehumidifiers. The Government encourages the public to make good use of this service to ensure that old electrical equipment can be properly collected and treated so as to turn waste into resources. Members of the public not making a new purchase of products under the WPRS but need to recycle old electrical equipment can also make an appointment for a free collection service of old items through the recycling hotline 2676 8888 or through WhatsApp (6081 5096).
 
     Moreover, starting from July 1, suppliers (including manufacturers and importers) distributing the above-mentioned four new types of products under the WPRS must first register with the EPD as a registered supplier before distributing such regulated products in Hong Kong. Failing to do so will result in committing an offence and the supplier will be liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 on conviction. Suppliers shall also pay the EPD the recycling levy for the regulated electrical equipment they have distributed. In order to streamline the operation, suppliers and sellers are no longer required to provide recycling labels in the distribution and sales of the regulated electronic equipment. Nevertheless, sellers are required to continue with the current practice of providing customers with a receipt showing the prescribed wording on the recycling levies for identifying the regulated electrical equipment distributed under the WPRS.
 
     An EPD spokesman said, "After gazetting the commencement notice of the legislation last November, the department started various preparatory work shortly after, including notifying electrical equipment suppliers, sellers, trade associations and other stakeholders about the details of the enhanced WPRS, and disseminating useful information through trade associations to their members. During January to June this year, the EPD sent staff to visit around 1 600 suppliers and sellers of electrical equipment to distribute relevant documents and publicity materials, and explain to them the details of the enhanced WPRS, assisting them in registering and updating company information with the EPD."
 
     For details of the WPRS, please visit the EPD's website at: weee.gov.hk/en/.
 
     In addition, according to the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap. 354), save for certain exceptions, any person who is engaged in the storage, treatment, reprocessing or recycling (but not repair) of e-waste must obtain a waste disposal licence issued by the EPD under the law. A permit issued by the EPD is also required for the import and export of e-waste. For information and application forms for waste disposal licenses and waste import and export permits, please visit the websites:
www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/application_for_licences/guidance/facilities_e-waste.html and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/wdo_glass.html.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Ant Bank (Hong Kong) Limited relating to phishing instant messages, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.

     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the instant messages concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     To tie in with the Government's drive for developing prevention-oriented dental services with a view to achieving the goal of enhancing the overall level of citizens' oral health through the retention of natural teeth, the Health Bureau announced today (June 25) that the services under the Elderly Dental Assistance Programme funded by the Community Care Fund (CCF) will be enhanced from July 2 with the essential requirement of having removable dentures fitting to be revised. Starting from July 2, eligible elderly persons may receive dental check-ups, scaling and polishing, tooth extractions, fillings, X-ray examinations, removal of bridges or crowns, and root canal treatment even if they are unfit for denture fitting. This enhancement aims to encourage eligible elderly persons to manage dental diseases at an early stage by opting for other preventive and curative dental services, thereby retaining their natural teeth as much as possible and avoiding tooth extractions and denture fittings.

     The new arrangements will be applicable to applications submitted on or after July 2. The eligibility criteria of the Programme remain unchanged, with target beneficiaries being low-income elderly persons who are either current recipients of the Old Age Living Allowance (OALA), or users of home care services for the elderly under the subvention of the Social Welfare Department (SWD), and fulfilling other related eligibility criteria. In addition, only eligible elderly persons aged 75 years or above who have received dental services under the Programme at least five years ago will be allowed to apply for service a second time.

     Starting from July 2, elderly persons receiving the OALA may follow the prevailing practice in making applications. They may bring the original copies of their Hong Kong identity card, documents showing their residential address and bank account documents showing the deposit of the allowance in the last three consecutive months to any of the district service units participating in the Programme. The district service units will handle applications and arrange the first dental appointment for eligible elderly persons. The 200-plus district service units can be found across the city, covering elderly centres, community centres and dental clinics which directly process applications. As for eligible elderly persons using home care services for the elderly under the SWD subvention, they can continue to make applications via their respective service teams. 
 
     Elderly persons will not be required to make any payments to the participating dentists after receiving necessary dental treatment services. The Hong Kong Dental Association (HKDA), as the implementing agent of the Programme, will disburse the subsidies direct to the dentists providing treatment services through its Project Office. 

     At present, there are more than 850 participating dentists for the Programme. The Project Office has recently held briefing sessions for participating dentists and representatives of district service units to get them familiar with the enhancement measures of the Programme and operational details of the new arrangements. The Project Office will continue to enlist more dentists to join the Programme.
      
     Copies of leaflets about the new arrangements, eligibility criteria and application procedures will be available for collection at various district service units starting from July 2. Relevant information and the list of district service units will be made available on the websites of the CCF (www.communitycarefund.hk) and the HKDA (www.hkda.org). Members of the public may call the Programme hotline (2525 8198) for enquiries.