**************************************************

    Following is a question by the Hon Abraham Shek and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (April 27) :

Question:

    It has been reported that the electronic wastes kept in the 91 sites in the New Territories for such storage purpose have been exposed to sun and rain. As a result, pollutants such as lead and brominated flame retardants have been washed into soil by rain water, thereby polluting the streams and farmlands in the vicinity. Such pollutants will find their way into human bodies after people have consumed the agricultural produce grown on the polluted farmlands in the New Territories. In view of such health hazards, will the Government inform this Council whether it:

(a)   has any plan to stop the import of electronic wastes; if it has, of the details of the plan; if not, the reasons for that; and

(b)   will strengthen the existing measures for protecting the general public from such health hazards; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a)   Waste containing or contaminated by hazardous substances is subject to control under the Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO). However, the import and export of non-hazardous waste or used electronic goods for the purpose of recycling such as second-hand electrical appliances do not require a permit. This is in line with the spirit of the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal but at the same time encourage recycling of used goods. A person who illegally imports waste without a permit is liable, for the first offence, to a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months and, for a second or subsequent offence, to a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years. In the past 12 months, 83 consignments of illegal import of  hazardous  waste without a permit have been intercepted and 52 prosecutions have been instigated.

    Dust, noise, wastewater and waste generated by the workshops handling the used electronic materials are subject to control under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, Noise Control Ordinance, Water Pollution Control Ordinance, WDO and their subsidiary regulations respectively.  Furthermore, any workshop dismantling e-waste classified as chemical waste (such as cathode ray tube display units) must obtain a licence. The design and operation of the workshop must comply with stringent environmental requirements. The operator is required to submit an operational plan laying out the details on operating procedures, techniques, facilities, managing staff, environmental and safety standards etc. for approval. The workshop is required to pass operating tests before the license is issued. Apart from regularly inspecting licensed facilities, EPD also requires licence holders to submit reports in accordance with the licensing conditions to ensure that the operation of the workshops is up to standard. A person who manages chemical waste without a licence is liable, for the first offence, to a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months and, for a second or subsequent offence, to a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.

(b)   The 91 workshops are mostly located in remote areas of the New Territories and are primarily used for storage of used or second-hand electrical and electronic products (such as outdated or waste computers, TVs and home appliances). Simple operations of mechanical dismantling of the used electronic materials have been found in a small number of sites, but no chemical process was involved.

    Since 2004, EPD has stepped up monitoring and enforcement of these workshops, and has conducted over 550 inspections and successfully secured 7 convictions against operations that breached the various environmental Ordinances.

    During a recent joint departmental enforcement operation, EPD collected soil samples from six workshops in Ta Kwu Ling and Hung Lung Hang for analysis of heavy metals as well as brominated flame retardant (PBDE). The test results show that the lead concentration in soil outside the workshop sites is low and is in the same range of the natural background level. The lead concentration in soil within the workshop sites is higher but is still lower than the limit imposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for soil in children's playing area. The concentration of PBDE is also found to be significantly lower than the level specified by the USEPA in soil suitable for residential use. Therefore, the operation of the workshops is not considered to pose a threat to human health. As a precautionary measure, EPD will also advise the workshop operators to adopt means to minimise the possibility of lead penetrating into deeper soil strata.

    Apart from stepping up its own inspection and monitoring, EPD has enhanced cooperation with other departments such as the Immigration Department, the Police, Planning Department and Lands Department, working together to suppress suspected illegal operations of the workshops.

Ends/Wednesday, April 27, 2005

NNNN