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The Government today (August 14) continued to clean up the plastic pellets scattered on beaches, in fish culture zones and at sea after the typhoon.
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) (as at 4pm today)
Location: Chi Ma Wan, Shap Long, Wang Tong, Ngau Kwu Wan, Lantau Island; Tung Wan, Peng Chau; Tung Wan Tsai, Cheung Chau; Sham Wan, Tung O Wan and Shek Pai Wan, Lamma Island; Tso Wan, Lantau Island; Stanley Bay.
Quantity: 144 kg
Marine Department (as at 4pm today)
Location: Tung O Wan, Sham Wan, Lamma Island
Quantity: 69 kg
Leisure and Cultural Services Department (as at 4pm today)
Location: Clear Water Bay Second Beach and Silverstrand Beach
Quantity: Small amount (0.01 kg)
Centre of Food Safety (CFS) tested 40 marine fish samples today, and revealed that no plastic pellets were detected. Since August 6, CFS has tested 330 marine fish samples in the wholesale and retail markets of Hong Kong, and no plastic pellets were detected. Tests conducted so far suggested that the pellet incident did not cause adverse impact on food safety. Although the food safety risk remains low, members of the public should check and clean fish thoroughly and remove all internal organs before cooking. CFS will continue to closely monitor marine fish sold on the market to ensure food safety.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today received report from a mariculturist that trace amounts of plastic pellets were found at Sok Kwu Wan fish culture zone. The pellets have been cleaned up. The AFCD collected 5 live fish samples from Cheung Sha Wan fish culture zone today. 0.03 gram of plastic pellet was found in the stomach of a cobia (weighing 0.55 kg). Members of the public should wash fish thoroughly and remove the internal organs before cooking. The food safety risk is believed to be low. The AFCD did not receive report of abnormal fish death at fish culture zones from mariculturists today.
The Government has kept a close watch over any impact of the incident on the marine ecology. AFCD staff patrolled the waters around various marine parks including Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau over the past week. They detected no plastic pellets in these areas. Trace amounts of plastic pellets were sighted at the Cape D'Aguilar marine reserve. The pellets had been cleaned up immediately. AFCD's diving teams also checked the coral sites in Sham Wan, Tung O Wan of Lamma, Po Toi, Beaufort Island and South Ninepin Island. Marine life is found to be in stable condition. Plastic pellets on the Sham Wan beach have also been removed. AFCD will continue to closely monitor the situation and ensure that the marine environment and ecology is protected.
The Marine Police has reported presence of plastic pellets on Lamma Island (Tung O Wan). The relevant departments have deployed manpower for the necessary clean-up action and will continue to closely monitor the distribution of plastic pellets.
A Government spokesman said that the Government will continue its inter-departmental monitoring operations. Clean-up action will be carried out as soon as plastic pellets are detected so as to minimise the impact of the incident on the environment, food safety and human health.
Ends/Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:44
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