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The Government today (February 15) published in the Gazette the Dumping at Sea (Exemption) (Amendment) Order 2013 (the Amendment Order) to apply the regulatory control regime to a designated sea-bed situated in an area to the south of the Brothers.
The designated sea-bed is a new sediment disposal facility. The sea-bed will be included in Schedule 2 to the Dumping at Sea (Exemption) Order. "Any person intending to perform dumping operations at the new facility will be required to obtain a permit from the Director of Environmental Protection before carrying out such operations," a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department said.
"The Amendment Order is in conformity with the legislative intent of the Dumping at Sea Ordinance, which is to protect the marine environment through imposing regulatory control on marine dumping operations.
"Such amendment will also enable the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to fulfil its obligation under the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972, and to keep Hong Kong in line with the international practices concerning the prevention of marine pollution caused by dumping of waste and other matter at sea," he said.
The Amendment Order will be tabled on Wednesday (February 20) at the Legislative Council for negative vetting. Subject to agreement from the Legislative Council, it will take effect from May 1, 2013, to tie in with the commencement of operation of the new facility in phases from June 2013.
Ends/Friday, February 15, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:50
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