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Following is a question by the Hon Leung Che-cheung and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council today (November 6):
Question:
It has been reported that some housing estates and villages in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long have recently been swarmed by a large quantity of flies, causing serious nuisance to the residents and business operators in the two districts. Some residents have suspected that the flies came from the West New Territories Landfill in Nim Wan, Tuen Mun, but the authorities have indicated for several times that the source of the flies is yet to be confirmed. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether the authorities have now confirmed the sources of the flies in the aforesaid cases; why the authorities have indicated for several times that it cannot confirm whether the West New Territories Landfill is the source of the flies; of the method currently adopted by the authorities for tracking down the sources of the flies, as well as the details and effectiveness of the measures to control flies;
(b) of the respective dates, durations, affected areas and sources of flies each time Tuen Mun and Yuen Long were plagued with the problem of flies in the past five years;
(c) of the number of complaints about problems of flies received by the authorities in the past five years, together with the names of the housing estates or villages concerned and the dates of the complaints; and
(d) whether the authorities have conducted laboratory tests on the flies captured to find out if the flies appearing in different districts belong to the same species or come from the same source?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the question is as follows:
(a) The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) conducted on October 8, 9 and 10, 2013 respectively on-site inspections at Leung King Estate Market, Sam Shing Estate Market and Butterfly Estate Market, which were reported to be swarming with flies. Persons-in-charge of the management company of these markets (i.e. The Link Management Limited (The Link)) were advised to take measures to keep environmental hygiene and prevent fly infestation, including increasing the frequency of cleansing in market areas and applying fly sprays, keeping the market floor clean as well as washing floor surface and drainage on a regular basis so as to prevent flies from breeding in food waste. The FEHD also requested The Link to remind market traders to cover their food properly, dispose of rubbish in a lidded rubbish bin and always put the lid on. Upon its subsequent reviews conducted at the aforementioned markets between October 10 and 12, 2013, the FEHD found that with the corresponding measures adopted by the Link to prevent fly infestation, the fly problem had been greatly alleviated.
In addition, FEHD officers carried out inspections and stepped up control and prevention work against fly infestation at Lung Kwu Tan in Tuen Mun on October 8, 2013, and the areas around Ha Pak Nai Tsuen in Yuen Long on October 11, 17 and 18 respectively. Villagers were also reminded to dispose of household refuse properly and cover all refuse bins tightly for effective prevention of fly infestation. The FEHD has instructed pest control service contractors to increase the frequency of pest control operations as and when required. The FEHD inspected the two said locations again recently and found that the fly problem had been largely resolved.
The FEHD also conducted several inspections (on October 8, 11 and 18) of the West New Territories Landfill (WENT Landfill) jointly with the Environmental Protection Department (EPD).
EPD pointed out that the operation of the WENT Landfill has all along been subject to stringent contract requirements and environmental protection legislation. The landfill contractor has also carried out on-going pest control work in the landfill. As no serious problem of fly infestation has occurred in the landfill recently, there is no evidence that the landfill is the source of the flies. Nevertheless, the EPD has immediately stepped up inspections in collaboration with the landfill contractor. It has also liaised with the FEHD for implementation of more effective pest control measures, including more frequent pest disinfestation work.
According to the investigation, there is no evidence that the landfill is the source of the large quantity of flies found lately in various areas of Tuen Mun. Besides, it is noted that no problem of fly infestation has been detected in the neighbouring areas of the WENT Landfill.
(b) and (c) Over the past five years, the FEHD received complaints about nuisance of flies in markets at Tin Shing Estate, Tin Shui Estate and Tin Yiu Estate of Tin Shui Wai between June and August 2012. The FEHD found that the problem was eased a few days after the management company of these markets had adopted FEHD's recommendations for environmental hygiene improvement and fly infestation prevention and cleansed the markets thoroughly.
(d) Recently, the FEHD found house flies (which mainly breed in general household refuse), blow flies (which mainly breed in rotten vegetables and fruits as well as animal faeces) and flesh flies (which mainly breed in decaying meat) during its investigation in different locations. Places suitable for the breeding of the relevant kinds of flies are also present near the locations where these flies were found. Flies will usually move about and breed in places where they hatched out.
Ends/Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:08
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