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Short-chain chlorinated paraffins and tributyltin compounds to be controlled under Hazardous Chemicals Control Ordinance
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     The Government will introduce the Hazardous Chemicals Control Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Order 2018 into the Legislative Council on February 28. The Amendment Order seeks to amend the Hazardous Chemicals Control Ordinance (Cap 595) to include short-chain chlorinated paraffins and tributyltin compounds into Schedule 2 of the Ordinance in order to strengthen protection of the general public and the environment against potential health and pollution problems due to exposure to these chemicals.

     Under the Ordinance, the manufacture, export, import and use of the scheduled hazardous chemicals are subject to permit controls.

     "Inclusion of short-chain chlorinated paraffins and tributyltin compounds in the Ordinance will bring Hong Kong in line with the revision to the list of hazardous chemicals covered by the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade," a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department said today (February 9).

     The Rotterdam Convention is a global treaty to promote shared responsibility and co-operative efforts among parties in the international trade of specified hazardous chemicals. In implementing the Rotterdam Convention, parties to the Convention will take measures to implement a prior informed consent procedure on the import and export of hazardous chemicals to protect human health and the environment from potential harm arising from these chemicals. The amendment to the Schedule of the Ordinance to include short-chain chlorinated paraffins and tributyltin compounds is made in accordance with the amendment of the list of controlled hazardous chemicals covered by the Rotterdam Convention which entered into force in the People's Republic of China, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, on September 17, 2017.

     The control of short-chain chlorinated paraffins and tributyltin compounds under the Ordinance will take effect on July 1, 2018. Any person found guilty of manufacturing, exporting, importing or using short-chain chlorinated paraffins and tributyltin compounds without a permit is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year.
 
Ends/Friday, February 9, 2018
Issued at HKT 11:25
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