Six persons and a trading company involved in five cases of illegal waste disposal in Sheung Shui, Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Yuen Long were convicted and fined a total of $26,000 at Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (April 2) for contravening the Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO) and the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation. In addition to the above cases, five other cases of the same kind are scheduled for hearings in different district courts next week.

     From September to November last year, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) successfully traced five cases of illegal waste disposal on government and private land on Kwu Tung Road in Sheung Shui, Tai Chung Road in Tsuen Wan, Chun Pin Street and Lam Tin Street in Kwai Chung, and Sha Kiu Tsuen as well as Wing Kei Tsuen in Yuen Long based on intelligence gathered through various channels, including videos, photos and complaints from members of the public as well as surveillance camera systems installed by the EPD. The offenders included the owner of the vehicle involved, the person-in-charge of the relevant works, a goods vehicle driver and a worker. The waste deposited included wood waste, used wooden boards, construction waste and commercial and industrial (C&I) waste. The waste deposited not only caused obstruction to pedestrians, but also caused environmental hygiene problems. The EPD prosecuted the persons and the company involved under the WDO and the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation after collecting evidence.

     An EPD spokesman said the department has installed surveillance camera systems in different districts and has hoisted banners with the slogan "Stop illegal dumping. Someone is watching" with a view to enhancing efforts to combat illegal waste disposal. The department hopes that the above series of successful convictions against illegal waste disposal can strengthen the deterrent effect.

     The spokesman also reminded all members of the renovation, construction and transportation sectors, including persons-in-charge of construction sites, workers and drivers as well as owners of goods vehicles, that they must properly deliver construction waste and C&I waste to the government waste management facilities in accordance with the law. Otherwise, they may commit an offence. Under the WDO, first-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months' imprisonment. A maximum fine of $500,000 and six months' imprisonment may be imposed on second or subsequent convictions. According to the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation, it is an offense to dispose of waste on the streets or in public places from vehicles, including goods vehicles, private cars and motorcycles. The registered owner may be prosecuted. First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $25,000 and six months' imprisonment.

     The spokesman urged members of the public to make a report to the department if they witness any illegal disposal of waste. They can record videos or take photos and call the EPD hotline at 2838 3111.

    

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 2) announced that a ginger sample was detected with cadmium, a metallic contaminant, exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the incident.

     "The CFS collected the ginger sample at a stall in Po On Road Market, Cheung Sha Wan, for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained cadmium at a level of 0.16 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 0.1 ppm," a CFS spokesman said.

     "The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale of the affected product. The CFS is tracing the source of the affected product," the spokesman added.

     According to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap 132V), any person who sells food with metallic contamination above the legal limits is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     "Based on the level of cadmium detected in the sample, adverse health effects will not be caused under usual consumption," the spokesman said.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 2) that in view of a notification from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 sub-type avian influenza in Xinmin City, Shenyang City in Liaoning Province, it has followed the existing approach for control of highly pathogenic avian influenza and taken recommendations from the World Organisation for Animal Health into account to suspend the import of poultry and poultry products, including poultry eggs, from an area within a radius of 3 kilometres from the said place for a period of 90 days, and from an area within a radius of 13km for 21 days, with immediate effect for the protection of public health in Hong Kong.

     The CFS will closely monitor the latest developments of the avian influenza case in the province and take appropriate follow-up action as necessary.

     As the northeast monsoon over southern China was weaker than normal for most of the month, March 2019 was exceptionally warm, with its mean temperature reaching 21.0 degrees, 1.9 degrees above the normal figure of 19.1 degrees, marking the fourth-highest mean temperature on record for March. The mean minimum temperature of the month was 19.4 degrees, 2.2 degrees above the normal figure of 17.2 degrees and the third-highest on record for March. The mean temperature, the mean maximum temperature and the mean minimum temperature from January to March this year were 19.7 degrees, 22.1 degrees and 18.1 degrees respectively, all the highest on record for the same period. Hong Kong's weather in March was also wetter than usual as a result of the troughs of low pressure over the coastal areas of Guangdong early this month, with the total rainfall recorded in the month reaching 186.5 millimetres, more than double the normal figure of 82.2 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first three months of the year was 259.9 millimetres, nearly 61 per cent above the normal figure of 161.3 millimetres for the same period.
 
     The weather in Hong Kong was cloudy with a few light rain patches on the first day of March due to a fresh to a strong easterly airstream. As the easterly airstream was gradually replaced by a maritime airstream, local weather improved with sunny periods on March 2. There was coastal fog early on March 3 with the visibility at Waglan Island falling below 1 000 metres. Meanwhile, a cold front moved across the coast of Guangdong in the morning, bringing showers to various areas in the territory. Affected by the northeast monsoon behind the cold front and the showery activities along the coastal areas, there were sunny intervals and thundery showers on March 4 and 5.
 
     A trough of low pressure lingering over the coastal areas of Guangdong brought cloudy weather with occasional showers and thunderstorms on March 6 and 7.  The showers were particularly heavy on March 6 with 45.5 millimetres of rainfall recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory, making it the wettest Insects Waken on record. Rainfall over Kowloon and Lantau Island exceeded 70 millimetres on that day. As a strong easterly airstream set in, local weather became cooler with a few showers on March 8. With the rainy weather, the temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory dropped to 15.1 degrees, the lowest of the month. Affected by another trough of low pressure over the South China coast, the weather in Hong Kong remained cool and cloudy with a few showers on March 9 and 10.
 
     Under the influence of a dry northeast monsoon, apart from a few rain patches in the morning of March 11, the weather in Hong Kong turned generally fine that afternoon and the next day. With the strengthening of the easterlies, local weather became windier with a few showers from March 13 to 15. A dry northeast monsoon brought sunny periods to Hong Kong from March 16 to 18.
 
     With the northeast monsoon over the coast of Guangdong moderating gradually and being replaced by a warm maritime airstream, the weather in Hong Kong became warm with rather low visibility from March 19 to 22. Coastal fog on the mornings of March 21 and 22 brought visibility down to below 1 000 metres at Waglan Island.  It was very warm on March 22 with a daily minimum temperature of 24.8 degrees recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory, the joint highest on record for March.
 
     A cold front moved across the coast of Guangdong on the night of March 22. Its associated northeast monsoon brought cooler and rainy weather to Hong Kong over the next three days. Affected by a fresh easterly airstream, it was mainly cloudy with sunny intervals on March 26 and 27, except for a few light rain patches on the morning of March 27. With the arrival of a warm maritime airstream, the weather in Hong Kong became very warm with morning coastal mist on March 28.  With plenty of sunshine in the afternoon, the maximum temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory soared to 27.8 degrees on that day, the highest of the month.  Apart from coastal fog in the morning, the weather remained warm with sunny intervals in the afternoon of March 29. Affected by an area of thundery showers associated with an upper-air disturbance, there were also some showers and a few thunderstorms that evening. With a surge of the northeast monsoon reaching the coast of Guangdong on the morning of March 30, local weather became windier and slightly cooler with a few showers towards the end of the month.
 
     There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in March 2019.
 
     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in March are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for March are tabulated in Table 2.

     The following is issued on behalf of the Commission of Inquiry into the Construction Works at and near the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link Project:

     The Chairman and Commissioner of the Commission of Inquiry into the Construction Works at and near the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link Project, Mr Michael John Hartmann, today (April 2) inspected the construction works at the North Approach Tunnels, the South Approach Tunnels and the Hung Hom Stabling Sidings under the MTR Corporation Limited's Contract No. 1112 of the Shatin to Central Link Project. He was accompanied by counsel and solicitors for the Commission.

     On February 19, 2019, the Chief Executive in Council approved the expansion of the terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry as follows:

     "Regarding the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL)'s Contract No. 1112 (Contract) of the Shatin to Central Link Project:

(a) (1) in respect of the diaphragm wall and platform slab construction works at the Hung Hom Station Extension,
          (i) to inquire into the facts and circumstances surrounding the steel reinforcement fixing works, including but not limited to those works at locations that have given rise to extensive public concern about their safety since May 2018;
          (ii) to inquire into the facts and circumstances surrounding any other works which raise concerns about public safety; and
          (iii) to ascertain whether the works in (1)(i) and (ii) above were executed in accordance with the Contract. If not, the reasons therefor and whether steps for rectification have been taken;

      (2) in respect of the construction works at the North Approach Tunnels, the South Approach Tunnels and the Hung Hom Stabling Sidings,
          (i) to inquire into the facts and circumstances surrounding any problem relating to the steel reinforcement fixing or concreting works, including but not limited to any lack of proper inspection, supervision or documentation of such works undertaken, any lack of proper testing of the materials used for such works and of proper documentation of such testing, and any deviation of such works undertaken from the designs, plans or drawings accepted by the Highways Department or the Building Authority;
         (ii) to inquire into the facts and circumstances surrounding any works or matters which raise concerns about public safety or substantial works quality; and
         (iii) to ascertain whether the works and matters involved in (2)(i) and (ii) above were executed in accordance with the Contract. If not, the reasons therefor and whether steps for rectification have been taken;

(b) to review, in the light of (a) above,
        (i) the adequacy of the relevant aspects of the MTRCL's project management and supervision system, quality assurance and quality control system, risk management system, site supervision and control system and processes, system on reporting to Government, system and processes for communication internally and with various stakeholders, and any other related systems, processes and practices, and the implementation thereof; and
        (ii) the extent and adequacy of the monitoring and control mechanisms of the Government, and the implementation thereof; and

(c) in the light of (b) above, to make recommendations on suitable measures with a view to promoting public safety and assurance on quality of works."