In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on February 13 to noon today (February 14), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 218 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 115 810 samples of food imported from Japan (including 75 802 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 26 824 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     The Town Planning Board announced today (February 14) that the Secretary for Development has referred two approved outline zoning plans (OZPs) to the Board, namely the approved Ngau Tau Kok and Kowloon Bay OZP and the approved Cheung Chau OZP, for amendments to reflect the latest land use proposals.

     Each OZP incorporating the respective amendment(s) will be exhibited for public inspection under the provisions of the Town Planning Ordinance.

     The Ngau Tau Kok and Kowloon Bay OZP and the Cheung Chau OZP were last approved by the Chief Executive in Council in December 2022 and September 2021 respectively.

     The Town Planning Board today (February 14) announced amendments to the approved Tseung Kwan O Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

     The amendments are mainly to take forward the proposed developments at Tseung Kwan O Areas 137 and 132 for a new community primarily for residential purposes and accommodation of public facilities serving the region, which marine frontage is required for their operation respectively, and to reflect the proposed reclamation boundary and the existing boundary of Clear Water Bay Country Park. The amendments mainly involve (i) incorporation of two sea areas in Fat Tong O into the planning scheme area, zoning the areas and/or rezoning the adjoining land from "Other Specified Uses" ("OU") annotated "Deep Waterfront Industry" ("OU(DWI)") and/or "OU" annotated "Desalination Plant" to "Residential (Group A) 9", "Residential (Group A) 10", "Residential (Group A) 11", "Residential (Group A) 12", "OU” annotated "Commercial/Residential Development with Public Transport Interchange (1)", "Government, Institution or Community (10)" ("G/IC(10)"), "Open Space", "OU" annotated "Effluent Polishing Plant", "OU" annotated "Green Fuel Station", "Green Belt" ("GB") and an area shown as 'Road'; (ii) rezoning of a site in Fat Tong Chau from "GB" and "OU(DWI)" to "G/IC(10)"; (iii) incorporation of a site occupied by a pier near Tit Cham Chau into the planning scheme area, zoning the site and rezoning the adjoining land from "OU(DWI)" to "OU" annotated "Pier"; (iv) incorporation of a sea area in Chiu Keng Wan into the planning scheme area, zoning the area and/or rezoning the adjoining land from "GB" to "OU" annotated "Electricity Facilities", "OU" annotated "Construction Waste Handling Facility and Public Fill Transfer Facility", "OU" annotated "Refuse Transfer Station", "OU" annotated "Concrete Batching Plant", "G/IC(10)", "G/IC", and an area shown as 'Road'; (v) incorporation of four sites near Chiu Keng Wan into the planning scheme area and zoning the sites to "GB"; and (vi) excision of five sites within "OU(DWI)" zone from the planning scheme area.

     The Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP are amended to take into account the above amendments. Opportunity is also taken to update the general information of various land use zones and the planning scheme area, where appropriate.

     The draft Tseung Kwan O OZP No. S/TKO/31, incorporating the amendments, is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Sai Kung and Islands District Planning Office, (iv) the Sai Kung District Office, and (v) the Hang Hau Rural Committee.

     Any person may make written representations in respect of the amendments to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before April 14. Any person who intends to make a representation is advised to read the Town Planning Board Guidelines No. 29C on "Submission and Processing of Representations and Further Representations" (TPB PG-No. 29C).

     Submission of a representation should comply with the requirements set out in TPB PG-No. 29C. In particular, the representer should take note of the following:

* If the representer fails to provide his or her full name and the first four alphanumeric characters of his or her Hong Kong identity card or passport number as required under TPB PG-No. 29C, the representation submitted shall be treated as not having been made; and
* The Secretariat of the Town Planning Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.

     The Guidelines and the submission form are available at the above locations (i) and (ii) and the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     Copies of the draft Tseung Kwan O OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centre in North Point. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed on the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (February 14) released the latest grading of water quality for six gazetted beaches that are open all year round for swimming.
 
     Six beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
 
 
Grade 1 beaches are:          

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.  Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD's dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, February 14, 2025 is 106.9 (down 0.3 against yesterday's index).