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 19 to noon today (February 20), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 138 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 116 926 samples of food imported from Japan (including 76 612 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 27 124 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     â€‹The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced today (February 20) the updated arrangements of receiving yard waste at the yard waste recycling centre, Y·PARK, from February 24 onwards.
      
     An EPD spokesman said that Y·PARK had moved to a new site at Lung Kwu Sheung Tan, Tuen Mun (See Annex for the location map). Starting from February 24, it will receive yard waste at the new site while the temporary yard waste collection point previously set up at EcoPark will cease operation on the same day.
      
     The operation hours of Y·PARK will remain unchanged, i.e. Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm (except for public holidays). For more information, please visit the Y·PARK website (www.ypark.hk), or contact the Y·PARK contractor by calling its hotline at 5743 9221, or emailing info@ypark.hk.

     The Health Bureau (HHB) announced that citizens are able to open eHealth accounts for their children aged under 16 via the one-stop platform on the eHealth mobile application (eHealth App) from today (February 20), making it more convenient to manage health records of their children. The HHB also introduced a time-limited gift redemption campaign on the same day to encourage parents to register eHealth for their children and to promote public participation in the health challenges on the "e+ Life" platform under eHealth and build healthy habits.

     Starting today, citizens registered with eHealth can log into the eHealth App to register eHealth for their children aged under 16 and verify their identities through the one-stop "My Family" function. Parents can create eHealth accounts for their children easily and conveniently by just taking a photo of their children's Hong Kong Birth Certificate, verifying and filling in the relevant information. Upon successful registration, their children can start building a personal lifelong electronic health record from an early age and receive coherent healthcare services as they grow up. Through the "My Family" function, parents can also access and manage their children's health records, including vaccination, allergy or adverse drug reaction and growth records. For further details of the new registration channel, please visit the eHealth thematic website (app.ehealth.gov.hk/caregiver).

     From today until May 31, children aged under 16 will earn health coins on their eHealth App account for gift redemption, after successful eHealth registration by their parents. Moreover, from today until July 31, parents who register their newborns aged under 1 with eHealth will also receive an extra limited edition Newborn Gift Box, which includes a multipurpose baby stroller bag, a mini soft tape measure, an eHealth picture book and other exquisite gifts. Eligible parents will be notified of the Newborn Gift Box redemption via their registered communication means on eHealth. To receive the Gift Box, they simply need to log into the "My Family" function of the eHealth App and select the delivery address in accordance with the instructions. For details of the collection of the Newborn Gift Box, please visit the eHealth thematic website (app.ehealth.gov.hk/gifts-redemption).

     The Government has been promoting the use of eHealth to assist citizens in managing health records of their own and their family members, as well as developing a healthier lifestyle. Among other things, the HHB launched the "e+ Life" health challenge platform under eHealth in September 2024 to encourage citizens to participate in different health challenges, including the "e+ Go to the Park" and the concluded "10 000 Steps a Day Walking Challenge 2024", allowing them to work out while gaming as well as accumulate health coins. From today until May 31, citizens can use the health coins earned from the "e+ Life" health challenges or eHealth registration of their children to redeem rewards. By scanning the redemption QR code on the eHealth App at designated self-service gift redemption machines located at the following locations, they can redeem a variety of gifts, such as eco umbrella pouches, eco portable cutlery sets and portable picnic mats.

1. Harbour Road Sports Centre 
2. Victoria Park Swimming Pool 
3. Kwun Tong Swimming Pool 
4. Kowloon Park Sports Centre
5. Sham Shui Po Sports Centre
6. Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre 
7. Che Kung Temple Sports Centre 
8. Tsuen Wan Sports Centre 
9. Yuen Long Sports Centre 

     In addition, the HHB will launch a two-week promotional campaign at Times Square, Causeway Bay, in mid-March to assist members of the public to register for eHealth, download the eHealth App and gain a better understanding of its functions. The campaign will feature various interactive activities and on-site giveaways to enhance public understanding of eHealth. A self-service gift redemption machine will also be set up for citizens to redeem gifts with their health coins.

     For more information of the gift redemption and self-service gift redemption machines, as well as updates of the eHealth promotional events, please visit the eHealth thematic website (app.ehealth.gov.hk/elife-redemption) or call the hotline at 3467 6300 for inquiries. The hotline service runs from 9am to 9pm from Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays).

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced today (February 20) that starting from March 1, four additional residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) located in Jiangmen, Foshan and Shenzhen will become Recognised Service Providers under the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong (the Scheme) to provide subsidised care and attention places for participating elderly persons.  

     The information of the additional RCHEs is as follows:
 

     Together with the existing 11 RCHEs, the total number of RCHEs registered under the Scheme will increase to 15, located in six Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) (i.e. Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan and Jiangmen), providing more choices for elderly persons who are interested in retiring in the Mainland cities in the GBA.

     Details of the Scheme are available at the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/pubsvc/elderly/cat_residentcare/subrcheplace/guangdong/index.html).

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met the Governor of Qinghai Province, Mr Luo Dongchuan, today (February 20) to exchange views on deepening co-operation between Hong Kong and Qinghai. Also attending the meeting were the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Luo and his delegation to Hong Kong to attend and officiate at a conference promoting Qinghai-Hong Kong economic and trade exchanges and co-operation. Mr Lee noted that the economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and Qinghai have long been close, with Hong Kong being the largest source of external investment for Qinghai. As of the end of 2023, the cumulative number of Hong Kong enterprises established in Qinghai had exceeded 340. Hong Kong will continue to leverage its advantage of connecting the Mainland and the world, and work with Qinghai to achieve complementarity and mutual benefits, jointly contributing to the country's high-quality development.
      
     Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches importance to youth development. It encourages and supports Hong Kong youth to visit the Mainland for exchanges and internships to enhance their understanding of national development. In July last year, more than 100 young people from Hong Kong visited Xining in Qinghai Province for an exchange programme. He thanked the Qinghai Provincial Government for its emphasis on and support for the event, and looked forward to more youth exchange projects to promote mutual friendship and broaden the horizons of young people from the two places.
      
     With Xining in Qinghai Province being included as one of the applicable cities of the Individual Visit Scheme, and the resumption of direct flights between Xining and Hong Kong, Mr Lee said that people-to-people exchanges between Hong Kong and Qinghai will be further promoted. Hong Kong will continue to deepen its exchanges and co-operation with Qinghai in such areas as the economy and trade, cultural tourism, and youth development, with a view to making greater contributions to national development.