Tag Archives: China

Inspection of aquatic products imported from Japan

     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 January 20 to noon today (January 21), 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 111 432 samples of food imported from Japan (including 72 627 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 25 720 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

East Asia

Employee fined for violation of safety legislation

     An employee was fined $20,000 at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (January 21) for violation of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.
           
     The case involved a fatal accident that occurred on December 28, 2023, in a factory in Yuen Long. A crane in operation collided with another crane that was being used to suspend a metal block. The metal block moved and struck a worker who was carrying out welding work. The worker sustained serious injuries and passed away 22 days later. read more

East Asia

Employer fined for violation of safety legislation

     Kinform Timber Company Limited was fined $120,000 at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (January 21) for violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.

     The case involved a fatal accident that occurred on March 14, 2024, at a warehouse in Sandy Ridge, New Territories. During the unloading of wooden battens from the trailer of a truck, a bundle of wooden battens fell from the trailer and struck a worker. The worker sustained an injury and passed away on the same day. read more

East Asia