Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Second Phase of Anti-Rodent Campaign 2019 in Tai Po District
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Tai Po District Council Discussion Paper No. EHW 43/2019 For Environment, Housing and Works Committee Meeting on 10 July 2019 Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Second Phase of Anti-rodent Campaign 2019 in Tai Po District Purpose To brief Members on the arrangements and details of the Second Phase of Anti-rodent Campaign 2019 to be launched by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) in Tai Po District. Background 2. The First Phase of Anti-rodent Campaign 2019 was launched from 7.1.2019 to 15.3.2019. Actions taken in the district and the results of the Campaign are detailed at Annex I. Second Phase of Anti-rodent Campaign 3. The Second Phase of Anti-rodent Campaign, under the slogan “Prevent Disease Eliminate Rodent Nuisance”, is to be launched from 8.7.2019 to 13.9.2019 with a view to sustaining the effectiveness and consolidating the work carried out during the First Phase. The Second Phase will continue to target at markets/ municipal services buildings, hawker bazaars, typhoon shelters, lanes adjacent to food premises and other problematic spots as well as their surroundings. The objectives of this phase are – (a) To arouse public awareness on the significance of rodent prevention and control in the community; (b) To promote participation of the public in rodent prevention and control work in their premises; and (c) To reduce the rodent population in the territory, particularly in the target areas and their peripheries. - 1 - 4. Poor environmental hygiene, improper handling and disposal of refuse, structural defects and inadequate rodent proofing are the major causes of rodent infestation in markets/municipal services buildings, typhoon shelters, lanes adjacent to food premises and other rodent problematic spots. To prevent rodent infestation effectively, it is important to tackle the problem at root by eliminating the three survival conditions of rodents, namely food, harbourage and passages, meaning the elimination of food sources and hiding places of rodents, as well as blockage of their passages. These problems will be addressed during the Second Phase of Anti-rodent Campaign 2019 with a view to raising awareness of the people living or working in those problematic areas on the importance of proper rodent prevention and control. Besides, rodent prevention and control work will be strengthened in areas with Rodent Infestation Rate (RIR) of 10 percent or higher obtained in the first half of 2019. To sustain the results of rodent prevention and control work, publicity education will be strengthened in areas with RIR below 10 percent obtained in the first half of 2019. Action Plan 5. During the Campaign period, our in-house and pest control contractors’ staff will, in accordance with the action plan at Annex II, carry out systematic rodent surveys and disinfestation work in the target areas, and public places in their vicinity, such as vacant lands, sewers, flower beds, refuse collection points, etc, as well as other rodent problematic spots. Poisonous baits or rodent traps will be set whenever signs of rodent infestation are detected. At the same time, staff of our Hawkers, Markets and Cleansing Sections will step up inspections of markets/municipal services buildings, typhoon shelters, lanes adjacent to food premises and other problematic spots in the target areas, and to augment rodent prevention and control work in those areas. 6. To intensify rodent prevention and control work in the district, we have taken into account factors including RIR, the number of rodent complaints received, views of the local community and the number of food premises and “three-nil” buildings in identifying suitable locations in each district to carry out targeted rear lane anti-rodent operations (Please refer to Annex III). Adopting multi-pronged strategies and the concept of rodent disinfestation in designated target areas, we carry out targeted rodent prevention and control work through elimination of the three basic survival conditions of rodents, namely food, harbourage and passages, including improving environmental hygiene, stepping up rodent disinfestation and enforcement actions. Pest Control, Cleansing, Environmental Hygiene, Markets and Hawkers Sections of FEHD will carry out strategic anti-rodent operations on various fronts with a view to eliminating the food sources and hiding places of rodents, as well as - 2 - blocking their passages. Apart from stepping up anti-rodent work, we will enhance street cleansing services in target rear lanes, including sweeping and washing streets and rear lanes, removing refuse and waste, emptying and washing litter containers as well as clearing miscellaneous articles and refuse from shops in the target rear lanes and their vicinity, so as to keep the environment clean. 7. In addition, to enhance the effectiveness of anti-rodent work in target rear lanes, we will step up inspections of food premises and enforcement actions against food premises causing poor environmental hygiene conditions, food preparation and scullery in rear lanes and improper handling and disposal of rubbish, etc. We will adopt a zero-tolerance approach against common public cleanliness offences and take stringent enforcement actions against illegal disposal of refuse and waste. 8. To increase public knowledge about rodent control and elimination in rear lanes, we will also step up public education and publicity. We will collaborate with the District Councils and District Offices of the Home Affairs Department to organize anti-rodent promotional activities and arrange health talks for building management offices of private buildings, persons-in-charge of food premises, and market and hawker stall operators to provide information and technical advice on rodent prevention and control. 9. Once the anti-rodent work in target rear lanes achieves positive results, we will extend the scope of such work to cover more places. The multi-pronged strategies and the concept of rodent disinfestation in designated target areas will continue to be adopted to eliminate the three basic survival conditions of rodents, namely food, harbourage and passages so as to enhance the effectiveness of the Anti-rodent Campaign. 10. Relevant government departments including the Housing Department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Home Affairs Department, the Highways Department, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Lands Department and the Marine Department, etc. have been notified of the Second Phase of Anti-rodent Campaign 2019 and invited to take appropriate actions in rodent prevention and control in areas under their respective ambit. Publicity and Education 11. Effective rodent prevention and control hinges on the active participation - 3 - and support of the community in anti-rodent work, especially in maintaining environmental hygiene, proper handling and disposal of rubbish, repairing damaged building fittings and taking rodent-proofing measures, etc. Hence, on publicity and education fronts, the department will adopt the following measures in addition to arranging television and radio announcements in public interests - (a) To produce publicity posters, pamphlets, banners and educational materials on rodent prevention and control for public circulation; (b) To enhance and maintain close liaison with the relevant government departments and local organizations; (c) To disseminate messages on rodent prevention and control by broadcasting van and distribute publicity materials to the public; (d) To organize thematic talks on rodent prevention and control and ectoparasites of rodent for stall tenants and the management of the public markets; (e) To organize roving exhibitions at major shopping malls of housing estates and outreaching health talks for students and management of housing estates; (f) To disseminate messages on rodent prevention and control to various stakeholders of the target rear lanes and organize health talks to provide them with information and technical advice on rodent prevention and control; (g) To hold thematic exhibitions at the FEHD Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre, and include information of the Campaign in the FEHD homepage; and (h) To disseminate messages on rodent prevention and control through the Facebook and the Instagram of Keep Clean Ambassador 「Ah Tak」. 12. To ensure smooth implementation of the Campaign, the Pest Control Advisory Section of the department would provide technical assistance in the rodent prevention and control operations and the related publicity and education activities. - 4 - Local Participation 13. To enlist support and active participation of the District Council in the Campaign, Council Members and Committee Members will be invited to participate in related events, organize publicity activities and offer views on the rodent prevention and control work. Tai Po District Environmental Hygiene Office Food and Environmental Hygiene Department 26 June 2019 - 5 - Annex I Food and Environmental Hygiene Department First Phase of Anti-rodent Campaign 2019 in Tai Po District The First Phase of the Anti-rodent Campaign 2019 was launched between 7.1.2019 and 15.3.2019. During the period, related rodent prevention and control measures were carried out smoothly. The actions and results of the First Phase of the Anti-rodent Campaign 2019 in the district are as follows: 1. Number of patrols conducted at target areas : 798 2. Number of rat cages and traps placed : 4786 3. Number of rodent poison