The Minutes Were Confirmed on 13 November 2017 Without Amendment

The minutes were confirmed on 13 November 2017 without amendment.

Minutes of the 5th Meeting of the Environmental Improvement Committee under the Yuen Long District Council in 2017

Date: 11 September 2017 (Monday)

Time: 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Venue: Conference Room, 13/F., Yuen Long Government Offices, 2 Kiu Lok Square, Yuen Long

Present Time of Arrival Time of Withdrawal Chairman: Mr LEUNG Fuk-yuen (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Vice-chairman: Mr CHOW Wing-kan (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Members: Mr CHAM Ka-hung, Daniel, (Beginning of the meeting) (4:10 p.m.) BBS, MH, JP Mr CHAN Sze-ching (2:50 p.m.) (End of the meeting) Mr CHEUNG Muk-lam (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Mr LAI Wai-hung (Beginning of the meeting) (3:30 p.m.) Mr LEE Yuet-man, MH (2:55 p.m.) (End of the meeting) Ms MA Shuk-yin (2:50 p.m.) (5:20 p.m.) Ms WONG Wai-ling (Beginning of the meeting) (5:20 p.m.) Mr MAK Ip-sing (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Mr MAN Kwong-ming (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Mr MAN Ping-nam, MH (2:50 p.m.) (3:45 p.m.) Mr TANG Sui-man (Beginning of the meeting) (3:20 p.m.) Mr YIU Kwok-wai (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Ms LAU Kwai-yung (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Mr SHUM Ho-kit (Beginning of the meeting) (4:10 p.m.) Mr SIU Long-ming (2:55 p.m.) (End of the meeting) Mr TANG Cheuk-yin (Beginning of the meeting) (4:10 p.m.) Mr TANG Hing-ip, BBS (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Mr TANG Ka-leung (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Mr TO Ka-lun (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Mr TSANG Shu-wo (Beginning of the meeting) (4:50 p.m.) Mr WONG Wai-shun, MH (Beginning of the meeting) (3:30 p.m.) Mr YOUNG Ka-on (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Ms YUEN Man-yee (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting)

1 Mr LEUNG Ming-kin (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Mr CHEUNG Tsan-wa (3:15 p.m.) (End of the meeting) Mr NG Ming-ngok Joseph (Beginning of the meeting) (End of the meeting) Mr TANG Chung-yee (Beginning of the meeting) (4:30 p.m.)

Secretary: Mr MOK Kit Hoi, Winston Executive Officer (District Council)5, Yuen Long District Office

In attendance Mr CHAN Hon-kwan, Harris Senior Liaison Officer (Rural), Yuen Long District Office Mr SZETO Wing-kwok Senior Environmental Protection Officer (Regional North) 2, Environmental Protection Department Mr CHEUNG Pui Chung District Environmental Hygiene Supt (Yuen Long), Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Mr WONG Kin-wai, Kelvin Administrative Assistant/Lands (District Lands Office, Yuen Long), Lands Department Ms LEE Lai-sheung, Susan Deputy District Leisure Manager (Yuen Long) 2, Leisure and Cultural Services Department Ms LI Yuk Tsz Engineer/16 (New Territories West), Civil Engineering and Development Department Mr KWOK Hing-ping Mr WONG Wai-yin

Zachary

Item 2(1) Ms LAM Yuen Assistant Public Relations Manager-External (transliteration) Affairs, MTR Corporation Limited

Item 3(1) Mr LI Ka Wing, Peter OC, Yuen Long Division Task Force, Hong Kong Police Force Mr LI Kin-wong Police Community Relations Officer (Yuen (transliteration) Long District), Hong Kong Police Force

Item 3(4) Dr LEE On On, Joanne Fisheries Officer (Aquaculture Environment), Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department

2 Item 3(5) and (7) Mr SHIH Yung Chi District Engineer/Yuen Long (West)

Item 3(10) Mr LAI Ming Kin, Vincent Engineer/3, Civil Engineering and Development Department Mr LEUNG Cho Shing, Joe Environment Protection Officer(Assessment & Noise), Environmental Protection Department

Absent Mr LUI Kin, MH Mr TANG Ho-nin (Absent due to other commitments) Mr TANG Yung-yiu, (Absent due to other commitments) Ronnie Mr LAM Tim-fook (Absent due to other commitments) Mr LAW Chi-keung (Absent due to other commitments) Mr WONG Chi-wan

* * * * *

Opening Remarks

The Chairman welcomed Members and representatives from government departments to the 5 th meeting of the Environmental Improvement Committee, Yuen Long District Council (“EIC”) (2017).

2. Since items 3(1), 3(2) and 3(3) of the agenda were about illegal street obstruction, their discussions were combined. Since items 3(5), 3(6) and 3(7) of the agenda were about mosquitoes and prevention of Japanese encephalitis, their discussions were also combined.

Item 1: ConfirmatConfirmation ion of the minutes of the fourth meeting ofof the EIC in 2017 3. The minutes of the fourth meeting were confirmed by Members unanimously.

Item 2: Matters arising: (1)(1)(1) Request by Mr WONG WaiWai----shun,shun, MH for MTRC to report on the progress and timetable of the nonoiseise barrier installation worksworks for the West Rail LiLinene (EIC Paper No. 37, 57 and 69/2017) 4. The Chairman welcomed the following person to the meeting:

Ms LAM Yuen Assistant Public Relations Manager-External Affairs, MTR Corporation Limited

5. Members ’ opinions and enquiries on the issue were summarised as follows: (1) Members were dissatisfied that MTRC delayed the installation of noise barriers of the West Rail Line repeatedly and now to 2020. Therefore they requested the corporation to explain the delay. (2) Members believed that for years MTRC and the Civil Engineering and Development Department had not come to an agreement about installing noise barriers on the West Rail Line. They hoped that the corporation and the department would send representatives to the meeting of the EIC to answer questions. (3) Members questioned whether noise barriers were installed only because of the property which would soon be built on top of the Yuen Long Station. (4) Members asked MTRC to provide details about the area and length of the noise barriers.

6. MTRC gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) Noise barriers were installed along the West Rail Line to reduce the effects of noise from the rail line on nearby residential areas in accordance with the Noise Control Ordinance. The plan for the barriers was not connected to any construction of property on top of rail stations. (2) The corporation was actively engaged with government departments to study all possible plans to improve the design of the noise barriers and to finish installing them as soon as possible. The plan was expected to be finalized in the first half of 2018. Nevertheless, there was still not a certain timetable for the installation work, . (3) The project of putting acoustic louvres on the outside walls of the Yuen Long Station to reduce noise was finished in the summer of 2016. (4) The installation sites of noise barriers for the West Rail Line and a government cycling entry/exit hub partly overlapped. To

4 minimize impact of their installation or construction on the community and the environment, MTRC and the Civil Engineering and Development Department had reached an agreement that MTRC would also take up the construction of the cycling entry/exit hub and carry out such projects in several stages, so that while the installation work for the noise barriers was undertaken, some of the facilities of the hub would be available to the public. (5) The cycling entry/exit hub was expected to be partly open to the public in 2019. (6) MTRC learnt that in July the Civil Engineering and Development Department reported progress of the project of the cycling entry/exit hub in the Traffic and Transport Committee. MTRC and the department would closely monitor the progress of the project and would provide timely reports to the District Council.

7. The Chairman concluded by requesting MTRC to monitor progress of all projects. Since the completion date of the cycling entry/exit hub was postponed more than once, he requested MTRC and relevant departments to provide details of its design and progress of the works.

(((2(222)))) Mr MAK IpIp----singsing and Mr TO KaKa----lunlun strongly requested that waste recovery facilities be provided at San Tin Shopping Centre (EIC Paper No. 52/2017) 8. Members ’ opinions and enquiries on the issue were summarised as follows: (1) It was expected that The Boxes (“the shopping centre”) would produce a large amount of commercial waste. Therefore the number of waste recovery facilities should be increased. (2) Members believed that the present waste collection area was too small. The area reserved for waste collection was out of proportion with the area of the shopping centre. (3) Members suggested that covers should be added to the drains in the waste collection area. (4) Members worried that if parallel traders would gather in the shopping centre and nearby pavements, numbers of rubbish would be left in the

5 areas.. (5) Members believed that relevant departments should have measures to deal with the waste problem that parallel traders might cause and that prosecution of people who violate the law may deter other people from doing so. (6) Members asked the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to provide the number and time of prosecutions of violations. (7) Members asked whether relevant departments and management of the shopping centre had set a policy for handling the large amount of waste produced in it. (8) Some members believed that since the shopping mall is privately operated, the government should not interfere excessively with its management, which should be able to deal with its commercial waste.

9. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) Private businesses should be accountable for the commercial waste produced due to their business activities. The department would prosecute people who illegally dump litter in public places. (2) The department sent teams to the North District and Yuen Long District, which contain blackspots of parallel trading, to carry out inspection and enforce the law. (3) The department would report in the next meeting the number of prosecutions against violators and the results of its action.

10. The Chairman concluded by remarking that although San Tin Shopping Centre is privately operated, the government should monitor its waste treatment.

Item 3: Enquiries from Members (1)(1)(1) Mr TO KaKa----lunlun and Mr MAK IpIpIp- Ip ---singsing raised concern over obstruction of pedestrian accesses caused by illegal placement of stores in Yuen Long district (EIC Paper No. 59/2017) (2)(2)(2) Mr LUI Kin, MH, Mr SIU LongLong----ming,ming, Ms WONG WaiWai----lingling and Ms MA ShukShuk----yinyin raised concern over street obstruobstructionction caused byby stores at Tai Tong Road (EIC Paper No. 60/2017)

6 (3)(3)(3) Mr LEE YuetYuet----man,man, MH requested to prosecute beneficiaries of illillegalegal commercial advertisements (EIC Paper No. 61/2017) 11. The Chairman remarked that since the above three enquiries were related to illegal obstruction, their discussions would be combined. He welcomed the following persons to the meeting:

Mr LI Ka OC, Yuen Long Division Task Force, Hong Kong Wing, Peter Police Force Mr LI Police Community Relations Officer (Yuen Long Kin-wong District), Hong Kong Police Force

12. Members ’opinions and enquiries on the issue were summarised as follows: (1) Members thanks the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) for its efforts of cracking down on illegal street obstruction. (2) Members pointed out that in Yuen Long many pharmacies and vegetable stalls had obstructed pavements and carriageways by their goods, and even put a lot of cardboard in side streets. (3) Members asked the police for statistics of the number of prosecutions and advice that it made or issued against people who caused illegal obstruction. (4) Members noticed that some FEHD personnel did not actively enforce the law. (5) Members believed that pavements and carriageways were often obstructed because Yuen Long lacked parking spaces and pavements were too narrow. There was a proliferation of parallel traders in recent years. Their activities obstructed pavements. (6) Members believed that obstruction of pavements due to these business activities should be tolerated within reason. (7) They believed that pharmacies should have space in their premises for customers to sort out their purchases. (8) Members believed that the FEHD's prosecutions against illegal shop front extensions, commercial pull-up banners, advertisements and banners were not effective. From May to July only six prosecutions resulted in convictions, but the number of illegally put up long term advertisements was much greater than that of prosecutions.

7 (9) Members were dissatisfied with a written response of the FEHD which stated that during an inspection of the Ginza Light Rail Stop in Tin Shui Wai no commercial pull-up banners, advertisements or banners were found because most of them were seen there for a long time. (10) Members asked whether FEHD personnel had used information on commercial pull-up banners, advertisements and banners to contact their beneficiaries to warn them and prosecute them. (11) Members suggested that the FEHD should classify Tin Shui Wai as a black spot of illegal shop front extensions, commercial pull-up banners, advertisements and banners.

13. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) After implementing the system of fixed penalties to illegal shop front extensions, the number of prosecutions that were made in Yuen Long was the highest among the 18 districts of Hong Kong. (2) When the law is enforced the actual environment will be considered. Obstruction such as loading and unloading which takes a short time is handled flexibly. (3) Joint action with the police would crack down on illegal shop front extensions. (4) Action had been taken against illegal shop front extensions on Tai Tong Road. On the day the action was taken, vegetable stalls were immediately prosecuted and were asked to have their goods on lay-bys removed and put on their trucks or premises. (5) The keenness of frontline workers of the FEHD in enforcing the law would be increased. The department, however, denied that its workers were not able to enforce the law. (6) Manpower would be focused on black spots of commercial pull-up banners, advertisements and banners in Yuen Long city centre, for example, Castle Peak Road – Yuen Long, Tai Tong Road, Citistore and HSBC. (7) The department had repeatedly sent personnel to inspect the area near the Ginza Stop in Tin Shui Wai. If they found illegally displayed pull-up banners, advertisements and banners they would immediately make use of information on the materials to contact people who were responsible

8 for them to warn them verbally. If such illegally displayed publicities were found again then fixed penalty tickets would be issued. (8) The manpower for handling illegally displayed pull-up banners, advertisements and banners in Tin Shui Wai would be enhanced. (9) In about October and November of 2017 the FEHD would conduct a large campaign throughout Hong Kong against illegally displayed pull-up banners, advertisements and banners. The department would step up its promotion to educate citizens against these forms of illegal publicity. (10) The department admitted that it was difficult to completely demolish illegally displayed pull-up banners, advertisements, banners and salespeople who worked with them. Under current laws, personnel of the department can remove these illegally displayed forms of publicity but could not request the salespeople who worked with them to leave.

14. The Police Force gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) The police understood that the FEHD ran into certain difficulty when it tried to enforce the law. The police would cooperate with the department and the Environmental Protection Department to ensure the smooth completion of their actions. (2) If it was discovered that workers of a shop were loading or unloading goods from a vehicle parked on a street with yellow box markings or double yellow lines, or if shop front extensions were obstructing a street then a prosecution would be made. If Members needed figures of successful prosecutions they would be provided later.

15. The Chairman concluded by saying that the police should work hard to cooperate with the FEHD, but when the law was enforced strictly the government should strike a balance between reducing illegal street obstruction and hindering business activities.

(4)(4)(4) Mr MAK IpIp----sing,sing, Ms CHAN MeiMei----lin,lin, Mr WONG WaiWai----yin,yin, Zachary, the Hon KWONG ChunChun----yuyu and Mr TO KaKa----lunlun enquired about the spispillagellage of palm stearin (EIC Paper No. 62/2017) 16. The Chairman welcomed the following person to the meeting:

9 Dr Lee On On, Fisheries Officer (Aquaculture Environment), Joanne Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department

17. Members ’ opinions and enquiries on the issue were summarised as follows: (1) Members hoped that relevant departments would clarify whether human consumption of the seafood polluted by palm stearin would cause adverse impact on health. (2) Members were dissatisfied with a written response which claimed that no significant amount of palm stearin had drifted to Deep Bay. In fact it had drifted to many beaches in Hong Kong and caused pollution there. (3) Members were unhappy that only the palm stearin on the sea was cleaned up but palm stearin that drifted onto the shore was not. They worried that the palm stearin on land would melt under the sun and cause pollution. (4) Members wished to know whether palm stearin on the sea would melt under sunlight. (5) Members said that the government should monitor the surface of the sea regularly. If an accident happens then it can react quickly to minimize any effects of the accident and pollution that it might cause.

18. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) Since the AFCD became aware of the incident it stepped up its monitoring of fish culture zones, other ecologically sensitive places and areas of high ecological value such as marine reserves and Deep Bay. It was not found that fish or other marine life was affected by palm stearin. (2) No fish farmer reported that a large number of fishes had died abnormally. (3) Parts of the sea near Deep Bay were inspected. No abnormality was found. The amount of palm stearin in sea water samples from the area was below detectable levels. (4) The AFCD responded on behalf of the Centre for Food Safety that seafood and other marine life of the region were not affected by palm stearin. As a result it was safe to eat seafood from the area. (5) Even when heated by sunlight, the temperature of sea water is not high

10 enough to melt the palm stearin drifting on the sea. (6) The FEHD was working hard to clean up the palm stearin that had collected on the shore. (7) The EPD and the Marine Department should have a notification mechanism which communicates with relevant bodies on the Mainland.

19. The Chairman concluded by asking all departments to keep monitoring the effects of palm stearin on the coast and ecology. He also hoped that all departments would consider Members' opinions about a notification mechanism between Hong Kong and Mainland departments.

(5)(5)(5) Mr LEE YuetYuet----man,man, MH urged the departments to maintain environmental hygiene and step up antianti----mosquitomosquito efforts with a view to preventing the spreaspreadd of Japanese encephalitis (EIC Paper No. 63/2017) (((6(666)))) Mr MAK IpIpIp-Ip ---singsing requested to step up antianti----mosquitomosquito efforts and trimming of roadside weed in the district (EIC Paper No. 64/2017) (((7(777)))) Ms MA ShukShuk----yin,yin, Mr SIU LongLong----ming,ming, Ms WONG WaiWai----lingling and Mr LUI Kin, MH requested to step up cleansing work in the district with a view to preventing Japanese encephalitis (EIC Paper No. 65/2017) 20. The Chairman said that since all three items were related to mosquitoes and prevention of Japanese encephalitis, their discussions would be combined. He welcomed the following person to the meeting:

Mr SHIH Yung District Engineer/Yuen Long (West), Highways Chi Department

21. Members ’opinions and enquiries on the issue were summarised as follows: (1) Members complimented the FEHD and other departments for working hard in the district for months to exterminate mosquitoes. (2) Members worried that frequent recent rain and typhoons had reduced the effects of mosquito extermination. They hoped that relevant government departments would step up anti-mosquito efforts and remove stagnant water. (3) Although the FEHD stepped up anti-mosquito efforts in the district and

11 conducted publicity and education activities, their effects were limited. (4) Members suggested preventing Japanese encephalitis by attacking its source. The disease is transmitted from a pig infected with its virus to a mosquito of the species Culex tritaeniorhynchus. When an infected mosquito bites a person the disease is transmitted to the person. Since the flight range of this type of mosquito is about two kilometres, pig farms and nearby areas should have strong mosquito control measures. (5) Tin Shui Wai is rather far away from pig farms. Therefore, the cases of Japanese encephalitis in Tin Shui Wai were probably transmitted by mosquitoes breeding in blocked drains. (6) Members requested the standing representative of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) to comment whether Japanese encephalitis is mainly transmitted though pigs. (7) Members believed that outsourced workers should be more closely monitored. (8) Members believed that the FEHD should devote more resources to exterminate and control mosquitoes. (9) Members believed that it took a lot of time to coordinate the work of various departments, so that the best opportunity for exterminating and controlling mosquitoes was missed. They hoped that the Home Affairs Department would coordinate the work. (10) The FEHD should exterminate mosquitoes in villages, instead of delivering mosquito larvicial oil and mosquito repellents to village representatives and asking them to spray them. (11) Members suggested that mosquito trapping devices should be installed in villages.

22. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) The department understood that Members and citizens were worried about Japanese encephalitis, so promotion of mosquito control in the district was strengthened and cleaning kits and mosquito control kits were distributed. (2) It is important that citizens cooperated with the government to control mosquitoes, because government workers may not enter private land, such as private land in a village, to control mosquitoes.

12 (3) The ovitrap index at Yuen Kong, Yuen Long dropped in August, after exceeding the alert level in July. This demonstrated that the efforts over months were well repaid . (4) Mosquito control units had been formed to patrol all districts and to make prosecutions. If they found mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water and rubbish, they would immediately make a prosecution against responsible parties. Now they were targeting building sites. (5) In August and September, the Home Affairs Department diverted resources to the FEHD to set up mobile pest control teams for exterminating pests. (6) Mosquito extermination was targeted at the vicinity of pig farms. FEHD workers, AFCD workers and professionals from the pest control advisory section inspected pig farms in Yuen Long and exterminated mosquitoes there. They found that mosquito control there was well done. (7) The department believed it was possible that after a mosquito which bred near a pig farm bit an infected pig and then a person, Japanese encephalitis was transmitted. (8) There was no plan for installing a large number of mosquito trapping devices because their effects were limited.

23. The Highways Department gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) The department regularly removes sludge from catchwaters. It does so before and after it rains. It regularly inspects catchwaters and monitors outsourced workers. In the future it would step up its monitoring of the workers. (2) If Members find that a catchwater is blocked they can inform the Highways Department to take action.

24. The District Office gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) The District-led Actions Scheme included stepped up anti-mosquito efforts and weed trimming. The office understood the great importance of inter-departmental cooperation in effective mosquito control. (2) The office agreed that monitoring of outsourced workers should be strengthened, and that mosquito extermination should be flexibly conducted according to weather conditions.

13 (3) Since a lot of village land was private, workers of the office could not get there to trim weeds or exterminate mosquitoes. The office hoped that village representatives would help contact land owners to perform mosquito control.

25. The Chairman concluded by saying that he appreciated how Members and citizens were concerned for mosquito control and prevention of Japanese encephalitis. He asked the various departments to cooperate to fight the mosquito problem. Since the standing representative of the AFCD was absent from the meeting, the question about whether pigs were a main factor that contributed to the transmission of the disease was not answered. The Chairman therefore asked the department to answer the question after the meeting, and the secretariat to remind the standing representative to attend the meeting so that he could answer Members' questions immediately.

[Note: After the meeting the secretariat sent a letter to the AFCD regarding Members' opinions. On 24 October the response of the department was sent to the Members.]

(8)(8)(8) Mr TANG YungYung----yiu,yiu, Ronnie requested that a public refuse collecticollectionon point be provided at Pat Heung Shek Kong Bridge, Yuen Long, New Territories (EIC Paper No. 66/2017) 26. The Chairman said that Mr TANG Yung-yiu asked to be absent from the meeting because of other commitments. At the request of Mr TANG, the item was cancelled from the agenda and would be discussed in the next meeting.

(9)(9)(9) Mr MAK IpIp----singsing requested the Government to step up street clecleansingansing work (EIC Paper No. 67/2017) 27. Members’ opinions and enquiries on the issue were summarised as follows: (1) Members hoped that the FEHD would step up its cleansing of the streets near Villa Premiere, Fung Yau Street and the streets near Kai Tei. (2) Members complimented the FEHD for its efforts in cleansing streets, but they asked the department and the Highways Department to clarify their authority and duties about cleansing pedestrian subways and footbridges. They also pointed out that pedestrian subways and footbridges were not cleansed often enough. (3) Members observed that the division of labour of outsourced workers of

14 the FEHD who washed streets was not balanced. (4) Members suggested that the FEHD should step up its cleansing of rural refuse depots and black spots of illegal rubbish dumping.

28. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) The division of labour about cleansing pedestrian subways and footbridges remained unchanged. The Highways Department was responsible for structural cleansing. The FEHD was responsible for everyday cleansing. (2) If the FEHD receives a report about hygiene problems in a pedestrian subway or on a footbridge it will take action to solve them. (3) The department would step up its cleansing of footbridges in Tin Shui Wai. If necessary, they would be cleansed once a month. (4) According to the cleanliness of a street the department stated the frequency with which it should be cleansed in outsourcing contracts. It would review whether the frequency should be increased. (5) Anyone who leaves solid or liquid waste on a street will be prosecuted. (6) Streets were cleansed in two ways. In one way a water wagon was used. Its driver was also the supervisor of three workers. One of the workers held a hose, another one pulled it along and a third one swept the street. On a busy street an extra worker held a sheet which prevented water from splashing around. In the second way a high pressure hot water gun was used to cleanse narrow streets which a water wagon could not get into. (7) Task teams were set up to deal with fly-tipping. In July and August 2017 about two hundred prosecutions were made. More than ten of them were made for fly-tipping in rural refuse depots.

29. The Chairman concluded that the FEHD could step up its removal of large pieces of rubbish such as furniture in rural areas, and might reconsider its deployment of resources and manpower. It should pay attention to negotiations with other departments about cleansing footbridges, thus improving environmental cleanliness.

(((10(101010)))) Mr SIU LongLong----ming,ming, Mr LUI Kin, MH, Ms WONG WaiWai----lingling and Ms MA ShukShuk----yinyin requested that the noisenoise----reducingreducing road surface material used at Yuen Long On Lok Road be extended to the vicinity of West Rail Long

15 Ping Station (EIC Paper No. 68/2017) 30. The Chairman welcomed the following persons to the meeting:

Mr LAI Ming Engineer/3, Civil Engineering and Development Kin, Vincent Department Mr LEUNG Environment Protection Officer (Assessment & Noise), Cho Shing, Joe Environmental Protection Department

31. Members ’ opinions and enquiries on the issue were summarised as follows: (1) Members remarked that traffic on and near On Lok Road were very busy. Residential buildings near the road were being completed. Members hoped that when the government tests the noise-reducing road surface material from On Lok Road to Shui Mun Tau at the end of this year and early next year, the test would be extended to the vicinity of West Rail Long Ping Station, so that nearby residents could benefit from it and provide comments on it.

32. The Highways Department and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) The original plan of the test was final. If the area of the project was changed then its progress would be greatly affected, but after this initial field test, tests on other roads for further data collection would be considered.

33. The Chairman concluded that he hoped the field test would go smoothly and would be extended to the vicinity of West Rail Long Ping Station so that nearby residents would be less affected by noise on the road.

Item 4: Enforcement activities and prosecution statistics ooff livestock waste control by the Environmental Protection Department (as at August 2017)2017)(EIC(EIC Paper No. 70/2017) 34. Members noted the above paper.

Item 5: Yuen Long district air ququalityality health index for JulyJuly and August 2017 (EIC Paper No. 71/2017) 35. Members noted the above paper.

Item 6: Statistics regarding inspections and warning letterletterss issued to farms in Yuen Long by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (July and August 2017)2017)(EIC(EIC Paper No. 72/2017) 36. Members noted the above paper.

Item 7: Progress report on environmental hygiene issues by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (July and August 2017)2017)(EIC(EIC Paper No. 73/2017) 37. Members noted the above paper.

Item 8: Paper of the Food and Environmental Hygiene DepartmDepartment:ent: Briefing Note of 2018 Lunar New Year Fair in Yuen Long (EIC Paper No. 74/2017) 38. Members’ opinions and enquiries on the issue were summarised as follows: (1) Members suggested that stall operators should put down a deposit for protecting the environment. If they fulfill certain conditions then the deposit would be returned to them. (2) Members suggested that there should be environmental protection groups at the fair to promote reducing waste at the source. (3) Members suggested that pavements and roads in the industrial area near Yuen Long Stadium should be used to enlarge the area of the fair and to improve people flow. (4) Members requested another Lunar New Year Fair in Tin Shui Wai. (5) Members suggested that the venue of bidding for the stalls at the fair should be in Yuen Long instead of Tin Shui Wai because of its proximity to the fair.

39. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) gave a consolidated response as follows: (1) The representative of the department gave a brief introduction of the paper. He pointed out that this year the EPD would promote the message “use less, waste less” to stall operators and would do so in the fair, to improve the operators' environmental awareness. (2) The Environmental Campaign Committee would invite some NGOs to promote a green fair and would encourage stall operators to separate waste for recycling.

17 (3) The suggestion about an environmental deposit would be related to the headquarters for review. (4) The fair lasts two weeks from its preparation to its end. If pavements or roads were closed for two weeks users would be seriously affected. (5) A Lunar New Year Fair in Tin Shui Wai, for example, in the hard-surface pitch near Tin Sau Bazaar, would be considered. (6) If a suitable venue in Yuen Long is available next year, the bidding will be carried out there.

Item 9: Any other business 40. There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:30 pm.

Yuen Long District Council Secretariat October 2017

October 2017