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Press
Releases - 1998
Plastic
Waste Shipped Out of Hong Kong
In response
to media enquiries, a spokesman for the Environmental Protection
Department (EPD) said today (Wednesday) that the all the waste
salvaged so far from a sunken vessel in Mirs Bay was shipped
out of Hong Kong on Saturday (January 17) and taken to Yantian
for recycling.
The shipment
was arranged after EPD staff had inspected the salvaged waste
and found no indication that the waste was contaminated, the
spokesman said.
The vessel,
Xing Yie 525, was reported to be carrying 38 containers of
plastic scrap when it sank in Mirs Bay on January 1, 1998.
So far, 37 containers have been recovered.
The spokesman
said the waste, consisting mainly of plastic bottles and bags,
has been given permission for recycling in the Mainland.
"The whole
shipment had been previously inspected by a mainland-approved
agent whilst in transit in Hong Kong, and found to be uncontaminated
and suitable for import into mainland China for recycling.
"Accordingly,
it was not necessary for the waste owner to obtain a permit
from the EPD prior to shipping the waste through Hong Kong.
"The EPD
and the Marine Department have been liaising with the waste
cargo owner, his shipping agent and other parties concerned
to ensure that the salvaged waste is taken out of Hong Kong
to its intended destination."
"The small
quantity of remaining waste yet to be recovered, if found
to be uncontaminated , will also be shipped to mainland China
as soon as possible," the spokesman said.
End/Wednesday,
January 21, 1998
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