Press Releases
PSHWF briefs Heung Yee Kuk on Sheung Shui poultry processing plant project
The Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Mrs Carrie Yau, today
(April 18) briefed the Heung Yee Kuk on the proposed Sheung Shui poultry
processing plant project and exchanged views with Heung Yee Kuk members on the
project.
Mrs Yau repeated that the primary purpose for developing the processing plant to
place poultry slaughtering activities under one roof was to achieve the policy
objective of separating live poultry from humans through minimising their
contacts as far as practicable to reduce the risk of human infection of avian
influenza.
Cases of avian influenza infection were not confined to Asia but had spread to
Europe and Africa, causing a greater global threat. As such, the Government had
to make all the necessary precautions with a view to safeguarding public health,
she said.
The Administration understood the concerns of Heung Yee Kuk members, North
District Council members and residents about the location of the processing
plant and would carefully consider the views gauged, she said.
Mrs Yau stressed that various factors had been taken into account as far as
possible when identifying the plant site. The proposed site is located close to
the boundary and local poultry farms, which could shorten the route for
transporting live chickens. In addition, there was readily available basic
infrastructure such as water and electricity supply and sewage network (the
proposed site was adjacent to the sewage treatment works in Shek Wu Hui), and
the relevant land lot could be used within a short time, allowing the
slaughtering plant to come into operation as soon as possible.
"This is the first time Hong Kong plans to develop a poultry processing
facility, and residents' anxiety is understandable. We are willing to continue
to maintain close contacts with the relevant organisations and stakeholders on
the site issue in the hope of gauging views from various parties during the
planning process and actively seeking a consensus," she said.
Mrs Yau further explained that the Government would conduct a statutory
environmental impact assessment study and request the operator of the processing
plant to adopt design and measures that would effectively control the impact on
the environment and reduce possible nuisance. The proposed processing plant was
expected to adopt enclosed design and install proper facilities for sewage
treatment and discharge, air sterilisation and deodorisation, as well as noise
insulation and silencing so as to minimise the nuisance caused to the nearby
residents.
The Administration had earlier consulted the North District Council and
Legislative Council's Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene on the
project on April 6 and April 11 respectively.
Ends/Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:22
NNNN