Press Releases
Public consultation on refined regulatory framework for pesticide residues in food launched
The Food and Health Bureau (FHB) and the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today
(July 13) launched a public consultation on the proposed refined regulatory
framework for pesticide residues in food. The consultation exercise will
last for about two months until September 19.
A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said, "To better protect public
health, facilitate effective regulatory control of pesticide residues in
food and promote harmonisation between local and international standards,
the Government proposes to introduce a Regulation on Pesticide Residues in
Food under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) to
provide specific legal provisions to regulate the level of pesticide
residues in food. In striving to achieve the above objectives, the
Government is mindful of the need to maintain stable supply of food in Hong
Kong."
At present, while there are general provisions under Cap. 132 that all food
on sale for human consumption must be wholesome, unadulterated and fit for
human consumption, there is no specific legal provision that regulates the
level of pesticide residues in food.
"Most of the developed countries have already introduced statutory control
on pesticide resides in food. Hence there is a genuine need to introduce
specific legal provision to regulate pesticide residues in food in Hong
Kong," the spokesman said.
The consultation document sets out the proposed refined regulatory
framework, which is summarised as follows:
* Defining "pesticide" and other related terms in a way consistent with the
Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), the international food standard
setting authority, adopting Codex's classification of foods, and formulating
standards suitable for Hong Kong based on the maximum residue limits (MRLs)
of Codex;
* Prohibiting the import and sale of the concerned food for which no MRL/extraneous
maximum residue limit (EMRL) has been specified, unless the Director of Food
and Environmental Hygiene is satisfied that the detected level will not be
dangerous or prejudicial to health;
* Providing a list of exempted substances to allow the trade to use
pesticides that are natural and for which the residues are identical to or
indistinguishable from natural food components; and
* Commencing the proposed Regulation after a two-year grace period.
"We have conducted 14 briefings and consultation sessions for the
stakeholders since January 2011. After listening to the views from different
parties, we came up with the refined regulatory framework in the
consultation document. The refined regulatory framework has received general
support from the trade. We hope to collect views from the public and
different sectors in the coming two months. The Government will take the
views received into consideration before finalising the proposed Regulation.
We plan to table the proposed Regulation at the Legislative Council toward
the end of 2011," the spokesman said.
The consultation document has been uploaded to the FHB website (www.fhb.gov.hk)
and the CFS website (www.cfs.gov.hk). It
can also be obtained from the following locations:
* CFS Communication Resource Unit, 8/F, Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services
Building, 123A Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon;
* District Environmental Hygiene Offices of the Food and Environmental
Hygiene Department; and
* District Offices of the Home Affairs Department.
"Three public consultation forums will be held for members of the public to
express their views. In addition, the Government will arrange separate
briefings for relevant stakeholders," the spokesman said.
Details of the forums are as follows:
Date: July 28
Time: 10am to noon
Venue: Hall, 2/F, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi
Kok, Kowloon
Date: August 20
Time: 10am to noon
Venue: Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Central Library, 66, Causeway Road,
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Date: August 30
Time: 2.30pm to 4.30pm
Venue: Lecture Hall, 1/F, Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road,
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Members of the public who are interested to attend may call 2381 6096 during
office hours for seat reservation.
Written views and comments should be sent to the CFS of the Food and
Environmental Hygiene Department on or before September 19: by post to 43/F,
Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong (Attn: Consultation on
Pesticide Residues in Food); by fax to 2893 3547; or by email to
pesticide_consultation@fehd.gov.hk. Enquiries can be made on 2867 5699.
Ends/Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:14
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