Press Releases
Progress of cleaning up plastic pellets scattered on beaches, at sea and at fish culture zones (with photos)
The Government today (August 7) continued to clean up the polypropylene
plastic pellets scattered on beaches, at sea and at fish culture zones after
Typhoon Vicente.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department collected around 1.4 tonnes of
plastic pellets today.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department also collected 4.1 kilograms of
plastic pellets on seven beaches today.
The Marine Department has collected about 2.45 tonnes of pellets at sea
today.
The Government Flying Service (GFS) and the Marine Police are continuing to
assist in locating the scattered plastic pellets. The GFS has searched for
plastic pellets in the southern and southwestern water bodies of Hong Kong.
The Marine Police has reported the presence of plastic pellets on Po Toi
Island and at Sok Kwu Wan, Tung O Wan and Shek Pai Wan on Lamma Island.
Relevant departments will continue to closely monitor the distribution of
plastic pellets.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) tested 20 fish samples yesterday and 30
fish samples today. No plastic pellets were detected.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today received
reports by five mariculturists that trace amounts of plastic pellets were
found at Ma Wan and Cheung Sha Wan fish culture zones. The pellets have been
cleaned up. No abnormal activity or abnormal death of fish has been reported
so far. The AFCD collected five live fish samples from Cheung Sha Wan fish
culture zone, including red drum, cobia, pompano and star snapper. One gram
and 0.4g of the plastic pellets were found in the stomachs of a red drum
(weighing 1.2kg) and a cobia (weighing 3kg) respectively. Members of the
public should wash fish thoroughly and remove the internal organs before
cooking. The food safety risk is believed to be low.
The CFS and the AFCD will step up the monitoring of local fish captured or
cultured in Hong Kong waters.
A Government spokesman said that the Government will continue its
inter-departmental monitoring operations. Clean-up action will be carried
out as soon as plastic pellets are detected so as to minimise the impact of
the incident on the environment, food safety and human health.
Ends/Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:55
NNNN
Photo1
Photo2
Photo3
Photo4