The year of 2012 is another challenging yet fruitful year for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
On the food safety side, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) embarked on a targeted surveillance programme in May to test the nutritional composition of infant and follow-up formula available in the market. The findings revealed that certain products were deficient in iodine and might have an adverse impact on infants' health. After announcing the testing results and initiating product recall, CFS proposed to amend the law to regulate the nutrition composition and labelling of formula products and food intended for infants and young children below 36 months, and carried out a consultation exercise to seek public views.
In response to media reports alleging that "gutter oil" was supplied to local restaurants, the Department took swift actions to investigate, initiated source tracing and conducted an additional targeted food surveillance project on cooking oil to allay public concerns. The investigation results showed that only one consignment of cooking oil had quality issues but the risk to public health was low, and the incident had nothing to do with "gutter oil" whatsoever. Edible oil bottling or canning establishments are now under regular inspection to ensure their hygiene conditions are up to standard.
On risk assessment and risk communication, the CFS released the findings on inorganic arsenic, Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and pesticide residues under the first Hong Kong Total Diet Study and issued trade guidelines on preparation of legible food labels, and for reducing sodium, sugars and fats in foods. As one of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centres of Chemical Risk Analysis in Food, the CFS also hosted a regional symposium entitled "Food Claims: Truth and Myth" for participants to examine current developments regarding nutrition and health claims, and for professionals to exchange views and concerns on issues related to various regulatory approaches. A series of promotion activities that encouraged people to store food at the right temperature were organised in the year.
Hawker management continued to be an important focus of our work during the year. A number of new measures have been adopted to strengthen the daily management of fixed-pitch hawker areas to reduce fire risks associated with hawker stalls. Following a public consultation exercise on the medium and long-term options to improve hawker management, a Steering Committee chaired by me was set up to formulate and implement specific measures at each hawker area to reduce fire risk and to safeguard public safety. Hawker management consultative committees covering all hawker areas were formed to provide a forum for two way communication with stakeholders.
In November, the Department implemented a mechanism whereby holders of a hawker licence who has repeatedly breached relevant provisions of the Hawker Regulation will be liable to licence suspension and even immediate cancellation for committing some serious offences.
On provision of cemeteries and crematoria services, good progress was recorded in the past year. In September, 43,710 new niches at Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium and 1,540 new standard niches at Diamond Hill Columbarium were ready for allocation in three phases through computer balloting. Phase I allocation, covering some 10,000 niches of the two columbaria, commenced in November.
The Department is pushing hard to promote "green burial". We used a bigger and more comfortable vessel to provide free ferry service for scattering cremated ashes at sea. The frequency of the service was increased from two to three times per month to meet demand. A new Garden of Remembrance (GoR), the largest of its kind with 2,360 square metres, was opened in July at Diamond Hill Columbarium for scattering cremated ashes.
To promote wider public acceptance of green burial, we reached out to the senior citizens by taking part in the Hong Kong Senior Fair and produced a video and a radio announcement in the public interest to help publicize sustainable forms of interment to the general public.
To make our services to the public more user-friendly and efficient, we embarked on an ambitious Departmental Information Technology Plan to implement 16 IT projects for the next five years. In parallel, the Department relocated and upgraded our Disaster Recovery Data Centre and enhanced our IT infrastructure to support the upgrade of existing e-applications, the launch of new mobile applications, and the use of cloud computing technology. For the first time, applications for allocation of public niches at the Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium and Diamond Hill Columbarium can be submitted online. Mobile apps were also used widely to promote food safety awareness, with the launching of the Android version of "Nutrition Calculator" (iOS version launched in 2012) and "Food Safety Charter" (iOS version). The latter facilitates search of food premises that had signed up to the Food Safety Charter via smart phones.
To facilitate the trade, the time required for processing and approving applications for conducting live broadcast activities at licensed cinemas which do not involve any structural or layout change to the premises has further been shortened from eight to four working days. In addition to newspaper advertisements, applications of liquor licence are also posted on the Liquor Licensing Board's website to give the public an e-channel to obtain information.
On public cleanliness, other than delivering quality daily cleaning services, the Department had dealt with an unprecedented task of cleaning up massive quantity of plastic pellets scattered on ungazetted beaches and coastal areas after Typhoon Vicente.
Looking forward, a number of new initiatives are in the pipeline. We will implement a five-year assistance scheme for 4,300 hawkers operating in 43 fixed-pitch hawker areas starting in summer 2013. The scheme, announced by the Government in September 2012, aims to provide financial assistance to hawkers for improving the fire safety and design of hawker stalls and for relocating those stalls that obstruct staircase discharge points of buildings or emergency vehicular access. In addition, an ex-gratia payment would be given to hawkers who choose to surrender their licences voluntarily.
With the support of stakeholders, the CFS will proceed to amend the law to regulate the nutrition composition and labelling of formula products and foods intended for infants and young children aged below 36 months.
Cremation facilities at Cape Collinson Crematorium will further be upgraded to increase capacity and efficiency to meet increasing demand for cremation service. Environmentally friendly features will also be introduced. Two new GoRs at Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium incorporating Western or Chinese design concepts will be open for public use around mid-2013.
Electronic submission of applications relating to food business or trade licences and permits will be rolled out from Jan 2013 to provide the trade with the additional choice of submitting applications through electronic means.
To tackle illegal extension of business area, the Department will take more stringent enforcement actions against recalcitrant offenders and will deliberate with District Councils on the designation of suitable areas for alfresco dining with a view to facilitating applications from restaurant operators for setting up Outside Seating Accommodation.
To ensure fire safety of licensed food premises, we will work in collaboration with the Fire Services Department to implement measures for monitoring compliance with fire safety requirements by licensed food premises.
A trial of the new Complaints Management Information System streamlining the workflow of complaint handling will be implemented in the second half of 2013.
I am pleased to record the above achievements of last year and the new initiatives ahead, and would like to thank all my colleagues for making these happen. We will continue to do our best to safeguard food safety and maintain a clean and hygienic environment for the people of Hong Kong.
Clement Leung
Director
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department