The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) continued to work relentlessly in 2017 to provide quality municipal services for the people of Hong Kong.
Food safety
Major food incidents
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the FEHD is committed to maintaining a robust food incident surveillance system to detect and manage food incidents in a timely manner so as to minimize their impact on local public health. In 2017, we handled several major incidents, including Brazilian frozen and chilled meat and poultry meat quality in question in March, and Dutch poultry eggs detected with a pesticide fipronil in August.
In response to the incident in March 2017, the CFS immediately liaised with the Brazilian authorities, imposed an import suspension of frozen and chilled meat and poultry meat from Brazil as a precautionary measure, and ordered a recall of the meat concerned imported from the 21 plants under the investigation of the Brazilian authorities. Later in the year, the CFS also stepped up verification checks of all health certificates issued for frozen meat and poultry exported from Brazil to Hong Kong.
The CFS has reviewed the import arrangements for Brazilian frozen and chilled meat and poultry and started discussions with the Brazilian authorities for enhancement of relevant import control with a view to safeguarding food safety in Hong Kong.
In August 2017, following up on the egg incident, the CFS implemented the hold and test arrangement at import level for poultry eggs and egg products from relevant European Union countries to ensure that the products would only be released to the market for sale upon satisfactory test results.
The CFS will continue to take effective and appropriate actions to tackle food incidents so as to protect public health in Hong Kong.
Food surveillance and risk assessment
The Food Surveillance Programme implemented by the CFS in 2017 revealed that food safety in Hong Kong remained at a high standard. During the year, in addition to 84,075 samples of imported Japanese food taken for testing of radiation level, about 67,000 food samples taken at the import, wholesale and retail levels were tested by the CFS. The overall satisfactory rate was over 99 per cent, which was comparable to the results in recent years.
During the year, the CFS released results of several risk assessment projects, namely: "Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Food", "Microbiological Quality of Salads Available at Local Market", "Sodium Content in Local Meal-on-One-Plate" and "Nutrient Content of Hong Kong Style Savoury Dishes".
Food standards and food safety control
To facilitate effective regulation and promote harmonisation between local and international standards on metallic contaminants in food, the Department completed a three-month public consultation on the proposed amendments to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap.132V) in September 2017. The Department has tabled the Amendment Regulations before the Legislative Council in 2018.
In November 2017, the Department set up a new division, the Corporate and System Management Division, under the CFS to re-engineer the Centre's workflow and overhaul its information systems for enhancement of data management and analysis with a view to strengthening the food safety control work.
Food consumption survey
The CFS started the preparation for the second Hong Kong population-based food consumption survey and commenced the pilot survey in October 2017 with the main fieldwork to be conducted in 2018. Results of the survey will update food consumption survey data and facilitate CFS' assessment of public's exposure to dietary risks.
Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food
In the past year, the CFS continued to promote the reduction of dietary salt and sugar intake through a series of publicity and education activities. The "Salt/Sugar" Label Scheme for Prepackaged Food Products was launched on the Food Safety Day in October 2017 to assist members of the public to select food with less salt and sugar by making reference to the labels.
The "Smart Choices for Low-Salt and Low-Sugar Slogan Writing cum Poster Design Competition" was also organised for primary and secondary school students in 2017 to promote healthy eating among the young generation. In addition, the "Hong Kong's Action on Salt and Sugar Reduction Facebook page" was revamped in 2017 to enhance publicity.
Environmental hygiene
Keep clean
To address the environmental hygiene problems caused by frequent illegal deposits of refuse at dumping black spots in individual districts, the FEHD launched a pilot scheme on installation of Internet Protocol (IP) cameras at six illegal refuse dumping black spots in Central and Western, Sham Shui Po and Yuen Long Districts in December 2016 for enhanced monitoring of illegal disposal and better planning of enforcement action. The six-month trial scheme proved to be effective in improving the hygienic condition at the blackspots. With the support of the District Councils, the pilot scheme is extended to all districts in 2018.
As regards anti-rodent campaigns, the Department organised two rounds of two-month special anti-rodent operations in May and September 2017, between the two phases of territory-wide anti-rodent campaign, in designated target areas to reinforce the efforts in combating the rodent problem. The operations concluded with fruitful results.
The Department also stepped up enforcement actions against the black spots of unauthorised display of easy-mount frames and other display fittings for business promotion on busy streets causing obstruction from October to November 2017 to curb the illegal activities and improve the district environment.
The Department will continue the publicity on all fronts to remind the public the importance of civic-mindedness and urge them to work together to build a clean community.
Mosquito control
In view of an imported case of Zika virus infection, one local case of dengue fever and five local cases of Japanese encephalitis in 2017, the Department deployed additional pest control roving teams to sustain mosquito prevention and control work throughout the year. In addition, four Pest Control Inspection Teams were set up in May 2017 to step up inspection of construction sites and enforcement action against mosquito breeding.
Improving the operating environment of public markets
The FEHD continued to enhance the operating environment of the public markets by carrying out various improvement works, such as upgrading electricity supply, lighting systems and fire services installations. Programmes have been in place to replace by phases aged lifts and escalators.
The 2018-19 Budget has earmarked $2 billion to implement a ten-year Market Modernisation Programme. The Department has formed a dedicated team to start a comprehensive review of nearly 100 existing markets with a view to introducing improvement measures for market facilities and management in a systematic manner, including fundamental overhaul and in-situ redevelopment.
We have also started planning for building new public market facilities in Tung Chung, Tin Shui Wai and Hung Shui Kiu, with consideration being given to adopting new approaches to the design, construction and future operation.
Hawker management
The FEHD continued to take forward the Hawker Assistance Scheme to enhance fire safety and to improve the operating environment of fixed-pitch hawker areas. The relocation of some 500 stalls situated at building staircase discharge points or places which might obstruct emergency vehicular operations was completed in 2017. So far, over 97% of the hawkers have participated in the Scheme, who applied for re-construction grants or surrendered their licenses for ex-gratia payment.
A webpage on street bazaars, featuring the work and life of fixed-pitch hawkers, was launched in the Department website in June 2017 to promote the culture of street bazaars in Hong Kong.
Cemeteries, Crematoria and Columbaria
The FEHD has been exploring measures to increase supply of public niches, promote green burial and regulate private columbaria.
Among the 24 potential sites in 18 districts identified for columbaria development, the Department has secured support from relevant District Councils for 14 projects so far which account for about two-thirds of the total number of new niches under planning. The Government will expedite the development of public columbaria on these shortlisted sites to meet the increasing demand.
To promote the full utilisation of existing facilities, the FEHD stepped up the publicity on "co-location of ashes" in public niches. The Department also continued to actively promote green burial through various activities including exhibitions, broadcast of promotional videos and advertisements at public transport networks.
The Private Columbaria Ordinance (Cap. 630) (the Ordinance), which introduces a licensing scheme to regulate the operation of private columbaria, came into effect on 30 June 2017. The Private Columbaria Licensing Board and Private Columbaria Affairs Office were also established to handle matters relating to the implementation of the Ordinance. The Licensing Board has started to receive applications for specified instruments from 30 December 2017.
The above provides a brief outline of our work in 2017. I would like to express my gratitude to all colleagues for their great efforts made over the year. In the year ahead, we will continue our pursuit of excellence in delivering quality municipal services to the public.
Vivian Lau
Director
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department