The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) endeavored to work relentlessly in 2019 to safeguard food safety and maintain a clean and hygienic environment for the people of Hong Kong.

Environmental hygiene

Public markets and cooked food centres

The Government is taking forward seven new market projects which are at different stages of planning including the development of public markets in Tin Shui Wai, Tung Chung Town Centre, Tseung Kwan O, Kwu Tung North New Development Area (NDA), Tung Chung New Town Extension and Hung Shui Kiu NDA, as well as a temporary market in Tin Shui Wai. The Department has been working with relevant departments in delivering these new markets so as to provide more choices to the public in purchasing fresh food. Considering the time to be taken to build a new market, the Government announced in October 2019 the provision of a temporary market at the open space adjacent to Tin Sau Road Park in Tin Shui Wai, so that the public can have an additional choice earlier for purchasing fresh food. The Modular Integrated Construction method is being adopted to shorten the on-site construction time as far as possible. Subject to actual progress, the temporary market is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2020.

Besides, the Government has earmarked $2 billion for the implementation of a 10-year Market Modernisation Programme (MMP) to improve the operating environment of public markets for the benefits of the public and tenants. The pioneering project is the overhaul of Aberdeen Market. At the same time, the Department plans to overhaul another three markets, namely, Yeung Uk Road Market, Ngau Tau Kok Market and Kowloon City Market and carry out minor refurbishment or improvement works in about 10 markets.

Public toilets

FEHD has been implementing an on-going Public Toilet Refurbishment Programme to improve the design and facilities of public toilets. During the refurbishment, the Department was putting in place more convenient and user-friendly facilities based on patrons' needs including sensor type soap dispenser, sensor-activated flushing system, electric hand dryer, etc.

The 2019-2020 Budget announced that the Government would earmark over $600 million to implement an Enhanced Public Toilet Refurbishment Programme, under which the Department will roll out the refurbishment or facelifting works for about 240 public toilets under its management by phases in five years so as to improve their facilities and upgrade their standards. During the year, 49 public toilets were refurbished or facelifted, including 15 public toilets at major tourist spots.

To improve the hygiene conditions of public toilets, deep cleansing services have also been enhanced for public toilets with high usage rate on a regular basis. We also sought to apply new technologies in our work and stepped up inspection. The Department will extend the deep cleansing services to all public toilets upon renewal of relevant services contracts.

Hawker management

The Department identified 435 vacant fixed hawker pitches for re-allocation, which were open for application from 30 September to 20 October 2019. A total of 14,126 applications were received, among which 12,788 were eligible. The priority for re-allocation was determined by way of computer random sequencing cum manual ballot. Up to 11 May 2020, 410 pitches have been selected.

Rodent disinfestation

FEHD has proactively introduced new technologies in rodent control and prevention work, and has been putting on trial thermal and night-vision cameras with artificial intelligence analytical function since April 2019. The Department would extend the trial for thermal imaging camera with a view to enhancing the surveillance for rodent infestation and facilitating effective rodent control operations.

With three cases of human infection of rat Hepatitis E virus in May 2019, the Government commenced the city-wide clean-up operation in the same month. In collaboration with other departments, FEHD has stepped up the rodent disinfestation and control work particularly in target areas including rear lanes, food premises and public markets, and provided technical assistance to other departments to strengthen their rodent control work. Public education and publicity have also been strengthened. In 2019, higher numbers of enforcement actions taken against rodent infestation and rodents caught were recorded.

Mosquito prevention & control

The Government commenced the territory-wide all-out anti-mosquito operations in April 2019 amidst a rising Monthly Ovitrap Index for Aedes albopictus. After months of enhanced collaborative efforts of various departments on mosquito prevention and control work, none of the survey areas had recorded an Area Ovitrap Index exceeding the alert level of 20 per cent from August till the end of the year.

Green Burial, Cemeteries, Crematoria and Columbaria

FEHD has been exploring all feasible measures to increase the supply of public columbarium facilities and promote green burial.

FEHD set up a Green Burial Central Register (GBCR) on 22 January 2019. By the end of the year, over 3,400 people have signed up in GBCR. To promote digital worshipping and for public convenience, the Department has provided electronic memorial kiosks near the new Kwai Chung Garden of Remembrance.

FEHD's first facility for keeping abortuses, Garden of Forever Love in Wo Hop Shek, Fanling, has commenced service in April 2019. The facility provides 300 keeping spaces with a scenic and serene setting.

The Department invited applications for some 21,000 new extendable niches at Tsang Tsui Columbarium, Tuen Mun, and some 850 new extendable niches at Wong Nai Chung Road Columbarium, Wan Chai, from mid May 2019. The drawing of lots and computer balloting took place on 4 December 2019.

The Private Columbaria Licensing Board has issued four licences to private columbaria, agreed in principle two licence applications and one application for temporary suspension of liability, and refused 15 sets of applications for specified instruments.

Food Safety

African Swine Fever

The Government has been striving to prevent and control the African Swine Fever (ASF) at different levels in the year. Taking into account the views of local and overseas experts and with the support of live pig trade, the Government started to impose a daily clearance arrangement in which all live pigs are slaughtered within a day upon admittance into slaughterhouse. Under the new arrangement, lairages in different areas of the slaughterhouse can be cleared out and undergo thorough cleansing and disinfection every day. FEHD continues to collaborate with the Customs and Excise Department to step up enforcement actions on cracking down illegal import of raw meat into Hong Kong.

Food surveillance and risk assessment

Food safety in Hong Kong has been maintained at a high standard. Food samples are tested at every stage in the supply process from import and manufacture to wholesale and retail. During the year, about 66,000 samples of food were tested for microbiological examinations, chemical analyses and radiation level tests to assess their conformity to legal standards and labelling requirements. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8 per cent, which was comparable to the results in recent years.

During the year, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) released the results of several risk assessment projects, namely: "Organotin Compounds in Aquatic Products Available at Local Markets", "Sterigmatocystin in Food", "Sugar and Energy Contents of Common Non-indigenous Tea-Based Beverage in Hong Kong" and "Industrially-produced Trans Fatty Acids Content in Local Foods".

Food Trader Portal

In order to enhance CFS' mode of operation through IT in support of its frontline work and to reinforce its capability in food import control, the Food Trader Portal (FTP) has been launched by phases since December 2019. The FTP serves as a one-stop electronic platform between CFS and food traders, through which food traders may complete registration as food importers or distributors under the law, submit applications for import licence and import permission and report arrival of certain imported food consignments round-the-clock. CFS can also make use of the FTP to provide food importers with information relating to food safety and import control.

With the implementation of the FTP, CFS introduces a number of facilitating measures, including the use of simpler formats and application forms for import licences and import permission and extending the operating hours of the Import Licensing Office for processing online application for import licences, etc. Food traders will be able to make use of online services without having to submit application forms in person at the CFS.

Food standard and food safety control

The Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 has come into force since 1 November 2019. The amendments aim to enhance the regulatory control and update the standards with a view to better protecting public health, facilitating effective regulation and aligning Hong Kong's standards with the international ones. The Amendment Regulation increases the total number of metallic contaminants under regulation from seven to 14. The number of maximum levels (MLs) for metallic contaminants in respect of different foods and food groups is increased from 19 to 144. The Amendment Regulation also provides definitions for individual foods and food groups, and provides the principles for the application of MLs on food in a dried, dehydrated or concentrated form and on compounded food.

Risk communication

The Food Safety Day 2019, an annual signature event organised by CFS, was held on 2 June under the theme "Empower Consumers to Ensure Food Safety". The event aimed to encourage consumers to work together with the Government and the food trade to ensure food safety and protect public health. With a good grasp of clear and reliable information, consumers can better understand the health risks posed by food and make informed choices of safe and healthy food.

CFS held its biennial event, Food Safety Seminar for the Trade, on 22 October 2019 to provide a forum for interactive exchange of information and views on food safety issues in Hong Kong. About 200 trade representatives attended the seminar, which covered four major aspects, including food legislation and guidelines, control measures and system implementation, food safety promotion and producing safe and healthy food.

With a view to reducing the public's dietary intake of salt and sugar, CFS together with the food trade have set voluntary sodium reduction targets for prepackaged white bread and wholemeal bread under the "Hong Kong's Action on Salt and Sugar Reduction" programme to facilitate product reformulation work on the part of the trade.

The above provides a brief outline of our work in 2019. I would like to express my gratitude to all colleagues for their hard work over the year. We will continue to work together to provide quality municipal services to the community.

Vivian Lau
Director
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department