Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ11: GProper use of bleach

Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kong-wah and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (May 28):

Question :

To avoid atypical pneumonia infection, an increasing number of people are using bleach to clean their homes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether it plans to enhance public education on the proper use of bleach; if so, of the details of the plan;

(b) of the number of reports received by the authorities since March this year of accidents caused by the improper use of bleach, and the number of persons thus injured; and

(c) whether the Administration will step up the monitoring of the water quality of Hong Kong waters to ensure that the ecological environment has not been affected?

Reply :

(a) As part of its efforts to combat the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the Government has launched a campaign to raise public awareness of the importance of maintaining good environmental hygiene. We have been advocating the use of diluted bleach for disinfection purposes. The proper way to dilute and use bleach for disinfection is explained in leaflets, posters, Announcements in Public Interest, health talks, exhibitions, media interviews and the website and telephone hotline of the Department of Health. We will continue to promote the proper use of bleach for disinfection, paying particular emphasis on the safety aspect, such as avoidance of mixing bleach with other cleansing solutions.

(b) We do not maintain statistics on accidents caused by the improper use of bleach, because this is not separately captured in the Hospital Authority's clinical information system which uses the international classification of disease.

(c) Since 1986, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has been monitoring the water quality of the marine environment in Hong Kong. The monitoring programme and the parameters covered are sufficient to assess the environmental and ecological impacts arising from the discharge of pollutants. In view of the recent increase in the use of bleach as a disinfectant by the general public, EPD has analysed the latest marine water samples collected. The results of the analysis show that there is no noticeable change in water quality and therefore there should not be any adverse impact on our marine ecosystem. Nevertheless, EPD will continue to monitor the water quality of Hong Kong closely.

End/Wednesday, May 28, 2003
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