Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ7: Public rubbish bins

Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (October 15):

Question:

I have received a complaint that a member of the public was charged with littering by staff of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department on Kin Wah Street, North Point, after leaving a small bag of garbage next to a public rubbish bin which was already full. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it regularly reviews the adequacy of the number of public rubbish bins and their clearing frequencies, so as to prevent recurrence of the above situation; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) provides a total of over 18,000 litter containers at public spots throughout the territory to facilitate disposal of small pieces of litter by pedestrians. These containers are emptied at a frequency commensurate with their utilisation rate, ranging from four to eight times daily.

FEHD regularly reviews the adequacy of public litter containers, their distribution and clearing frequency on the basis of on-the-spot inspections as well as the views of District Councils, area committees and members of the public. Where there is evidence indicating an under-supply of public litter containers at a certain locality, FEHD will increase the number of containers and/or their clearing frequency to avoid overflow of containers at that locality.

It has always been the Government's policy objective to increase public awareness about the need to maintain self-discipline in keeping our city clean.

End/Wednesday, October 15, 2003
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