Ensuring safety: monitoring imported aquatic products from japan
In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
From noon on May 8 to noon today (May 9), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 175 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 49 597 samples of food imported from Japan (including 32 217 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 12 834 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.
Source: AI-generated images
Stay ahead of the crowd: exciting traffic and transport updates for happy valley's 2023/2024 horse race meetings
The Transport Department (TD) today (May 20) reminded members of the public that to facilitate the holding of horse race meetings at the Happy Valley Racecourse in 2023/2024 Season, the following latest special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in phases on the race dates with immediate effect in the vicinity of the Happy Valley Racecourse.
Special traffic arrangements
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1. Starting from 6pm, the section of Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Queen's Road East and the slip road leading to the Aberdeen Tunnel will be temporarily closed to all vehicular traffic (except for vehicles heading for the Aberdeen Tunnel). Meanwhile, the section of Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Village Road and the slip road leading to the Aberdeen Tunnel will be converted to one-way northbound until all the horse races end and when it is safe to reopen the roads to normal vehicular traffic.
2. From about 35 minutes before the start of the last race, the following road sections will be closed to all vehicular traffic until the closed road sections reopen:
(i) the slip road connecting Wong Nai Chung Road and the Aberdeen Tunnel;
(ii)the section of Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Queen's Road East and the slip road connecting Wong Nai Chung Road and the Aberdeen Tunnel;
(iii) the section of Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Village Road and near Parsee Cemetery;
(iv) the section of Leighton Road westbound between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
(v) the section of Morrison Hill Road southbound between Leighton Road and Queen's Road East.
Public transport service arrangements
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1. In connection with the above road closure and traffic diversion arrangements, franchised bus and green minibus routes operating in the affected areas will be temporarily diverted from about 35 minutes before the start of the last race. Meanwhile, the bus stops on Leighton Road eastbound near Matheson Street, Morrison Hill Road southbound near Sports Road and at the junction of Leighton Road westbound and Wong Nai Chung Road will also be temporarily suspended;
2. The bus stop on Wong Nai Chung Road northbound outside the Hong Kong Cemetery will be temporarily suspended between about one hour prior to the start of the first race and about 15 minutes after the race; and from about 35 minutes before the start of the last race;
3. The tram stop on Wong Nai Chung Road outside the Hong Kong Cemetery will be suspended from about one hour prior to the start of the last race; and
4. In connection with the horse race meeting arrangements at the Happy Valley Racecourse, the taxi stand on Sung Tak Street and on-street parking spaces on Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Sports Road and Blue Pool Road will be temporarily suspended in the following periods:
(i) Day meetings - from 11am to 7pm
(ii)Evening meetings - from 4.30pm to 11.59pm
(iii) Night meetings - from 5pm to 11.59pm
The TD anticipates that the traffic in the vicinity of affected areas will be very congested during the horse race meetings. Motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected areas as far as possible. Members of the public planning to go to the affected areas are advised to use public transport services as far as possible. The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary.
For details of the special traffic and public transport arrangements, members of the public may visit the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk); "HKeMobility" or passenger notices issued by the relevant public transport operators.
Source: AI-generated images
