19 Community Halls Open as Temporary Heat Shelters Amid Very Hot Weather Warning

HAD opens temporary heat shelters

The Home Affairs Department is opening 19 community halls/community centres as temporary heat shelters today (June 2).

The temporary heat shelters will remain open for people to take refuge from the heat when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. From 10.30pm to 8am the next day, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need. The shelters are manned by duty attendants.

For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.

The heat shelters are located at:

Hong Kong Island:

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Central and Western -

Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall

3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex

2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun

Eastern -

Causeway Bay Community Centre

3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay

Southern -

Lei Tung Community Hall

Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau

Wan Chai -

Wan Chai Activities Centre

LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai

Kowloon:

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Kowloon City -

Hung Hom Community Hall

1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices

42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom

Kwun Tong -

Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre

71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin

Sham Shui Po -

Shek Kip Mei Community Hall

G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate

Wong Tai Sin -

Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre

45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan

Yau Tsim Mong -

Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre

60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei

New Territories:

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Islands -

Tung Chung Community Hall

G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung

Kwai Tsing -

Lai King Community Hall

205 Lai King Hill Road, Kwai Chung

North -

Cheung Wah Community Hall

Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling

Sai Kung -

Hang Hau Community Hall

G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O

Sha Tin -

Lung Hang Estate Community Centre

Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin

Tai Po -

Tai Po Community Centre

2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po

Tsuen Wan -

Lei Muk Shue Community Hall

G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan

Tuen Mun -

Butterfly Bay Community Centre

Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun

Yuen Long -

Long Ping Community Hall

Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long

Yuen Long -

Tin Yiu Community Centre

Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai

In addition to the above heat shelters, a number of community halls/community centres can also be used for taking refuge from the heat during their operating hours. For their address details, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf.

Source: AI-found images

Proposed amendments to Sweeteners in Food Regulations

The Government proposes to amend the Sweeteners in Food Regulations (Cap.132U), with a view to better protecting public health and harmonising with international standards. The Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will first consult the Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene on June 9 (see Annex for the discussion paper) and plan to conduct a public consultation within this year.

Sweeteners are food additives that impart a sweet taste to food in place of sugars. Like other food additives, sweeteners are permitted for use only after stringent safety evaluations that demonstrate they are fit for consumption. When reviewing the Regulations and formulating the proposed amendments, the Government has taken into account the standards established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and Mainland standards, the dietary habits and intake of the local population, as well as the practices of other major food trading partners of Hong Kong. The proposed amendments are supported by the Expert Committee on Food Safety.

A Government spokesman said, "The proposed amendments mainly include bringing polyhydric alcohols under the regulatory scope, expanding the list of permitted sweeteners and setting maximum permitted levels (MPLs) for different 'sweetener-food' pairs. The CFS has collected food samples from the local market to analyse their sweetener content. Among some 900 tests conducted, about 98 per cent were in compliance with the proposed MPLs. We are confident that the food trade can adapt to the proposed amendments, and propose to provide a transitional period following the completion of the legislative process. The CFS will also conduct technical meetings for the trade and issue user guidelines to facilitate the trade in understanding and complying with the new requirements."

The Government plans to consult the public on the proposed amendments to the Regulations within this year, and will consider the feedback received to prepare the subsidiary legislation to amend the Regulations for tabling at the Legislative Council for scrutiny.

Source: AI-found images