FEHD actively follows up on pest and rodent issues and promotes community-wide efforts to control them at source
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has noted recent social media posts concerning pest and rodent problems at various food premises and private premises. It is highly concerned about the situation and has initiated investigations and follow-up actions according to the nature of individual cases. The FEHD stressed that the presence of rodent infestation at licensed food premises is an offence. It will take the matter seriously and take enforcement action.
Regarding the rodent infestation incident at a supermarket in Luk Yeung Galleria, the FEHD has deployed staff to conduct an inspection. During the inspection, the food room was found to be in an unsatisfactory state of cleanliness. Prosecution has been instituted against the person responsible under the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), and a Notice of Elimination of Vermin has also been issued to the person responsible for the premises, requiring the necessary improvement measures to be taken.
As for the incident involving suspected foreign object found in takeaway food from a food premises in Tsing Yi, the department has arranged an inspection and has also attempted to contact the complainant, and to understand the process of food preparation, packaging and delivery. The department will objectively investigate the circumstances of the incident and follow up in accordance with the law.
In addition, regarding a rodent infestation complaint concerning a fitness centre in Festival Walk, the FEHD deployed staff on the same day to inspect the centre concerned and the shopping mall. Although no signs of rodents were found inside the shop, potential pest and rodent infestation risks were identified in the shopping mall. A Notice of Elimination of Vermin was issued to the shopping mall's property management company, requiring it to take improvement measures. The FEHD also provided the persons responsible with advice on rodent prevention and eradication.
The FEHD adopts a risk-based inspection and enforcement strategy. It has also recently taken the initiative to conduct blitz inspections targeting major supermarket chains. Food business operators have a responsibility to ensure food safety and the hygiene of their premises, and to continuously implement effective measures to prevent pest and rodent infestation and food contamination. Government inspections and enforcement cannot replace operators' responsibility for day-to-day hygiene management.
Rodent control requires corresponding measures to be taken according to the management responsibility for different types of premises. The FEHD is mainly responsible for rodent prevention and eradication in public places within its areas of responsibility. Other government departments are responsible for rodent prevention and eradication at the premises they manage. The FEHD will provide professional technical support and collaborate with the relevant departments as necessary. As for private premises, including shopping malls, fitness centres and residential premises, day-to-day environmental hygiene and rodent-control work is primarily the responsibility of owners, persons responsible for the premises and property management companies. The FEHD will provide professional advice in response to complaints and specific risk situations, and will take action in accordance with the law where necessary.
To encourage private premises to participate proactively in rodent control, the FEHD has extended the Anti-Rodent Charter to shopping malls, encouraging owners, operators and property management companies to conduct regular inspections, manage the environment properly and carry out rodent-prevention work. According to figures released earlier by the department, as of September this year, about 130 shopping mall organisations and groups had joined the initiative, covering about 8 200 shops. The FEHD will also provide technical support to help participating organisations continuously improve their rodent prevention work.
Rodent control relies on the joint participation of the Government, the trade, property management companies and members of the public. All parties must address the three basic elements of rodent survival - food, harbourage and access routes - by cutting off food sources, eliminating hiding places and blocking access routes. By reducing the risk of rodent infestations at source, we can work together to safeguard environmental hygiene.
Source: AI-found images
Land and Development Advisory Committee holds meeting
At its meeting today (September 29), the Land and Development Advisory Committee was briefed by the Development Bureau (DEVB) on major initiatives related to the Bureau in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan) and the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address (Policy Address).
Members generally supported the vision and objectives outlined in the Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, as well as the Development Bureau's initiatives in the Policy Address. Members supported the Government's commitment to sustaining its land creation effort, building up land reserves, enhancing the speed, effectiveness and quality of the Northern Metropolis (NM) development, promoting urban renewal with a new mindset, comprehensively enhancing building safety governance, and building a liveable city. They considered that these commitments responded to market situation took on board the views of the industry and professional bodies. The key measures are as follows:
- Sustained efforts in land creation and building up the land reserve: It is estimated that around 2 500 hectares of "spade-ready sites" can be made available in the next ten years (2027/28 - 2036/37), of which about 70 per cent will come from the NM.Development of the five New Development Areas (NDAs) in the NM is well underway.The first four NDAs have entered the construction stage.The Government will also seek funding approval from the Legislative Council (LegCo) for Ngau Tam Mei NDA soon.The Government will continue to advance the development of the remaining NDAs, including Lau Fau Shan, Ta Kwu Ling, Au Tau and part of Ma Tso Lung.
- Enhancing speed, effectiveness and quality of construction in the NM:The LegCo is scrutinising the NM Development Bill and it is expected that the Bill would be approved within this year.The Government will then introduce five pieces of subsidiary legislation into the LegCo, with a view to bringing the facilitation measures into effect in the first quarter of 2027.The Government will continue to control construction costs through various measures, including reviewing the existing building standards and requirements, adopting new procurement models, applying advanced technologies and construction methods, and further streamlining the relevant procedures. The Government will develop university towns in San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu and Ta Kwu Ling in the NM to achieve the integrated development of education, technology and talent. It has also earmarked 30 hectares of land in the NM for the development of the Advanced Construction Industrial Park. Following the award of tender under large-scale land disposal in Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area, the Government aims to launch the tender for the second pilot area in Fanling North by the end of this year. The Government will also publish the Guidelines on Promoting Urban-rural Integration in the NM within this year, and seek funding approval for $200 million from the LegCo Finance Committee to launch the NM Urban-rural Integration Fund.
- Regenerate old districts with a new mindset: The Government will reform the maintenance system for aged buildings by adopting a two-pronged approach. On one hand, the scope of amendments to the Buildings Ordinance will be expanded to step up regulation of large-scale building maintenance works and the maintenance works sector and increase penalty for non-compliance. On the other hand, the Government will reform building rehabilitation strategies and provide brand-new support services for owners by establishing more stringent pre-qualification lists of consultants and contractors, and, for the first time, providing tendering and tender evaluation services for property owners in engaging consultants and contractors.
- Enhancing city governance and renewing aged infrastructures: The Government will replace or rehabilitate 350 kilometres of high-risk aged water pipes over the next five years, doubling the current annual average rate.Meanwhile, the Government will upgrade the water supply system by, among other measures, replacing and installing water pipe valves, laying backup cross-harbour water mains, adopting split water supply mode for the salt water supply system, establishing an intelligent water network and dynamically adjusting the water pressure in the government's water mains network. The Government will make good use of artificial intelligence (AI) to upgrade the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure and expand the deployment of the cross-departmental joint drone management platform with a view to improving city and emergency management and enhancing the management of public works through AI.Moreover, the Government has started to construct underground common utility tunnels under some major roads in NDAs to strengthen city resilience.
Members supported the Bureau's effort in creating land continuously, and agreed that there was a need to sustain land creation to support Hong Kong's economic and housing needs. Members also reminded the Government that, when releasing land and housing supply, market response, population growth and economic conditions should be carefully considered, with a view to ensuring a stable property market and paced land supply. Members supported to accelerate the development of the NM with enhanced effectiveness and quality through adopting diversified development models such as large-scale land disposal, Industry Park Company and "Pay for What You Build". Members agreed that the Government should continue to remove restrictions and streamline procedures, with a view to enhancing development efficiency through flexible planning, control on construction cost and application of advanced technology and construction techniques. Members recommended that small-scale development projects should be provided to enable the participation of small-and-medium sized developers in NM development. Members proposed that the Government might review the "Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030" when appropriate to reflect the latest development, and suggested that city design should be taken into account to ensure that the NM would be a livable community.
In addition, Members supported the Government's proposal of expanding the scope of amendments to the Buildings Ordinance to strengthen regulation and providing support services for building maintenance, while reminding the Government to strike a balance between tightening regulatory control over the maintenance works and facilitating the public. Members suggested that the Government should provide reference prices for maintenance works to enable property owners to come up with more reasonable budgets, and suggested that the Government should explore with the Competition Commission measures to mitigate the risk of bid-rigging in building maintenance projects. Regarding city governance, Members welcomed the Development Bureau's plan to replace high-risk, aging water mains over the next five years and suggested leveraging AI to monitor and provide predictive warnings for flooding and hazardous slopes, etc., thereby addressing extreme weather and enhancing city resilience.
The Government will continue to solicit the views and feedback of stakeholders, including the industry and professional bodies, with a view to finalising the details of the proposed measures as soon as possible.
Source: AI-found images
