The Environmental Protection Department said it does not tolerate concrete batching plants operating without a licence and will make every effort to stop any illegal operations. The department made the statement in response to media reports yesterday of a concrete batching plant at 20 Tung Yuen Street in Yau Tong continuing to operate without holding a valid Specified Process Licence (SPL). The department has been closely monitoring the operation of two plants, both owned by China Concrete. The other plant is at 22 Tung Yuen Street in Yau Tong. Regarding the plant at 20 Tung Yuen Street, the Air Pollution Control Appeal Board dismissed an appeal lodged by China Concrete against the department’s refusal of its application for renewal of an SPL for the plant on November 22. Under the Air Pollution Control (Specified Processes) Regulations, the plant’s SPL ceased to be valid with immediate effect and the department issued a letter requesting that all works be halte
(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)
The Centre for Health Protection today reported that there are 18 additional COVID-19 cases, of which seven are locally transmitted including two with unknown sources of infection.
The unlinked cases involve a 71-year-old taxi driver who lives in Siu Sai Wan and last drove his taxi on March 17, and a 52-year-old construction site clerk who lives in Ngau Chi Wan and last worked on March 19.
The five remaining local cases are linked to URSUS Fitness in Sai Ying Pun.
The centre co-ordinated with related government departments in conducting a field inspection with University of Hong Kong experts at Ursus Fitness this afternoon.
Eleven environmental samples were collected, including from the air-conditioner filters, to further investigate and examine if environmental factors were involved in the outbreak.
The 11 imported cases arrived from the Philippines, Indonesia and Pakistan.
A total of 289 cases have been recorded in the past 14 days, including 224 local cases, of which 45 are untraceable.
Meanwhile, five buildings and a workplace with one or more confirmed cases as well as a kindergarten are covered by compulsory testing notices.
The Government will set up mobile specimen collection stations at Siu Sai Wan Estate in Eastern District and Scenic View in Ngau Chi Wan tomorrow.
For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.
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