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Following is a question by the Hon Miriam Lau and a reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, in the Legislative Council today (May 3):
Question:
On the 9th of last month, a fire ball suddenly burst out of a container carrying plastic materials when a worker was opening its doors. Both he and another worker were seriously burnt. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the number of containers onto which plastic materials or waste were loaded or from which such materials or waste were unloaded in Hong Kong, and the number of similar incidents that occurred, in each of the past three years; and
(b) whether the safety aspects involved in using containers for transporting plastic materials and waste are subject to regulation under existing legislation; if so, of the relevant details; if not, whether legislation will be enacted in this respect?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) In 2003, 2004 and 2005, the port of Hong Kong handled 1.63 million, 1.68 million and 1.90 million TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) containers laden with plastic materials or waste, accounting for about 9.9%, 9.4% and 10.3% of the laden container throughput of the port in the respective years. In the past three years, four fire accidents relating to containers laden with plastic materials occurred in Hong Kong, with one of them caused by the ignition of a lighter inside the affected container.
(b) Plastic materials and waste are not classified as dangerous goods by the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods of the United Nations. Therefore, conveyance of such materials is not subject to control by the Dangerous Goods Ordinance (Cap. 295).
The accident of April 9 this year, as mentioned in the Honourable Member's question, occurred at Cha Kwo Ling Public Cargo Working Area. The preliminary findings of the investigations by the Labour Department and the Fire Services Department revealed that the goods in the container contained some inflammable and volatile residual hexane. The residual hexane generated inflammable vapour that accumulated in the container. The vapour was ignited when it came into contact with a spark outside. The accident was not caused by the plastic materials or waste. After relevant government departments have completed the investigation, suitable actions will be taken in accordance with the investigation findings to prevent recurrence of similar accidents.
Ends/Wednesday, May 3, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:41
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