To tie in with the tradition of cleaning up before the Lunar New Year, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is conducting a year-end clean-up campaign across the territory, and appeals to the public for active participation and efforts to maintain cleanliness in the household, the community and public places to welcome the coming Lunar New Year.
 
     An FEHD spokesman said today (January 15), "The FEHD launched a three-week year-end clean-up campaign from December 31 last year, during which cleansing work and enforcement actions have been stepped up across the territory to improve environmental hygiene. In light of the cluster of viral pneumonia cases detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, the FEHD has further strengthened the cleaning and preventive measures."
 
     During the campaign, the FEHD has stepped up the cleaning of public facilities under the department's management including markets, cooked food centres, hawker bazaars, public toilets and refuse collection points. Cleaning of problematic illegal refuse dumping spots and other cleanliness operations has also been enhanced in all districts. In addition, the FEHD has conducted mosquito and rodent prevention and control operations targeting places such as old tenement buildings, streets, rear lanes, village houses and construction sites, according to each district's circumstances. Temporary junk collection points have been set up for residents to discard large items of household waste.
 
     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, today visited the Java Road Market and the Tanner Road Refuse Collection Point in Eastern District to inspect the cleansing work in the district. She learned that during the campaign period, FEHD staff has stepped up inspection, cleansing and disinfection to communal areas and facilities in the market, and reminded stall tenants to clean up their stalls thoroughly. Besides, cleansing as well as refuse and bulky waste collection services at the refuse collection points of the district have also been enhanced.
 
     To ensure the cleanliness of public places, the spokesman said the department has strengthened enforcement actions and issue fixed penalty notices to offenders in breach of the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance for littering, spitting, illegal posting of bills or posters, feeding of pigeons or other feral birds causing dirtiness to public places, and dog fouling.
 
     The FEHD has also issued letters to tenants of markets and cooked food centres of the department as well as licensees of food premises reminding them to pay attention to hygiene conditions and conduct thorough cleaning of their premises.

     "Maintaining a clean and hygienic community hinges on the co-operation and participation of everyone," the spokesman added, calling for the concerted effort of every member of the public to maintain environmental hygiene and enjoy a clean environment in the coming Lunar New Year.

Ends/Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Issued at HKT 21:06

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