大量危險醫療廢料襲港，團體促請政府徹查廢料來源
香港水域時常受大量垃圾污染，此情況在雨季尤其嚴重。上月連場暴雨，大量垃圾沖上沙灘及沿岸地區，造成海洋生態災難。司馬文表示，我們現在需要的，不是行政長官及官員到海邊執垃圾「做show」，而是要更深入認真徹查垃圾的種類及來源，防止廢料繼續污染海港。
創建香港行政總裁司馬文先生、無塑海洋教育項目經理梁嘉麗小姐及居民Moran Zukerman今天展示大批於大嶼山三白灣 (愉景北商場旁) 拾獲的醫療廢料，這些廢料由本年5月起開始收集，經分類及調查後，有明顯證據顯示廢料來自中國廣東省。
這次拾獲的醫療及化學廢料 (抗生素及預防藥物)主要是供人類及牲畜使用，具危險性及可能帶毒性。司馬文把廢料分類及調查後，找到大量藥樽、針筒、膠及玻璃樽、透析包/靜脈注射包、藥丸及完好無損的安瓿。從部份廢料上的牌子及印有的簡體字，明顯證明廢料來自中國廣東省。他更在廢料中找到中國政府交通部官員的工作證件。
大雨或洪水把露天棄置的垃圾沖進河流及海洋是香港及內地存在已久的問題。醫療廢料亦會對市民的健康及安全構成威脅，泳客有機會因踩到針筒而受傷，或造成感染。居港15年的Moran Zukerman表示「醫療廢料問題不只是垃圾問題。一方面，它對海洋及四周環境造成破瓌。另一方面，從部份廢料出現魚類的咬痕可見，人類進食的魚類產品亦可能因此而受到污染，故最終受害的仍然是市民。
梁嘉麗表示，自2013年起，無塑海洋及Green DB一直有向海事處及環境保護署投訴海灘出現醫療廢料的問題，傳媒亦有相關報導。然而，環境保護署的調查一直沒有回音，亦未有針對中港兩地產生廢料的組織的相關行動，彷彿當局不打算處理相關問題。
我們促請政府正視問題，作出相關調查及行動。相關廢料亦會送往環境保護署作進一步化驗及跟進。
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Dangerous medical waste found at HK’s beaches
Large amounts of marine waste washes up at Hong Kong’s beaches regularly, especially during rainy season. Heavy rain fails over the last month has triggered large amounts of waste washing into the seas.
“What is now needed is an in-depth investigation into the type and source of the waste rather than black bag beach cleaning actions,” said Paul Zimmerman.
Paul Zimmerman, CEO of Designing Hong Kong, together with Julia Leung, Program Manager – Education of Plastic Free Seas and Moran Zukerman, a local resident, presented dangerous medical waste found among rubbish collected from a Lantau beach, Sam Pak Wan, since May this year. Many items had definitive markings pointing at locations in the Guangdong Province.
Medical waste collected were for human and veterinarian use (antibiotics and preventative medicine), and many are hazardous and potentially poisonous.
Paul Zimmerman explained: “We sorted and investigated the waste, most of them are vials, syringes, plastic/glass bottles, dialysis bags, medical pills, fully intact glass ampoules. From the brands and simplified Chinese text, it is obviously come from locations in the Guangdong Province. We even found a working pass from a Chinese government transport officer among the waste.”
Open waste dumps are a long standing problem in Hong Kong and on the Mainland. Exposed waste is subject to flooding and washing out to rivers and seas. Hazardous medical waste poses a health risk as beachgoers could injure and infect themselves by stepping on needles. Moran Zukerman, a local resident who has been living in Hong Kong for over 15 years, expressed his concern: “Medical waste is beyond littering, it’s not only harmful to the environment and oceans, but also causes a threat to human beings who consume the fish and many of the medical products shows signs of fish bites who are exposed to those dangerous items, and are eventually consumed by humans.”
Julia Leung explained: “Plastic Free Seas and Green DB have since 2013 reported the medical waste found on beaches to the Marine Department and the Environmental Protection Department. There were also media reports at that time. It is entirely unclear what investigation has been conducted by the EPD into the sources, and what action have been taken to contact the authorities and medical institutions both in Hong Kong and the Mainland.”
“We urge the government to seriously investigate the medical waste we found. The items will be sent to the Environmental Protection Department for investigation and follow up action.”
大量危險醫療廢料襲港，團體促請政府徹查廢料來源 Dangerous medical waste found at HK's beaches
