The FEHD provides services for street cleansing, waste collection and public
toilets. Streets in all urban and rural areas are swept manually once to eight times a
day, depending on the area's needs. For main thoroughfares, flyovers and high speed
roads, mechanised cleansing is provided. About 63 per cent of street cleansing
services were outsourced to private contractors in 2006. For street washing, the FEHD
maintained a fleet of 38 street washing vehicles to provide street washing and
flushing services for heavily used pavements, hawker black spots and market areas.
Daily collection of household waste is carried out throughout the year, including
Lunar New Year's Day. In 2006, about 61 per cent of waste collection work was
outsourced. Apart from the provision of service by private contractors, the FEHD
maintained a fleet of 186 refuse collection vehicles to collect household waste and
bulky articles. About 5 500 tonnes of household waste were collected each day in
2006.
To meet growing public expectations, the FEHD continues to provide toilet
attendants at public toilets with high usage rates. In 2006, over 80 per cent of public
toilets were provided with toilet attendants. Under an ongoing programme, 10 public
toilets and aqua privies were refurbished and 30 aqua privies were converted into
flushing toilets in 2006.
In line with recommendations made by the former Team Clean — the
environmental hygiene group set up following the outbreak of Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome — the Home Affairs Department continues to coordinate the
inter-departmental drive to improve district hygiene, encourage community
involvement in keeping Hong Kong clean and in promoting civic education.
Working with other departments and participating communities, the FEHD
cleaned up 124 environmental hygiene 'black spots' and removed about 317 tonnes
of waste. About 3 300 temporary workers helped to maintain cleanliness in public
areas and food markets during the year. The FEHD also publicised the importance of
environmental hygiene.
The department took stringent action against offenders who committed
cleanliness offences in public places including littering and spitting. Over 26 000 fixed
penalty notices were issued during the year.
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