Criticism accepted over cyanide spill
Secretary for Security Peter Lai Hing-ling accepted criticism that the Government had not thoroughly cleaned Tai Po Road after up to 100 kilograms of cyanide was spilled there.
Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee of the Liberal Party urged Mr Lai to explain why sodium cyanide was still on the road a day after the accident.
'[I wonder] whether there was any dereliction of duty in the accident,' she said.
Mr Lai maintained the Government had tried its best and said a clean-up team was sent back as soon as it was reported that the chemical was still on the road.
'We immediately applied bleaching agent and washed the sodium cyanide away.
'We have regularly monitored the quality of the air, water and soil in the vicinity, and the test results show that the air quality is normal,' he said.
There is no requirement under the Dangerous Goods (General) Regulations for vehicles carrying Category Four dangerous goods, including sodium cyanide, to be specially registered.
Mr Lai said that in light of the accident, the Government was studying the possibility of introducing amendments to regulate the movement of sodium cyanide.
