By: Shameel Ibrahim、AMALVY Esten Carr Claude Ole EriksenEdited by: Simran Vaswani

The Hong Kong government will allocate additional funding for green projects in the new budget proposal announced this morning to help the city meet its carbon neutrality target by 2050.  A billion dollars has been injected into funding more than 80 projects that aim to install small-scale renewable energy systems, like solar panels and solar water heaters at government buildings.  The Recycling Fund will also receive $1 billion for individual local recycling enterprises aimed to enhance and expand their recycling operations in Hong Kong and non-profit-distributing organisations to undertake non-profit making projects.  The city has been widely criticized for its lack of effort in recycling and waste management.  “The fund is very important to help local traditional recycling companies to transform into a more workable and sustainable model,” said Lo Kiu-fung, the Project Manager of Designing Hong Kong, a local environmental NGO.  NGOs can also benefit from $150 million, a separate fund set aside so the government can help install energy-saving appliances and conduct energy audits for free.  The scheme is expected to benefit more than a thousand businesses, said Mr Chan. “The application period for recycling funds will be extended to 2027 so as to render continuous support to the trade, particularly the SMEs, in enhancing its operational capabilities and efficiency as well as coping with the latest needs of both the local and non-local markets,” said Financial Secretary, Paul Chan Mo-po. Mr. Lo describes the city's waste disposal situation as very urgent. “We are behind a lot of Asian cities, and people are producing more and more waste,” he said. Hong Kong's major environmental concern is air pollution and waste management, according to the Environmental Protection Department. The city is facing a landfill shortage.  The total amount of solid waste disposed of in Hong Kong's landfills in 2019 was …

Air fryers, which sell themselves as a healthier alternative to deep fryers, “pose different risks,” the city’s Consumer Council said in an online press conference today. The watchdog tested the electrical safety and performance of 12 air fryer models and found that half posed various safety hazards to consumers, including creating a potentially carcinogenic compound. “For air fried food, consumers should take it in moderation and not lower their guard simply because air-frying is deemed to be a healthier cooking method,” said Nora Tam Fung-Yee, chairman of the Research and Testing Committee of the Consumer Council. Foods containing abundant amounts of asparagine, a type of free amino acid found in foods such as potatoes, are more likely to produce acrylamide, a human carcinogen the council said, when cooked at high temperatures.  The content of acrylamide in french fries that were cooked in the 12 different air fryers ranged from 102 to 7,038 micrograms per kilogram, six of which exceeded the EU suggestion of 500 micrograms per kilogram. The air fryers are from brands Proluxury, Denki, Midea, Imarflex, ecHome and TSK.  According to the instructions or recipes provided by the brands. One model, Imarflex, exceeded the benchmark by 13 times, said Ms Tam. When the fries were cooked at lower frying times or cooking temperatures, the levels of acrylamide fell to levels consistent with the EU’s suggested amount . The council also found issues with excessive temperature, insufficient insulation and inadequate earthing terminal. The Consumer Council provided four tips for using air fryers safely. Avoid sharing a power outlet with other electrical appliances that have high power consumption Do not exceed the maximum capacity of the air fryer and do not densely pack food to avoid undercooking Do not cover the air outlet when the air fryer is in operation to …

The government's proposal to exempt foreign-trained doctors from local licensing examinations will jeopardize the health of Hongkongers, the Hong Kong Medical Association said in a press conference today. The government’s proposal is an attempt to alleviate long waiting times in public hospitals. On Feb. 4, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor proposed an amendment to the Medical Registration Ordinance that would allow Hong Kong permanent residents who have graduated from an accredited overseas medical school and worked in a Hong Kong public health institution for at least five years to be exempted from the examination required to become registered doctors in Hong Kong. “The purpose of the Medical Council of Hong Kong's professional qualification examination for doctors is to ensure the quality of doctors,” said Dr David Fang Jin-sheng, the former president of HKMA, which includes more than 8,000 local medical practitioners. Dr Choi Kin, the president of HKMA, said that the examination not only treats all doctors from outside Hong Kong fairly but also ensures that all doctors practicing in Hong Kong meet their standards. Waiting times for specialists in the public system range from two months to nearly three years, according to Hospital Authority statistics. The government's plan to address the shortage of doctors in the public sector was not the right solution to the problem, the HKMA said. To make full use of the existing medical staff, the HKMA said that the government should allocate additional funds for hiring nurses, support staff and additional medical facilities such as hospital beds and operating rooms. With the increasing number of medical students in recent years, there will be about 510 local medical graduates this year, a 13.3% rise from 450 last year, according to HKMA. “Most of the graduates last year went on to work in public hospitals,” said …