2

6.1 This section identifies the types of wastes that are likely to be generated as a result of the construction activities in particular the demolition of the existing Atrium Link, based on their sequence and duration, and evaluates the potential environmental impacts that may result from these waste arisings. During construction stage, the main solid waste issues will be related to construction and demolition (C&D) material generated from the demolition works. Mitigations measures, including waste handling, storage and disposal are recommended with reference to the applicable waste legislation and guidelines. It is unlikely the operation stage will cause adverse environmental impacts provided that statutory environmental requirements are fully compiled and good site practice is properly implemented.

6.2 Temporary marine piles will be installed in the waterway between HKCEC Phase I and Phase II for the construction of temporary footbridge and working platform. The marine piles can be removed by means of pile extraction method upon completion of the Atrium Link Extension (ALE). No dredging of marine sediment would be required using the pile extraction method, and therefore dumping issue of marine sediment would not be assessed in this section.

Environmental Legislation, Policies, Plans, Standards and Criteria

6.3 The criteria and guidelines for assessing waste management implications are outlined in Annex 7 and Annex 15 of the Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO-TM), respectively.

6.4 The following legislation relates to handling, treatment and disposal of wastes in the Hong Kong SAR and has been used in assessing potential impacts:

Ÿ Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap.354)

Ÿ Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation (Cap.354)

Ÿ Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap.28)

Ÿ Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap.132) - Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation

Waste Management

6.5 The Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO) prohibits the unauthorized disposal of wastes. Construction waste is defined under CAP 354N of the WDO as any substance, matter or thing that is generated from construction work and abandoned, whether or not it has been processed or stockpiled before being abandoned, but it does not include any sludge, screenings or matter removed in or generated from any desludging, desilting or dredging works but is considered to fall within the category of “trade waste’. Trade waste is defined as waste from any trade, manufacturer or business, or any waste building or civil engineering materials, but does not include animal waste. Under the WDO, wastes can be disposed of at designated waste disposal facilities sites licensed by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD).

6.6 Under the WDO, the Chemical Waste (General) Regulation 1992 provides regulations for chemical waste control, and administers the possession, storage, collection, transport and disposal of chemical wastes. The EPD has also issued a ‘guideline’ document, the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes (1992), which details how the Contractor should comply with the regulations of chemical wastes.

6.7 The Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation provides control on illegal tipping of wastes on unauthorised (unlicensed) sites.

Construction and Demolition (C&D) Material

6.8 The current policy related to the dumping of C&D material is documented in the Works Branch Technical Circular No.2/93, ‘Public Dump’. Construction and demolition material that are wholly inert, namely, public fill, should not be disposed of to landfill, but taken to public filling areas, which usually form part of reclamation schemes. The Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance requires that dumping licenses are obtained by individuals or companies who deliver public fill to public filling areas. The Civil Engineering & Development Department (CEDD) issues the licenses under delegated powers from the Director of Lands.

6.9 Under the Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction Waste) Regulation, enacted in January 2005, construction waste delivered to a landfill for disposal must not contain more than 50% by weight of inert material. Construction waste delivered to a sorting facility for disposal must contain more than 50% by weight of inert material, and construction waste delivered to a public fill reception facility for disposal must consist entirely of inert material.

6.10 Measures have recently been introduced under Environment, Transport and Works Bureau (ETWB) TCW No.33/2003 to enhance the management of construction and demolition material including rock, and to minimize its generation at source. The enhancement measures include: (i) drawing up a Construction and Demolition Material Management Plan (C&DMMP) at an early design stage to minimize C&D material generation and encourage proper management of such material; (ii) vetting of the C&DMMP prior to upgrading of the project to Category A in the Public Works Programme; and (iii) providing the contractor with information from the C&DMMP in order to facilitate him in the preparation of the Waste Management Plan (WMP) and to minimize C&D material generation during construction. Projects generating C&D material less than 50,000m³ or importing fill material less than 50,000m³ are exempt from the C&DMMP.

Assessment Methodology

6.11 The criteria for assessing waste management implications are outlined in Annex 7 of the EIAO-TM. The methods for assessing potential waste management impacts during the construction phase follow those presented in Annex 15 of the EIAO-TM and include the following:

Ÿ Estimation of the types and quantities of the wastes generated

Ÿ Assessment of potential impacts from the management of solid waste with respect to potential hazards, air and odour emissions, noise, wastewater discharges and public transport

Ÿ Impacts on the capacity of waste collection, transfer and disposal facilities.

Baseline Conditions

6.12 The existing handling and disposal arrangements of waste are summarized below in Table 6.1.

Table 6.1 Existing Waste Handling and Disposal Arrangements at the HKCEC

Waste Material Type	Existing Annual Quantity¹ (ton)	Handling & Disposal Route
Wet garbage (referred to wastes from Food & Beverage outlets)	730 tons/yr (2028 kg/day)	Landfill
Daily wastage (referred to general refuse)	180 tons/yr (500kg/day)	Landfill
Construction debris (referred to on-going maintenance and upgrading work)	9,500 tons/yr (26,388 kg/day)	Landfill
Note: ¹Data as provided by the operator

Identification and Evaluation of Environmental Impacts

Construction Stage

6.13 The construction activities to be carried out for the proposed Project would generate a variety of wastes that can be divided into distinct categories based on their composition and ultimate method of disposal. The identified waste types include:

Ÿ Construction and demolition (C&D) material

Ÿ General refuse

Ÿ Chemical waste

Constructional and Demolition Material

6.14 In order to minimize the use of timber and concrete, steel is chosen for the structural framework for the expansion of the Atrium Link at the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Thus, construction and demolition (C&D) material would be mostly steel generated from on-site construction activities. In addition, it is proposed to recycle the steel from the existing atrium link as far as possible, and the main structure would arrive pre-fabricated to mitigate on site construction waste.

6.15 According to the approved Section 16 application, no extensive excavation is expected. In addition, there would be no permanent intermediate columns in the waterway and as the columns would rest on existing dry land, no reclamation is necessary. Construction activities in particular the demolition of the existing Atrium Link would generate C&D material. During the design of the extension, it is considered that, from the engineering point of view, retaining the existing structure is not feasible.

6.16 The C&D material would be segregated into public fill and C&D waste (including paper, metals, plastic and wood waste from packaging materials and wooden formworks) on site and stored separately for disposal at public filling areas and landfill, respectively. Paper waste, metal and wood waste would be stored in different skips for recycling as far as practicable. It is expected that the amount of C&D waste requiring disposal at landfill would be insignificant. The disposal of public fill and C&D waste to public filling areas and landfill, respectively, would not cause adverse environmental and operational impacts to these facilities.

6.17 The construction activities for the Project may be summarized as follows:

Ÿ Construction and demolition of the temporary footbridge

Ÿ Demolition of the existing Atrium Link

Ÿ Construction and demolition of a temporary working platform

Ÿ Construction of foundations and pile caps for the Atrium Link Extension

Ÿ Construction of superstructure for the Atrium Link Extension

6.18 The sequence of the construction activities is described below:

Construction and Demolition of Temporary Footbridge

6.19 The temporary footbridge would be 130m long, 14m wide and of a steel/concrete composite construction. Located next to the construction works area, the bridge would be in use until the new ALE is available for access.

6.20 The percussive method would be employed to drive the temporary marine piles into the seabed during construction of the footbridge for support. The temporary marine piles will be removed by means of pile extraction method upon completion of the ALE.

Demolition of Existing Atrium Link

6.21 Cylindrical temporary marine piles would be driven in the water channel for the demolition works of the existing Atrium Link as well as to support the construction of the new extension. Finishes of roof/internal/sides/break slabs will be removed in skips by forklifts and labour through hatchways down to works area for clearance. Structural steel will be cut and sheared with handling by tower cranes. The temporary marine piles will be removed when the works are completed.

Construction and Demolition of Temporary Working Platform

6.22 A temporary working platform would be constructed on a further set of cylindrical piles installed by percussive means. The typical bay sections of the structure, hanger trusses and the structural modules would be set up on this platform in advance.

6.23 This temporary working platform would be demolished after the construction of the superstructure. The temporary piles will be removed when the works are completed.

Construction of Permanent Foundation and Pile Cap

6.24 The ALE structure would be supported by five (5) trusses spanning the water channel. Since there are no intermediate columns to be constructed in the water channel, permanent foundations would rest on dry land on both sides of the channel. The piles on the northern side and southern side of the sea channel are anticipated to be either pre-bored H piles, large diameter bored piles or barrettes.

Construction of Superstructure for Atrium Link Extension

6.25 Having been set up on the temporary platform, the structural modules will be skidded into place for connection to the adjoining bays and existing buildings. After the superstructure has been completed, fitting out and electrical and mechanical systems will be installed mostly within the building.

6.26 Table 6.2 below identifies the quantity, quality and timing of the waste arising as a result of the construction activities based on the sequence and duration.

Table 6.2 Analysis of Construction Activities and Waste Generation

Activity	Duration¹	Timing of Waste Arising	Quantity	Quality
Construction of temporary footbridge ⁷	7 mths	N/A	Insignificant Amount	N/A
Demolition of temporary footbridge ³	3 mths (including the removal of piles)	Whole period	Qty of waste produced estimated to be 25% of the demolition of existing atrium link, ie 90 days @ 6.5 ton/day= 585 tons	Basically steel with re-sale value
Demolition of existing Atrium Link ²	6 mths	Whole period	180 days @26 ton/day = 4,680 tons	Steel (re-sale value), broken concrete scraping of paneling (landfill material)
Construction of temporary working platform ⁸	1 mth	N/A	Insignificant Amount	N/A
Demolition of temporary working platform ⁴	1 mth	Whole period	Qty of waste produced daily estimated to be double that of the demolition of the temp. footbridge, ie 30 days @ 13 ton/day= 390 tons	Basically steel with re-sale value
Construction of foundations and pile caps for ALE ⁵	4 mths	2/3 of the period	Qty of waste produced daily estimated to be similar to that of the demolition of the existing atrium link, ie 120 days @ 170 ton/day= 20,000 tons	Excavated mixed rock, not much use, reclamation material
Construction of superstructure for the ALE (mainly of assembly nature) ⁶	16 mths	N/A	Insignificant Amount	N/A

Notes:

¹ Based on 30 day month

² Quantity of waste generated was derived based on 9,500 tons /year of construction debris as provided by the operator (see Table 6.1)

³C&D activities will involve 3 floors on Phase I and 1 floor in Phase II of HKCEC with framing, etc. Quantity of waste generated is estimated to approximately 25% to that of the demolition of the existing atrium link

⁴ C&D activities involves mainly framing, slabs, beams, etc., thus the quantity of waste generated is estimated to be similar to that of the C&D activities of the temp. footbridge

⁵ Quantity of waste generated is estimated to be 6.5 times to that of the demolition of existing atrium link. This substantial amount is due to nine (9) piles of 3m in diameter and excavate to at least 80m deep with 2 columns as barrette wall support. Note the huge barrette walls would also generate large volume of waste.

⁶ As the construction of superstructure involves mainly erection of a pre-fabricated structure, the quantity of waste generated would be of insignificant concern

^7,8 Construction activities are expected to generate insignificant amount of waste as foundation system used is driven piles rather than bored piles

6.27 The large amount of C&D waste generated is mainly due to the piling works of large diameter piles’ excavation at the sea front site. If however marine sediment is found during pile excavation, the handling and disposal of such wastes will be managed in accordance with the requirements of the DASO and the current ETWB Tech. Circular no. 34/2002.

General Refuse

6.28 Throughout construction, the workforce would generate refuse comprising food scraps, waste paper, empty containers, etc. Release of general refuse into marine waters should not be permitted, as introduction of these wastes is likely to have detrimental effects on water quality in the area. Rapid and effective collection of site wastes would be required to prevent waste materials being blown around by wind, flushed or leached into the marine environment, and odour nuisance. The worksites may also attract pests and vermin if the waste storage area is not well maintained and cleaned regularly. Disposal of refuse at sites other than approved waste transfer or disposal facilities can also result in similar impacts. With the implementation of good waste management practices at the site, adverse environmental impacts would not be expected to arise from the storage, handling and transportation of workforce wastes. The maximum number of construction workers to be employed was estimated to be 90. Based on a generation rate of 0.65kg per worker per day, the maximum daily arisings of general refuse during the construction period would be approximately 60kg.

Chemical Waste

6.29 The maintenance and servicing of construction plant and equipment may possibly generate some chemical wastes, for instance, cleaning fluids, solvents, lubrication oil and fuel. Maintenance of vehicles may also involve the use of a variety of chemicals, oil and lubricants. It is difficult to quantify the amount of chemical waste that would arise from the construction activities since it would dependent on the Contractor’s on-site maintenance requirements and the amount of plant utilized. However, it is anticipated that the quantity of chemical waste, such as lubricating oil and solvent produced from plant maintenance, would be small and in the order of a few cubic metres per month. The amount of chemical waste expected to be generated would be quantified in the site Waste Management Plan to be prepared by the Contractor.

6.30 If not properly stored and disposed of, chemical waste may pose serious environmental, health and safety hazards. These hazards may include:

Ÿ Toxic effect to workers

Ÿ Adverse effect on air, water and land from spills

Ÿ Fire hazards

6.31 The chemical waste likely to be generated from the construction of the Atrium Link Extension would, for the most part, arise from the maintenance of construction plant and equipment. These may include:

Ÿ Scrap batteries or spent acid/alkali from their maintenance

Ÿ Used paint, engine oils, hydraulic fluids and waste fuel

Ÿ Spent mineral oils/ cleaning fluids from mechanical machinery

Ÿ Spent solvents/ solutions, some of which may be halogenated, from equipment cleaning activities.

6.32 The quantity of chemical waste to be generated would be small considering the scale of construction is small. These chemical wastes would be readily accepted at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre (CWTC) at Tsing Yi. Wherever possible opportunities should be taken to reuse and recycle materials.

6.33 Storage, handling, transport and disposal of chemical waste would be arranged in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Waste published by the EPD. Provided that this occurs, the potential environmental impacts arising from the handling, storage and disposal of a small amount of chemical waste generated from the construction activities would be negligible.

Operational Stage

6.34 Similar to the existing situation, the main waste type generated during the operation stage of the Project would be general refuse generated by the public and staff. These include waste paper, food wrappings and beverage containers. The disposal of future waste arisings generated at the HKCEC would follow the existing handling and disposal arrangement (see Table 6.1). Provided proper arrangements are made with licensed contractors to collect the generated waste, adverse waste-related impact is not anticipated during the operation stage. It is expected that there would be a 5-7% increase ratio in the future operations.

Mitigation of Adverse Environmental Impacts

Good Site Practices

6.35 Adverse impacts related to waste management would not be expected during the construction of the Atrium Link Extension, provided that good site practices are strictly followed. Recommendations for good site practices during the construction activities include:

Ÿ Nomination of an approved person, such as a site manager, to be responsible for good site practices, arrangements for collection and effective disposal to an appropriate facility, of all wastes generated at the site

Ÿ Training of site personnel in proper waste management and chemical handling procedures

Ÿ Provision of sufficient waste disposal points and regular collection of waste

Ÿ Appropriate measures to minimize windblown litter and dust during transportation of waste by either covering trucks or by transporting wastes in enclosed containers

Ÿ Regular cleaning and maintenance programme for drainage systems, sumps and oil interceptors.

Waste Reduction Measures

6.36 Good management and control can prevent the generation of a significant amount of waste both on site and off-site. Waste reduction is best achieved at the planning and design stage, as well as by ensuring the implementation of good site practices. Recommendations to achieve waste reduction include:

Ÿ Sorting of demolition debris and excavated materials from demolition works to recover reusable/ recyclable portions (ie soil, broken concrete, metal, etc)

Ÿ Segregation and storage of different types of waste in different containers, skips or stockpiles to enhance reuse or recycling of materials and their proper disposal

Ÿ Encourage collection of aluminum cans by individual collectors by providing separate labeled bins to enable this waste to be segregated from other general refuse generated by the work force

Ÿ Proper storage and site practices to minimize the potential for damage to contamination of construction materials

Ÿ Plan and stock construction materials carefully to minimize amount of waste generated and avoid unnecessary generation of waste

6.37 In addition to the above measures, specific mitigation measures are recommended below for the identified waste arising to minimize environmental impacts during handling, transportation and disposal of these wastes.

General Refuse

6.38 General refuse should be stored in enclosed bins or compaction units separate from C&D material. A reputable waste collector should be employed by the contractor to remove general refuse from the site, separately from C&D material. Preferably an enclosed and covered area should be provided to reduce the occurrence of ‘wind blown’ light material.

Construction and Demolition Material

6.39 In order to minimize the impact resulting from collection and transportation of C&D material for off-site disposal, the C&D material from the following construction activities should be re-used and recycled as far as possible to reduce the net amount of C&D material generated from the Project.

6.40 Other mitigation requirements are listed below:

Ÿ A Waste Management Plan should be prepared in accordance with ETWB TCW No. 19/2005

Ÿ A recording system for the amount of wastes generated, recycled and disposed (including the disposal sites) should be proposed

Ÿ In order to monitor the disposal of C&D and solid wastes at public filling facilities and landfills and to control fly-tipping, a trip-ticket system should be included. One may make reference to ETWB TCW No.31/2004 for details.

Chemical Waste

6.41 If chemical wastes are produced at the construction site, the Contractor would be required to register with the EPD as a Chemical Waste Producer and to follow the guidelines stated in the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes. Good quality containers compatible with the chemical wastes should be used, and incompatible chemicals should be stored separately. Appropriate labels should be securely attached on each chemical waste container indicating the corresponding chemical characteristics of the chemical waste, such as explosives, flammable, oxidizing, irritant, toxic, harmful, corrosive, etc. The Contractor shall use a licensed collector to transport and dispose of the chemical wastes, to either the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre at Tsing Yi, or another licensed facility, in accordance with the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation. For this Project, the amount of chemical wastes produced would be small.

6.42 Table 6.3 provides a summary of the various waste types likely to be generated during the construction works for the Project, together with the recommended handling and disposal methods.

Table 6.3 Summary of Waste Handling Procedures and Disposal Routes

Waste Material Type	Generated from works item	Total Quantity Generated	Quantity to be disposed off-site	Disposal	Handling
C&D Material	Demolition of temp. footbridge	585 tons	100% (585 tons)	Re-sale for further process	Sort to recover reusable/ recyclable portions
C&D Material	Demolition of existing Atrium Link	4,680 tons	50% (2340 tons)	Landfill, Resale for further process	Sort to recover reusable/ recyclable portions
C&D Material	Demolition of temp. working platform	390 tons	50% (195 tons)	Re-sale for further process	Sort to recover reusable/ recyclable portions
C&D Material	Construction of foundations and pile caps	20,000 tons	100% (20,000 tons)	Reclamation or landfill	-
General Refuse	Waste paper, food wrappings and beverage containers from workforce	Insignificant	Insignificant	Refuse station for compaction and containerization and then to landfill	Provide on-site refuse collection points
Chemical Waste	Cleansing fluids, solvent, lubrication oil and fuel from construction plants and equipment maintenance	Small	Small	Chemical Waste Treatment Centre	Recycle on-site or by licensed companies. Stored on-site within suitably designed containers

Evaluation of Residual Impacts

6.43 With the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures for the handling, transportation and disposal of the identified waste arisings, no residual impact is expected to arise during the construction and operation stage of the proposed Project.

Environmental Monitoring and Audit

6.44 Waste management would be the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that all wastes produced during the construction of the Project are handled, stored and disposed of in accordance with good waste management practices and EPD’s regulations and requirements.

6.45 Waste materials generated during construction activities, such as C&D materials are recommended to be audited at regular intervals (at least quarterly) to ensure that proper storage, transportation and disposal practices are being implemented. This monitoring of waste management practices would ensure that these solid wastes generated during construction are not disposed into the nearby waters. The Contractor would be responsible for the implementation of any mitigation measures to minimize waste or redress problems arising from waste materials. A Waste Management Plan (WMP) should be prepared in accordance with ETWB TCB No.19/2005 and submitted to the Engineer for approval.

6.46 The recommended mitigation measures should form the basis of the site Waste Management Plan to be developed by the Contractor at the construction stage. The monitoring and auditing requirements of the WMP as detailed in ETWB TCW No.19/2005 should be followed with regard to the management of C&D material.

Conclusion

6.47 Waste types generated by the construction and demolition activities for the Atrium Link Extension are likely to include C&D material, general refuse from the workforce and chemical wastes from the maintenance of construction plant and equipment. Provided that these identified waste arisings are to be handled, transported and disposed of using approved methods and that the recommended good site practices are to be strictly followed, adverse environmental impacts would not be expected during the construction phase.

6.1 The main waste types generated during the existing operation of the pedestrian link between Phase I and Phase II of the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre are general refuse generated on site by the public and staff. These include waste paper, food wrappings and beverage containers. It is estimated there would be a 5-7% increase ratio in future operation of the establishment. The handling, collection, transportation and disposal practices of the identified waste arisings in the future are anticipated to follow the existing arrangements currently in operation at the HKCEC.