6.                   WASTE MANAGEMENT IMPLiCATIONS

 

Introduction

 

6.1               Waste management during the construction phase would be the contractor’s responsibility.  The contractor must confirm that all wastes produced during the construction phase of the Project are handled, stored and disposed of in accordance with good waste management practices and EPD’s regulations and requirements.  The recommended mitigation measures in the EIA Report should form the basis of the Waste Management Plan to be developed by the Contractor in the construction stage.

 

6.2               Waste materials generated during construction activities, such as construction and demolition (C&D) material and general refuse, 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 confirm that these solid wastes generated during construction are not disposed of into the adjacent coastal waters.  The Contractor would be responsible for the implementation of mitigation measures to minimize waste or redress problems arising from the waste materials.

 

Mitigation Measures

 

6.3               Mitigation measures for waste management as recommended in the EIA Report are summarized below.  With the appropriate handling, storage and disposal of waste arising during the construction works as defined below, the potential to cause adverse environmental impacts would be minimized. 

 

6.4               During the site inspections, the ET shall pay special attention to the issues relating to waste management and check whether the Contractor has implemented the recommended good site practices and other mitigation measures.

 

Good Site Practices

 

6.5               Adverse impacts related to waste management are not expected to arise, provided that good site practices are strictly followed.  Recommendations for good site practices during the construction activities include:

 

§         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

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

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

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

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

§         Separation of chemical wastes for special handling and appropriate treatment at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre.

 

Waste Reduction Measures

 

6.6               Good management and control can prevent the generation of a significant amount of waste.  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:

 

§         Sort C&D waste from demolition of existing facilities to recover recyclable portions such as metals

§         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

§         Encourage collection of aluminium cans by providing separate labelled bins to enable this waste to be segregated from other general refuse generated by the workforce

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

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

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

§         Training should be provided to workers about the concepts of site cleanliness and appropriate waste management procedures, including waste reduction, reuse and recycle.

 

6.7               A Waste Management Plan (WMP) should be prepared by the Contractor prior to the commencement of construction work to provide an overall framework for waste management and reduction.  The WMP shall be certified by the ET Leader and verified by the IEC.

 

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

 

Construction and Demolition Material

 

6.9               In order to minimise impacts resulting from collection and transportation of C&D material for off-site disposal, the excavated materials arising from station and tunnel construction should be reused on-site as backfilling material (e.g. for the construction shafts and cut and cover station at KET) and for landscaping works as far as practicable.  Surplus rock generated from the tunnelling works, shafts/adits construction and the stations cavern construction should be reused in reclamation and site formation projects either in the Mainland or Macau, or disposed of at a PFRF, as agreed with the Secretary of the Public Fill Committee, for other beneficial uses.  Government advises that disposal of material to PFRFs should be considered as the last resort with the preferred approach to reuse the material within the Project or in other projects.  C&D waste generated from the site clearance of the proposed works areas would require disposal to the designated landfill site.  In order to monitor the disposal of inert C&D material and C&D waste at PFRFs and landfills respectively, and to control fly-tipping, a trip-ticket system should be established in accordance with ETWB TCW No. 31/2004 “Trip Ticket System for Disposal of Construction and Demolition Materials”.

 

6.10            Material delivered to PFRFs should be of size less than 250mm or other sizes as agreed with the Secretary of the Public Fill Committee.

 

General Refuse

 

6.11            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 and chemical wastes.  Preferably an enclosed and covered area should be provided to reduce the occurrence of 'wind blown' light material. 

 

Chemical Wastes

 

6.12            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 explosive, 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 approved Chemical Waste Treatment Centre, or another licensed facility, in accordance with the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation.

 

6.13            The implementation schedule of the recommended mitigation measures is presented in Appendix A.