1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
1.1.1.1
The proposed Sludge
Treatment Facilities (STF) are designed to treat 2,000 wet tonnes/day of the dewatered
sludge generated after the sewage treatment process in the Stonecutters Island
Sewage Treatment Works (STW) and 10 other regional sewage treatment works (STWs), including the Pillar Point
STW, San Wai STW, Sham Tsang STW, Siu Ho Wan STW, Sai
Kung STW, Shatin STW, Shek
Wu Hui STW, Stanley STW, Tai Po STW and Yuen Long
STW, by the fluidized
bed incineration technology to substantially reduce the
volume of sewage sludge for disposal to the landfill.
1.1.1.2
The STF is proposed to be
located in pulverized fuel ash lagoon area in Tsang Tsui
near Nim Wan. The site is located in the
northern part of the East Lagoon, adjacent to the West New Territories (WENT) Landfill and to the
northeast of the Black Point Power Station. The proposed location for the
STF is shown in Figure 1.1.
1.1.1.3
The decommissioning of
the northern part of the East Lagoon, construction of the STF and the operation
and maintenance of the STF will be implemented under a design-build-operate
(DBO) contract arrangement (hereinafter referred to as “the Project”).
1.1.1.4
The STF is scheduled to
be commissioned by end 2012 and has a design life of 20 years.
1.1.1.5
The Project is
classified as a designated project according to the following items of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO):-
(i)
Item G.3 of Part I, Schedule 2 of the EIAO -
construction and operation of an incinerator with an installed capacity of more
than 50 tonnes per day; and
(ii)
Item 8 of Part II,
Schedule 2 of the EIAO - decommissioning of a waste disposal facility for
pulverized fuel ash, furnace bottom ash or gypsum.
1.1.1.6
An environmental permit
is required for the implementation of the Project under the EIAO. The EIA Study Brief (No. ESB-169/2007) for
an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study for the Project was issued by
the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) in October 2007.
1.1.1.7
Metcalf & Eddy
Limited (M&E) was commissioned by the Environmental Protection Department
(EPD) of the Hong Kong SAR Government to undertake the Feasibility Study for
the development of the STF and its ancillary and supporting facilities
(hereinafter referred to as “the Project”). ENSR Asia
(HK) Ltd (ENSR), being the sub-consultant, conducted the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) Study for the Project.
1.1.1.8
The purpose of this EIA
report is to provide information on the nature and extent of potential
environmental impacts arising from the construction and operation of the
proposed STF and related activities taking place concurrently, and to
contribute to decisions on the overall environmental acceptability of the
Project, after the implementation of the proposed environmental mitigation
measures.
1.2
Objectives of this EIA Study
1.2.1.1
According to the EIA
Study Brief, the objectives of this EIA study are as follows:-
(i)
to describe the Project
and associated works together with the requirements for carrying out the
Project;
(ii)
to identify and describe the elements
of the community and environment likely to be affected by the Project and/ or
likely to cause adverse impacts to the Project, including both the natural and
man-made environment;
(iii)
to consider
alternatives including, but not limited to, location, designs (including
updated technology to be adopted for sludge treatment) and construction methods
with a view to avoiding and minimizing the potential environmental impacts; to
compare the environmental benefits and dis-benefits
of each of the alternatives; to provide reasons for selecting the preferred
option(s) and to describe the part of environmental factors played in the
selection;
(iv)
to identify and quantify emission
sources, to determine the significance of impacts on sensitive receivers and
potential affected uses and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
(v)
to identify and quantify any health
impacts and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
(vi)
to identify and quantify any potential
impacts from point and non-point pollution sources on the identified water systems
and sensitive receivers and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
(vii)
to identify any potential landscape
and visual impacts and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
(viii)
to identify and quantify any potential
losses or damage and other potential impacts to flora, fauna and natural
habitats and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
(ix)
to identify and quantify waste
management requirements and land contamination prevention requirements, and to
propose measures to mitigate or prevent impacts;
(x) to propose the provision of
mitigation measures to minimize pollution, environmental disturbance and
nuisance during construction and operation of the Project;
(xi) to investigate the feasibility,
practicability, effectiveness and implications of the proposed mitigation
measures;
(xii)
to identify, predict and evaluate the
residual environmental impacts (i.e. after practicable mitigation) and the
cumulative effects expected to arise during the construction and operation
phases of the Project in relation to the sensitive receivers and potential
affected uses;
(xiii)
to identify, assess and specify
methods, measures and standards, to be included in the detailed design,
construction and operation of the Project which are necessary to mitigate these
environmental impacts and cumulative effects and reduce them to acceptable
levels;
(xiv)
to investigate the
extent of the secondary environmental impacts that may arise from the proposed
mitigation measures and to identify constraints associated with the mitigation
measures recommended in the EIA study, as well as the provision of any
necessary modification; and
(xv)
to design and specify the
environmental monitoring and audit requirements to ensure the implementation of
the recommended environmental protection and pollution control measures.
1.3
Structure of the Report
1.3.1.1
The structure of the
EIA Report is set out below:-
(i)
Section 2 illustrates
the project location and assessment area for the EIA study, and provides a
description of the Project highlighting the key infrastructure for the STF and
the operation activities.
(ii)
Section 3 identifies
and assesses the potential air quality impacts associated with the construction
and operation of the Project.
(iii)
Section 4 presents the
health risk assessment conducted to assess the potential health impact
associated with the operation of the Project.
(iv) Section 5 identifies and assesses the
potential waste management implications associated with the construction and
operation of the Project; and land contamination prevention measures for the
operation of the Project.
(v)
Section 6 identifies
and assesses the potential water pollution impacts associated with the
construction and operation of the Project.
(vi) Section 7 identifies and assesses the
potential ecological impacts associated with the construction and operation of
the Project.
(vii)
Section 8 assesses the
noise impact from the off-site traffic noise generated from the operation of
the Project.
(viii)
Section 9 identifies
and assesses the potential landscape and visual impacts associated with the
Project.
(ix)
Section 10 identifies
and assesses the potential landfill gas hazard associated with the Project.
(x)
Section 11 highlights
the environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) requirements for the
Project. Details of the scope and approach are presented in a stand-alone
EM&A Manual.
(xi)
Section 12 summarises
and concludes the findings of the EIA.