5
WASTE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
5.1
Introduction
5.1.1.1
This section identifies
the types of wastes that are likely to be generated during the construction and
operation phases of the Project and evaluates the potential environmental
impacts that may result from these wastes. Mitigation measures and good
site practices, including waste handling, storage and disposal, are recommended
with reference to the applicable waste legislation and guidelines.
5.2
Environmental Legislation, Policies, Plans, Standards
and Criteria
5.2.1
Introduction
5.2.1.1
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.
5.2.1.2
The following
legislations relate to the handling, treatment and disposal of wastes in the
Hong Kong SAR and have been used in assessing potential impacts:-
l Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap. 354);
l Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste)
(General) Regulation (Cap. 354);
l Land (Miscellaneous Provisions)
Ordinance (Cap. 28); and
l Public Health and Municipal Services
Ordinance (Cap. 132) - Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation.
5.2.2
Waste Management
5.2.2.1
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 does not
include any sludge, screenings or matter removed in or generated from any desludging, desilting or dredging
works. Under the WDO, wastes can be disposed of at designated waste
disposal facilities.
5.2.2.2
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 Environmental Protection Department
(EPD) has also issued the “Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and
Storage of Chemical Wastes (1992)”, which details how the Contractor should
comply with the regulations on chemical wastes.
5.2.2.3
The Public Cleansing
and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation provides control on illegal tipping of
wastes on unauthorised (unlicensed) sites.
5.2.3
Construction and Demolition (C&D) Materials
5.2.3.1
The current policy
related to the dumping of C&D material is documented in the Works Branch
Technical Circular No. 2/93, ‘Public Dumps’. C&D
materials that are wholly inert, namely public fill, should not be disposed of
at landfill, but taken to public filling areas, which usually form part of
reclamation schemes. The Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance
requires that dumping licences be obtained by individuals or companies who
deliver public fill to public filling areas. The Civil Engineering and
Development Department (CEDD) issues the licences under delegated powers from
the Director of Lands.
5.2.3.2
Under the Waste
Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction Waste) Regulation, which enacted
in January 2006, 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.
5.2.3.3
Measures have been
introduced under Environment, Transport and Works Bureau (ETWB) TCW No.
33/2002, “Management of Construction and Demolition Material Including Rock”
to enhance the management of construction and demolition material, and to
minimize its generation at source. The enhancement measures include:
(i)
drawing up a Construction and Demolition Material Management Plan
(C&DMMP) at the feasibility study or preliminary 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) as well as
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 exempted from the C&DMMP.
5.2.3.4
The ETWB TCW No.
19/2005 “Environmental Management on Construction Sites” includes procedures
on waste management requiring contractors to reduce the C&D material to be
disposed of during the course of construction. Under ETWB TCW No.
19/2005, the Contractor is required to prepare and implement an
Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and the WMP becomes part of the EMP.
5.3
Assessment Methodology
5.3.1.1
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:
l Estimation of the types and
quantities of the wastes generated;
l Assessment of potential impacts from
the management of solid waste with respect to potential hazards, air and odour
emissions, noise, wastewater discharges and transport; and
l Impacts on the capacity of waste
collection, transfer and disposal facilities.
5.4
Identification and Evaluation of Environmental
Impacts
5.4.1
Construction Phase
5.4.1.1
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:
l Construction and demolition
(C&D) materials;
l General refuse; and
l Chemical waste.
5.4.1.2
The nature of each type
of waste arising is described below, together with an evaluation of the
potential environmental impacts associated with the waste.
Construction and
Demolition Materials
5.4.1.3
Construction and demolition
(C&D) material would be generated from site formation, foundation works for
buildings and facilities, foundation piling and construction of the access
road. During the construction phase of this facility, C&D material
would comprise mostly concrete and smaller quantities of rock and soil, with an
estimated total volume of approximately 30,300 m3. Foundation
works and piling would also generate pulverised fuel ash (PFA) with an
estimated volume of approximately 32,500 m3. A breakdown of
the estimated volumes of C&D material and PFA generated from the
construction of the Project is given in Table 5.1.
5.4.1.4
The C&D material
should be re-used on-site for filling works as far as possible to minimize the
net amount of C&D material generated from the Project. Filling works
would include site formation, backfilling and access road construction.
To avoid off-site disposal, the excavated PFA would be totally reused as
filling material within the STF site area at the eastern part of the ash
lagoon, including the construction of the access road. The volume of the
C&D material that cannot be reused and require disposal off-site is
estimated to be approximately 25,000 m3.
Table 5.1
Summary of C&D Material Volumes
|
Type of C&D Material
|
Material generated (m3)
|
Inert C&D Material to be Reused On site (m3)
|
Non-inert C&D Material to be Collected for Recycling (m3)
|
Non-inert C&D Material to be Disposed of off Site (m3)
|
|
Inert Material
|
PFA
|
32,500
|
32,500
|
0
|
0
|
|
Rock & artificial hard material
|
5,100
|
5,100
|
0
|
0
|
|
Non-inert
Material
|
Top soil &
vegetation
|
24,000
|
0
|
0
|
24,000
|
|
Others
|
1,200
|
0
|
200
|
1,000
|
|
Total
|
62,800
|
37,600
|
200
|
25,000
|
Notes:
(1)
Assume
100% of PFA to be reused as filling material within the STF site area
5.4.1.5
The amount of C&D
material and PFA expected to be generated would be quantified in the site Waste
Management Plan to be prepared by the Contractor. Since the construction
activities would be located near the coast and a stream, improper management of
C&D materials may introduce debris and pollutants to the water bodies, and
mitigation measures, including adoption of good site practices, would be
required for control of impacts.
General Refuse
5.4.1.6
Throughout
construction, the workforce would generate refuse comprising food scraps, waste
paper, empty containers, etc. Release of general refuse into coastal
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 or flushed into the coastal waters or stream.
The work sites may also attract pests and vermin and create odour nuisance 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 is estimated to be about 200 workers. Based on a generation rate
of 0.65 kg per worker per day, the maximum daily arising of general refuse
during the construction period would be approximately 130 kg.
Chemical Waste
5.4.1.7
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 will arise from the construction activities since it will
be dependent on the Contractor’s on-site maintenance requirements and the
amount of plant utilised. 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 will be quantified in the
site Waste Management Plan to be prepared by the Contractor.
5.4.1.8
Chemical wastes
generated during the construction phase may pose environmental, health and
safety hazards if not stored and disposed of in an appropriate manner as
stipulated in the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulations. The
potential hazards include:
l Toxic effects to workers;
l Adverse impacts on water quality
from spills; and
l Fire hazards.
5.4.1.9
Materials classified as
chemical wastes will be required for special handling and storage arrangements
before removal for appropriate treatment such as the Chemical Waste Treatment
Facility at Tsing Yi. Wherever possible
opportunities should be taken to reuse and recycle materials. Mitigation
and control requirements for chemical wastes are detailed in Section 5.5.1.7.
Provided that the handling, storage and disposal of chemical wastes are in
accordance with these requirements, adverse environmental impacts are not
expected to result.
5.4.2
Operation Phase
Types of Waste Arising
5.4.2.2
The main waste type to
be generated during the operation of the STF would be incinerator ash
comprising bottom ash and fly ash. Bottom ash from the combustion chamber
of the fluidized bed incinerator is considered to be inert provided that the
combustion systems in the incinerator are designed and operated correctly, and
would be disposed of at landfill. Fly ash removed from the flue gas
stream by the primary baghouse filters (not including
the flue gas cleaning residue) can also be disposed of at landfill. The
pollutant load in fly ash would likely be higher and more readily leachable
than that in bottom ash. To ensure the environmental acceptability of the
handling and disposal of the incineration by-products, the STF will be designed
with the specifications that the incinerator ash (bottom ash and fly ash)
generated under normal operation would comply with the proposed Incineration
Residue Pollution Control Limits and leachability
criteria as shown in Table 5.2 below prior to any stabilization or
solidification process.
Table 5.2
Proposed Incineration Residue Pollution Control Limits
|
Pollutant Parameter
|
Pollution Control Limit
|
|
Each Skip Load Prior to Transportation to Disposal Site
|
|
|
|
|
|
Residue Itself:
|
|
|
Bottom Ash and Fly Ash:
|
|
|
|
· Total organic carbons (a)
|
3% by wt (d)
|
|
|
· Dioxins/Furans (b)
|
1 ppb (or 1 µg kg-1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leachate Derived from the Residue:
|
|
|
pH
|
>8
|
|
|
Heavy Metals (c)
|
|
|
|
· Cd
|
10 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Cr
|
50 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Cu
|
250 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Ni
|
250 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Pb
|
50 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Zn
|
250 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Hg
|
1 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Sn
|
250 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Ag
|
50 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Sb
|
150 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· As
|
50 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Be
|
10 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Tl
|
50 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· V
|
250 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Se
|
1 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
|
|
· Ba
|
1,000 ppm (or mg kg-1)
|
Notes:
(a) Checking of carbon burnout
of the ash is necessary to ensure adequate sterility
(b) I-TEQ (International Toxic
Equivalents)
(c) Toxicity Characteristic
Leaching Procedure (TCLP) limits for landfill disposal
(d) The EU Directive on
Incineration of Waste requires a TOC of 3% by
wt.
5.4.2.3
It is expected that the
bottom ash or fly ash of the STF would not contain elevated levels of heavy
metals. To confirm this conclusion and as a precautionary measure, it is
proposed that TCLP tests be carried out for each batch of fly ash and bottom
ash to be disposed of at WENT Landfill at the initial stage of the STF
operation (i.e. for a period of 6 months). If the test results confirm
that heavy metals or pH are not of concern, the TCLP test can be deleted or
reduced to half-yearly intervals.
5.4.2.4
The bottom ash and fly
ash, with similar nature, will be stored in the incombustible hopper and ash
hopper prior to disposal into the landfill. The total amount of bottom
ash and fly ash produced from incineration would amount to about 186 tonnes per
day.
5.4.2.5
The other waste product
generated during the operation of the incinerator would be flue gas cleaning
residues produced in the air pollution control system. Flue gas cleaning
residues from dry flue gas cleaning systems consist of fine particulate
mixtures of fly ash mainly comprising the reaction products of acid gas
neutralization and unreacted lime. The flue gas
cleaning residue would be collected in the secondary bag filter and would be
stored in a separate residues silo. This residue material is usually
soluble in water and it can contain elevated levels of a wide range of metals
(from industrial liquid wastes received at the sewage treatment works).
The STF will be designed with the specifications that the flue gas cleaning
residues produced under normal operation would comply with the proposed
Incineration Residue Pollution Control Limits and leachability
criteria as shown in Table 5.2 prior to any stabilization or
solidification process as far as practicable. Yet, the material may
occasionally need to be stabilized or solidified in order to meet the proposed
Incineration Residue Pollution Control Limits. This would be confirmed by
carrying out TCLP tests during the initial stage of the STF operation (i.e. for
a period of 6 months). Pre-treatment technologies to enable the residue
to comply with the leachability criteria may include
cement solidification or chemical stabilization, or thermal treatment.
5.4.2.6
The estimated
quantities of waste products generated from the operation of the STF are
indicated in Table 5.3 below.
Table
5.3 Summary
of Incineration By-products from Operation of STF
|
Waste Product
|
Quantity
|
Disposal Route
|
|
Incinerator Ash
(Fly ash and Bottom ash)
|
67,890 tons / year
(186 tons / day)
|
Comply with proposed incineration residue pollution control limits
prior to disposal to WENT landfill
|
|
Flue Gas Cleaning Residue
|
30,660 tons /year
(84 tons / day)
|
Comply with proposed incineration residue pollution control limits
prior to disposal to WENT landfill. Pre-treatment may be required (e.g.
solidification or chemical stabilization)
|
5.5
Waste Management Measures
5.5.1
Construction Phase
5.5.1.1
This section recommends
the mitigation measures needed to avoid or minimize potential adverse
environmental impacts associated with the handling, collection and disposal of
waste arising from the construction of the proposed STF.
Good Site Practices
5.5.1.2
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 the followings:-
l Nomination of an approved person,
such as a site manager, to be responsible for good site practices, including
arrangements for collection and effective disposal to an appropriate facility,
of all wastes generated at the site;
l Training of site personnel in proper
waste management and chemical handling procedures;
l Provision of sufficient waste
disposal points and regular collection of waste;
l Appropriate measures to minimise
windblown litter and dust during transportation of waste by either covering
trucks or by transporting wastes in enclosed containers; and
l Regular cleaning and maintenance
programme for drainage systems, sumps and oil interceptors.
Waste Reduction
Measures
5.5.1.3
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 the followings:-
l The design of the foundation works
should minimize the amount of excavated material to be generated.
l Excavated soil should be reused on
site as far as possible, e.g. for landscape works, in order to minimize the
amount of public fill to be disposed off-site.
l 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.
l Encourage collection of aluminium
cans by individual collectors by providing separate labelled bins to enable this
waste to be segregated from other general refuse generated by the work force.
l Proper storage and site practices to
minimise the potential for damage or contamination of construction materials.
l Plan and stock construction
materials carefully to minimise amount of waste generated and avoid unnecessary
generation of waste.
5.5.1.4
In addition to the
above measures, specific mitigation measures are recommended below for the
identified waste so as to minimise environmental impacts during handling,
transportation and disposal of the waste.
General Refuse
5.5.1.5
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
5.5.1.6
In order to minimise
the impact resulting from collection and transportation of C&D material for
off-site disposal, the excavated material arising from site formation and
foundation works should be reused on-site as backfilling material and for
landscaping works as far as practicable. Other mitigation requirements
are listed below:-
l A Waste Management Plan, which
becomes part of the EMP, should be prepared in accordance with ETWB TCW
No.19/2005;
l A recording system for the amount of
wastes generated, recycled and disposed (including the disposal sites) should
be adopted; and
l In order to monitor the disposal of
C&D material at public filling facilities and landfills and to control
fly-tipping, a trip-ticket system should be adopted (refer to ETWB TCW No.
31/2004).
Chemical Wastes
5.5.1.7
If chemical wastes are to be 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, or corrosive).
The Contractor should 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.
5.5.1.8
Table 5.4 provides a summary of the various
waste types likely to be generated during the construction activities for the
STF, together with the recommended handling and disposal methods.
Table 5.4 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
Route
|
Handling
Procedure
|
|
C&D Material
&
PFA
|
Site
formation;
Foundation Works;
Construction of access road
|
62,800 m3
|
Public fill
25,000 m3
|
Inert material
(i.e. excavated PFA, rock & artifical hard
material) to be reused on-site for filling works including site formation,
backfilling and road widening
(37,600 m3)
Recyclable non-inert material such as
metallic waste and paper/cardboard packaging to be collected for recycling
(200 m3)
C&D material
cannot be reused or recycled to be disposed to public filling area
|
Segregate inert
C&D material i.e. public fill to avoid contamination from other waste arisings
|
|
General Refuse
|
Waste paper, empty container
generated from workforce
|
130kg/day
(preliminary estimate)
|
130kg
per day
|
Refuse station for compaction
and containerisation and then to landfill
|
Provide on-site refuse
collection points
|
|
Chemical Waste
|
Cleansing fluids, solvent,
lubrication oil and fuel from construction plants and equipment
|
Few
cubic meters/month (preliminary estimate)
|
Few
cubic meters/month
|
Chemical Waste Treatment
Centre
|
Collected for disposal by
licensed collector;
Stored on-site within
suitably designed containers
|
5.5.2
Operation Phase
Storage, Handling, Treatment, Collection and Disposal of Incineration
By-Products
5.5.2.2
The following measures
are recommended for the storage, handling and collection of the incineration
by-products:-
l Ash should be stored in storage
silos;
l Ash should be handled and conveyed
in closed systems fully segregated from the ambient environment;
l Ash should be wetted with water to
control fugitive dust, where necessary; and
l The wetted ash should be transported
in covered trucks or containers to the designated landfill site.
5.5.2.3
The STF Contractor
should provide EPD with chemical analysis results of the incineration ash and
flue gas cleaning residue to confirm that the ash/residue can comply with the
proposed Incineration Residue Pollution Control Limits.
5.6
Contamination Preventive Measures
5.6.1
General
5.6.1.1
The STF is proposed to
be located in the eastern part of the existing PFA lagoon area. Based on
the available information, the PFA lagoons were constructed in year 1987 and
the lagoons have been used solely for ash disposal purpose since its formation.
No other contaminating activities including storage and use of chemicals or
fuels were practised on site. This is verified by review of historic
aerial photos and no observable contamination was noticed in recent site
walkover. Potential land contamination impact associated with the
previous uses of the lagoon site is therefore not anticipated.
5.6.1.2
With reference to
Clause 3.4.4.3 of the EIA Study Brief, the following tasks have been conducted
in accordance with the Guidance Manual for Use of Risk-based Remediation
Goals for Contaminated Land Management and the Guidance Note for
Contaminated Land and Remediation to prevent contamination problem due to
operation of the STF from arising in the future:-
l Identify the possible sources of contamination associated with the
operation of the Project; and
l Formulate appropriate operational
practices, waste management strategies and precautionary measures for the
prevention of contamination problems.
5.6.2
Potential Sources of Contamination
5.6.2.1
A variety of chemicals
is expected to be used during the STF operation. Moreover, the STF
operation will produce chemical wastes and incineration residues. Without
proper management of the chemicals, chemical wastes and incineration residues,
there is potential for land contamination due to uncontrolled spillages, or
improper handling and disposal of these materials.
5.6.2.2
The expected types and
quantities of the materials involved in the STF operation with contamination
potential are presented in Table 5.5.
Table 5.5
Materials used in the STF Operation with Land Contamination Potential
5.6.2.3
A minimum amount of
chemical wastes are expected to be generated. Chemical wastes will
only arise if chemicals are over-ordered and cannot be consumed before the
expiry of the chemicals.
5.6.3
Approach to Prevent Land Contamination
Fuel Oil Spillage
Prevention
5.6.3.2
Precautionary measures to prevent fuel oil
spillage are presented below.
(i)
Fuel Oil Tank
Construction and Test
l
The fuel tank to be
installed should be of specified durability.
l
Double skin tanks are
preferred.
l
Underground fuel
storage tank should be placed within a concrete pit.
l
The concrete pit shall
be accessible to allow regular tank integrity tests to be carried out at
regular intervals.
l
Tank integrity tests
should be conducted by an independent qualified surveyor or structural
engineer.
l
Any potential problems
identified in the test should be rectified as soon as possible.
(ii)
Fuel Oil Pipeline
Construction and Test
l
Installation of
aboveground fuel oil pipelines is preferable; if underground pipelines are unavoidable,
concrete lined trenches should be constructed to contain the pipelines.
l
Double skin pipelines
are preferred.
l
Distance between the
fuel oil refuelling points and the fuel oil storage tank shall be minimized.
l
Integrity tests for the
pipelines should be conducted by an independent qualified surveyor or
structural engineer at regular intervals.
l
Any potential problems
identified in the test should be rectified as soon as possible.
(iii)
Fuel Oil Leakage
Detection
l
Installation of leak
detection device at storage tank and pipelines.
l
Installation and use of
pressure gauges (e.g. at the two ends of a filling line) in fuel filling, which
allows unexpected pressure drop or difference and sign of leakage to be
detected.
(iv)
Fuel Oil Storage Tank
Refuelling
l
Storage tank refuelling
(from road tanker) should only be conducted by authorized staff of the oil company
using the company’s standard procedures.
(v)
Fuel Oil Spillage
Response
5.6.3.3
An Oil Spill Response Plan should be prepared
by the operator to document the appropriate response procedures for oil
spillage incidents in detail. General procedures to be taken in case of
fuel oil spillage are presented below.
Training
-
Training on oil spill response actions should be given to relevant staff.
The training shall cover the followings:-
¨
Tools & resources
to combat oil spillage and fire, e.g. locations of oil spill handling equipment
and fire fighting equipment;
¨
General methods to deal
with oil spillage and fire incidents;
¨
Procedures for
emergency drills in the event of oil spills and fire; and
¨ Regular drills shall be carried out.
Communication
-
Establish communication channel with the Fire Services Department (FSD) and EPD
to report any oil spillage incident so that necessary assistance from relevant
department can be quickly sought.
Response Procedures
-
Any fuel oil spillage within the STF site should be immediately reported to the
Plant Manager with necessary details including location, source, possible cause
and extent of the spillage.
-
Plant Manager should immediately attend to the spillage and initiate any
appropriate action to confine and clean up the spillage. The response
procedures shall include the following:
-
Identify and isolate the source of spillage as soon as possible.
-
Contain the oil spillage and avoid infiltration into soil/ groundwater and
discharge to storm water channels.
-
Remove the oil spillage.
-
Clean up the contaminated area.
-
If the oil spillage occurs during storage tank refuelling, the refuelling
operation should immediately be stopped.
-
Recovered contaminated fuel oil and the associated material to remove the
spilled oil should be considered as chemical waste. The handling and
disposal procedures for chemical wastes are discussed in the following paragraphs.
Chemicals and Chemical
Wastes Handling & Spillage Prevention
5.6.3.4
The precautionary measures to prevent improper
handling/ use of chemicals and chemical waste spillage are presented below.
(i)
Chemicals and Chemical
Wastes Handling & Storage
l
Chemicals and chemical
wastes should only be stored in suitable containers in purpose-built areas.
l
The storage of chemical
wastes should comply with the requirements of the Code of Practice on the
Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes.
l
The storage areas for
chemicals and chemical wastes shall have an impermeable floor or surface.
The impermeable floor/ surface shall possess the following properties:
l
Not liable to
chemically react with the materials and their containers to be stored.
l
Able to withstand
normal loading and physical damage caused by container handling
l
The integrity and
condition of the impermeable floor or surface should be inspected at regular
intervals to ensure that it is satisfactorily maintained
l
For liquid chemicals
and chemical wastes storage, the storage area should be bunded
to contain at least 110% of the storage capacity of the largest containers or
20% of the total quantity of the chemicals/chemical wastes stored, whichever is
the greater.
l
Storage containers
shall be checked at regular intervals for their structural integrity and to
ensure that the caps or fill points are tightly closed.
l
Chemical handling shall
be conducted by trained workers under supervision.
(ii)
Chemicals and Chemical
Wastes Spillage Response
5.6.3.5
A Chemicals and/ or Chemical Wastes Spillage
Response Plan shall be prepared by the operator to document in detail the
appropriate response procedures for chemicals or chemical wastes spillage
incidents. General procedures to be undertaken in case of chemicals/
chemical waste spillages are presented below.
Training
-
Training on spill response actions should be given to relevant staff. The
training shall cover the followings:-
¨
Tools & resources
to handle spillage, e.g. locations of spill handling equipment;
¨
General methods to deal
with spillage; and
¨ Procedures for emergency drills in
the event of spills.
Communication
-
Establish communication channel with FSD and EPD to report the spillage
incident so that necessary assistance from relevant department can be quickly
sought.
Response Procedures
-
Any spillage within the STF site should be reported to the Plant Manager.
-
Plant Manager shall attend to the spillage and initiate any appropriate actions
needed to confine and clean up the spillage. The response procedures
shall include the followings:-
¨ Identify and isolate the source of
spillage as soon as possible;
¨ Contain the spillage and avoid
infiltration into soil/ groundwater and discharge to storm water channels (in
case the spillage occurs at locations out of the designated storage areas);
¨ Remove the spillage; the removal
method/ procedures documented in the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the
chemicals spilled should be observed;
¨ Clean up the contaminated area (in
case the spillage occurs at locations out of the designated storage areas); and
¨ The waste arising from the cleanup
operation should be considered as chemical wastes.
Preventive Measures for Incineration By-products Handling
5.6.3.6
The recommended
measures listed below can minimize the potential contamination to the
surrounding environment due to the incineration by-products: -
l
Ash should be stored in
storage silos;
l
Ash should be handled
and conveyed in closed systems fully segregated from the ambient environment;
l
Ash should be wetted
with water to control fugitive dust, where necessary; and
l
The wetted ash should
be transported in covered trucks or containers to the designated landfill site.
Incident Record
5.6.3.7
After any spillage, an
incident report should be prepared by the Plant Manager. The incident
report should contain details of the incident including the cause of the
incident, the material spilled and estimated spillage amount, and also the
response actions undertaken. The incident record should be kept carefully
and able to be retrieved when necessary.
5.6.3.8
The incident report
should provide sufficient details for the evaluation of any environmental
impacts due to the spillage and assessment of the effectiveness of measures
taken.
5.6.3.9
In case any spillage or
accidents results in significant land contamination, EPD should be informed
immediately and the STF operator should be responsible for the clean up of the
affected area. The responses procedures described in Section 5.6.3.3
and Section 5.6.3.5 above should be followed accordingly together with
the land contamination assessment and remediation guidelines stipulated in the Guidance
Manual for Use of Risk-based Remediation Goals for Contaminated Land Management
and the Guidance Note for Contaminated Land and Remediation.
5.7
Evaluation of Residual Impacts
5.7.1.1
With the implementation
of the recommended mitigation measures for the handling, transportation and
disposal of the identified waste, no residual impact is expected to arise
during the construction of the proposed Project.
5.7.1.2
For the operation phase
of the Project, provided that the incineration by-products of the STF operation
comply with the proposed Incineration Residue Pollution Control Limits as
recommended in Table 5.2 and leachability
criteria of material prior to disposal at landfill, the residual impact arising
from the disposal of the incineration by-products is considered to be minimal
and thus acceptable. Besides, with the implementation of the
contamination preventive measures, contamination problems during the
operational phase of the Project are not expected.
5.8
Environmental
Monitoring and Audit
5.8.1.1
It 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 the recommended good waste management practices and EPD’s
regulations and requirements. A Waste Management Plan (WMP) which would
become part of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP), should be prepared in
accordance with ETWB TCW No.19/2005 by the Contractor. The
mitigation measures recommended in this section should form the basis of the
WMP.
5.8.1.2
Waste materials
generated from construction activities, such as construction and demolition
(C&D) materials and general refuse, are recommended to be audited at
regular intervals (at least once per week as part of the regular site
inspections described in EM&A Manual) to ensure that proper storage,
transportation and disposal practices are being implemented. The
Contractor would be responsible for the implementation of the mitigation
measures to minimize waste or redress problems arising from the waste
materials.
5.8.1.3
Besides, during
operational phase of the Project, it is recommended that the incineration
by-products should be tested in accordance with the requirements of the
proposed Incineration Residue Pollution Control Limits as recommended in Table
5.2 above prior to disposal to landfill. A number of the land
contamination preventive measures are also recommended for the operation of the
Project.
5.9
Conclusion
5.9.1.1
Waste types generated
by the construction activities for the STF are likely to include C&D
material (from site formation, foundation works and construction of access
road), general refuse from the workforce and chemical wastes from the
maintenance of construction plant and equipment. Provided that the waste
is handled, transported and disposed of using approved methods and that the
recommended good site practices are strictly followed, adverse environmental impacts
would not be expected during the construction phase.
5.9.1.2
The end product from
the incineration process would be incinerator ash (bottom ash and fly ash) and
flue gas cleaning residue, which would be disposed of at landfill after complied
with the proposed incineration residue pollution control limits.
Pre-treatment may be required for flue gas cleaning residue prior to disposal.
5.9.1.3
The potential sources
of contamination in the STF operation have been identified. Limited
amount of chemicals or chemical wastes would be used/ produced in the STF
operation. Good practices and response procedures for contamination
prevention have been recommended. With proper implementation of the
recommended practices and procedures, the potential for contamination due to
the STF operation is expected to be minimal.