10.1.1.1
Construction activities would generate a variety of
surplus materials including excavated materials, construction and demolition
(C&D) materials and wastes, chemical waste from construction plant and
machinery, and general refuse from work sites.
During the operation phase, municipal wastes from the railway operation
services would be generated, including litter, foodstuffs, plastics, wood,
office waste and cleaning materials, which will need to be properly managed for
disposal.
10.2.1.1
A description of the KTE project can be found in Section 3 of this EIA report with the layout of the proposed
railway alignment, stations, and the associated structures of the preferred
scheme. Issues on the waste management
may arise during the construction and operation phases of the project (details
of works items are as shown in Table 3.1 in Section 3).
10.3
Legislation and Standards
10.3.1
Background
10.3.1.1
The following legislation relates to the handling,
treatment and disposal of waste in the HKSAR, and will be considered in
assessing potential impacts and their avoidance or mitigation:
10.3.2
Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap 499)
10.3.2.1
Reference to the EIAO and the associated EIAO-TM has
been made for the assessment of the waste impacts. Annexes 7 and 15 of the EIAO-TM set out the
criteria and guidelines for evaluating waste management implications.
10.3.3
Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap 354)
10.3.3.1
The Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO) prohibits
unauthorised disposal of wastes. The
C&D waste is not directly defined in the WDO, but is considered as “trade
waste” which is defined as waste from any trade, manufacturer or business, or
any wasted building, or civil engineering materials, but does not include
animal waste. Under the WDO, wastes can
only be disposed of at sites licensed by the EPD. A breach of the WDO can lead to a fine and/or
imprisonment. The WDO also stipulates
the requirements for issuing licenses for the collection and transportation of
wastes. Licenses are however not
required for the collection and transportation of C&D waste or trade waste.
10.3.4
Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation
10.3.4.1
Chemical waste includes any scrap materials or
unwanted substances specified under Schedule 1 of this Regulation, if such a
substance or chemical occurs in such a form, quantity or concentration that
causes pollution or constitutes a danger to health or risk of pollution to the
environment.
10.3.4.2
A person shall not produce or cause to be produced
chemical wastes unless he/she is registered with the EPD. Any person who contravenes this requirement
commits an offence and is liable to a fine and/or imprisonment. Chemical wastes must be treated, utilising
on-site plant licensed by the EPD or have a licensed collector to transport the
wastes to a licensed facility. For each
consignment of wastes, the waste producer, collector and disposer of the
chemical wastes must sign all relevant parts of a computerised trip
ticket. The system is designed to trace
wastes from production to disposal.
10.3.4.3
This regulation also prescribes the storage
facilities to be provided on-site including the labelling and warning
signs. To minimise the risks of
pollution and danger to human health or life, the waste producer is required to
prepare and make available written emergency procedures for the spillage,
leakage or accidents arising from the storage of chemical wastes. The waste producer must also provide employees
with training for such procedures.
10.3.5
Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap 28)
10.3.5.1
The inert portion of C&D materials may be taken
to public filling facilities including public filling areas, public filling
barging points and stockpiling areas.
These facilities usually form part of the land reclamation schemes and
are operated by the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD). This Ordinance requires Dumping Licenses (to
be issued by the CEDD) to be obtained by individuals or companies, who deliver
inert C&D materials to the public filling facilities.
10.3.5.2
Individual licenses and windscreen stickers are
issued for each vehicle involved. Public
filling areas will accept only inert building debris, soil, rock and broken
concrete. There is no size limitation on
the rock and broken concrete, and a small amount of timber mixed with inert
material is permissible. The material
should, however, be free from marine mud, household refuse, plastic, metal,
individual and chemical wastes, animal and vegetable matters and any other
materials considered unsuitable by the Filling Supervisor.
10.3.6
Public Health and Municipal Service Ordinance (Cap 132) – Public
Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances By-laws
10.3.6.1
These by-laws provide further control on illegal
tipping of wastes on unauthorised (unlicensed) sites. Illegal dumping of wastes
can lead to a fine and imprisonment.
10.3.7
Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction Waste)
Regulation
10.3.7.1
The Waste Disposal (Amendment) Ordinance (WDO)
prohibits unauthorised disposal of wastes.
Schedule 5 of the Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction
Waste) Regulation (Charging Regulation) also defines that the inert
construction waste includes rock, rubble, boulder, earth, soil, sand, concrete,
brick, tile, masonry or used bentonite.
Under the WDO and the Charging Regulation, wastes can only be disposed
of at designated waste disposal facilities licensed by the EPD. For construction work with a value of more
than HK$1 million, the main contractor is required to establish a billing
account at the EPD before transporting the construction waste to the designated
waste disposal facilities (e.g. landfill and public fill). The vessels for delivering construction waste
to the public fill reception facilities require prior approval from the EPD.
Any breach of these regulations may lead to a fine and/or imprisonment.
10.3.8
Other Guidelines
10.3.8.1
The following guidelines also relate to waste
management and disposal:
·
Technical
Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process (EIAO-TM), Annex 15 –
Guidelines for Assessment of Waste Management Implications, and Annex 7 –
Criteria for Evaluating Waste Management Implications;
·
Waste
Reduction Framework Plan, 1998-2007, Planning Environment and Lands Branch,
Government Secretariat (1998);
·
Waste
Disposal Plan for
·
·
Code
of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes, EPD
(1992);
·
New
Disposal Arrangement for Construction Waste (1992), Environmental Protection
Department & Civil Engineering Department;
·
Practice
Note for Professional Persons – Construction Site Drainage (ProPECC PN 1/94),
Professional Persons Consultative Committee (1994);
·
Works
Branch Technical Circular (WBTC) No. 32/92, The Use of Tropical Hard Wood on
Construction Site;
·
WBTC
No. 2/93, Public Dumps;
·
WBTC
No. 2/93B, Public Filling Facilities;
·
WBTC
Nos.25/99, 25/99A and 25/99C, Incorporation of Information on Construction and
Demolition Material Management in Public Works Sub-committee Papers;
·
WBTC
No. 19/2001, Metallic Site Hoardings and Signboards;
·
WBTC
No. 12/2000, Fill Management,
·
WBTC
Nos. 6/2002 and 6/2002A, Enhanced Specification for Site Cleanliness and
Tidiness. Works Bureau,
·
WBTC
No. 12/2002, Specification Facilitating the Use of Recycled Aggregates. Works
Bureau,
·
ETWB TC(W) No. 33/2002
Management of Construction and Demolition Material Including Rock;
·
ETWB
TC(W) No. 34/2002 Management of Dredged/ Excavated Sediment;
·
ETWB
TC(W) No. 31/2004 Trip Ticket System for Disposal of Construction and
Demolition Materials; and
·
ETWB
TC(W) No. 19/2005 Environmental Management on Construction Sites.
10.3.8.2
The ETWB TC(W) No. 19/2005 also sets out the policy
and procedures requiring contractors to prepare and implement an environmental
management plan to encourage on-site sorting of C&D materials and to reduce
C&D waste generation during construction.
10.4.1
Background
10.4.1.1
The assessment approach is based on the requirements
as specified in the EIA Study Brief (ESB-188/2008). The criteria and guidelines for evaluating
and assessing waste management implications as stated in Annexes 7 and 15 of
the EIAO-TM has been followed. Potential
waste management implications due to the construction and operation phases of
the KTE project have been addressed, including the railway tunnel excavation
and other construction activities for stations and ventilation shafts.
10.4.1.2
The waste management hierarchy has been applied in
the assessment and development of mitigation measures for waste. The waste management hierarchy is a concept
which shows the desirability of various waste management methods and comprises
the following in order of preference:
·
Avoidance;
·
Minimisation;
·
Recycling/reuse;
·
Treatment;
and
·
Disposal.
10.4.1.3
All opportunities for reducing waste generation have
been assessed based upon the following factors:
·
Avoiding
or minimising waste generation through changes in the design;
·
Adopting
better management practices to promote segregation of waste materials;
·
Reuse
and recycling; and
·
Diverting
waste to public dumps or other construction sites.
10.4.2
Analysis of Activities and Waste Generation
10.4.2.1
The types and quantities of waste arising as a
result of the construction and operation activities of the KTE project have
been estimated, based on the sequence and duration of construction activities,
and disposal options for each category of waste identified, taking into account
the existing or future spare capacities of the waste disposal facilities. The design, general layout, construction
methods and programme to minimise the generation of the public fill/inert
C&D materials and maximise the use of public fill/inert C&D materials
for other construction works has been considered.
10.4.2.2
The potential environmental impacts associated with
the handling, transportation and disposal of waste arising from the
construction works has been assessed with reference to the following approach:
·
Estimation
of the types, timing and quantities of the wastes to be generated and fill to
be imported; and
·
Assessment
of the potential environmental impacts on the capacity of waste collection,
transfer and disposal facilities.
10.4.2.3
The findings of the ground investigation works in
October 2008 for the KTE project has revealed that the KTE alignment lies
almost entirely within the Kowloon Granite with a mantle of decomposed granite
overlying the bedrock to varying depths.
There were no records of marine deposit/sediment buried along the
footprint of the KTE alignment and stations.
A summary of the findings is included in Appendix
10.1. However, if sediment is encountered during
the construction stage, the requirements, as stipulated in the Practice Notes
for AP&RSE No. 252 Management Framework for Disposal of Dredged / Excavated
Sediment issued by the Buildings Department in April 2007 to handle and deal
with the excavated sediment, should be followed.
10.4.3
Proposal for Waste Management
10.4.3.1
Prior to considering the disposal options for
various types of wastes, opportunities for reducing the waste generation,
on-site or off-site re-use and recycling would be evaluated. Measures that can be taken in the planning
and design stages e.g. by modifying the design approach and in the construction
stage for maximising waste reduction would be separately considered;
10.4.3.2
After considering the opportunities for reducing
waste generation and maximising re-use, the types and quantities of the wastes
required to be disposed of as a consequence has been estimated and the disposal
methods/options for each type of waste has been described in detail. The disposal methods/options recommended for
each type of waste has taken into account the result of the assessment; and
10.4.3.3
The impact caused by handling (including
stockpiling, labelling, packaging and storage), collection, transportation and
re-use/disposal of wastes has been addressed in detail and appropriate
mitigation measures have been proposed.
This assessment covers the following areas: potential hazard, air and
odour emissions, noise, wastewater discharge, and public transport.
10.5
Construction Phase Impact Assessment
10.5.1
Wastes Types
10.5.1.1
The
construction of the KTE will involve a number of activities including
excavation, tunnelling, demolition and construction of the stations and associated
structures and these activities will generate wastes which can broadly be
classified into distinct categories based on their nature and the options for
their disposal. These include:
· Excavated C&D materials suitable for public fill;
· C&D waste, including cleared vegetation, which is not suitable for public fill;
· Chemical waste; and
·
General refuse.
10.5.1.2
The
construction works are scheduled to commence tentatively in early 2011 and the
overall project completion is anticipated to be in 2015. The types of waste generated and their
respective sources during the construction and operation phases are summarised
in Table 10.1.
Table 10.1: Identification
of Waste Type and Source
|
Waste Type |
Waste Source |
Example |
|
Construction Phase |
||
|
C&D materials |
·
Excavated
materials, generated from drill-and-blast, tunnelling works and cut-and-cover
works ·
Materials
from site formation and demolition works |
·
Inert
C&D materials: (hard materials – rocks (granites & volcanics),
artificial hard materials (AHM) (broken concrete, bitumen and steel); soft
materials (fill); wet spoil ·
Non-inert
C&D materials |
|
Chemical waste |
·
Plant
operation and maintenance ·
Maintenance
of mechanical equipment |
·
Oil and
grease; scrap batteries; used paint and cleaners etc |
|
General refuse |
·
Construction
works and site staff and workers |
·
Food
waste, containers, cans, waste paper etc |
|
Sewage |
·
Site
staff and workers |
·
Sludge
and night soil |
|
Operational Phase |
||
|
Chemical waste |
·
Maintenance
of facilities and equipment ·
Renovation
work |
·
Used
paint, lubricants and used batteries etc |
|
General refuse |
·
Staff
and passengers |
·
Food
waste, containers, cans and waste papers etc |
|
Industrial waste |
·
Maintenance
activities of ventilation buildings |
·
Scrap materials like metals etc |
10.5.2
C&D Materials
10.5.2.1
C&D materials would be generated from the
excavation for the construction of HOM and WHA Stations, running tunnels, adits
and access shafts and ventilation buildings which constitute the largest
proportion of all C&D materials.
These C&D materials would include rock (Grade I/II granites and
grade III/IV granites and volcanics), soft materials (e.g. fill), and wet spoil
generated from the construction of diaphragm walls, bored piles installations
and pre-bored H installations, etc.
10.5.2.2
A summary of the C&D materials anticipated to
arise from the KTE project is provided in Table 10.2.
The total volume of C&D materials is estimated to be around 1,096,000m3 and the maximum annual
generation of excavated material would be around 720,500m3 in 2012.
Table 10.2: Summary of Annual Generated Quantities of
C&D Materials
|
C&D
Material |
Annual
Quantity Generated, m3 |
Total,
m3 |
|||
|
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
||
|
Rock |
18,300 |
612,800 |
47,400 |
-- |
678,500 |
|
Artificial Hard Material (AHM) |
6,600 |
1,600 |
-- |
-- |
8,200 |
|
Soft Material |
296,200 |
105,800 |
1,400 |
-- |
403,400 |
|
Non-inert Material |
4,600 |
300 |
500 |
500 |
5,900 |
|
Annual Total: |
325,700 |
720,500 |
49,300 |
500 |
1,096,000 |
10.5.2.3
Materials
generated from site formation and demolition works constitute the remaining
part of the C&D materials in the project.
The following materials could be generated:
·
Timber
from formwork;
·
Demolition
waste, such as concrete, steel etc. from the identified structures;
·
Materials
generated during site formation such as low grade trees; and
·
Unusable/surplus
concrete or grouting mixture.
10.5.2.4
An
estimated quantity of over 8,200m3 of artificial hard material (AHM) from
demolition work, such as broken concrete and bitumen, would be generated as
shown in Table 10.2. Materials recovered should be recycled or
reused. Metals, which have re-sale
value, should be separated from inert C&D materials in this regard. Broken concrete (<250mm) would be disposed
of at Public Fill Reception Facilities while bitumen and broken concrete
(>250mm) would be considered for stockpiling on-site for future reuse in the
project. The C&D materials will be
excavated from the mucking locations as depicted in Figures 3.3, 3.5 and 3.7,
and the estimated daily output and peak number of trucks involved are
summarised below:
·
·
Club
de Recreio: 700m3 with 31 trucks per hour (peak);
·
HOM
Station: 1,800m3 with 52 trucks per hour (peak);
·
Fat
·
WHA
Station: 450m3 with 12 trucks per hour (peak).
10.5.2.5
The
C&D materials generated should then be reused on-site. Possibilities of off-site reuse at local
projects have also been investigated, e.g. the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing
Facilities (HKBCF), Tuen Mun Chek Lap Kok Link (TM-CLKL), Hong Kong Link Road
(HKLR), Wanchai Development Phase II, Central Kowloon Route, etc, which would
require substantial amount of filling materials (correspondence of recent
liaison between MTR Corporation and others are included in Appendix 10.2). No
construction work is allowed to proceed until all issues on management of C&D
materials have been resolved and all relevant arrangements have been agreed
between the responsible Government department and party.
10.5.2.6
In
accordance with the waste hierarchy, it is necessary to consider all possible
ways to avoid the generation of material and also reuse within the
project. The
surplus volume of excavated materials would require disposal. The following methods have been adopted:
Minimising
Generation of C&D Materials
10.5.2.7
Measures
have been adopted to minimise the generation of C&D materials at the outset
during the design stage. As excavation
cannot be avoided, only a few measures can be taken to minimise the quantity of
C&D materials, including:
· Selection of shortest tunnel alignment to minimise the amount of C&D materials generated;
· Adoption of tunnelling construction techniques that would minimise the amount of excavation ;
· Reduction of the size and number of off-line plant rooms;
· Minimisation of the overall size of plant buildings and tunnel box sections through effective structural scheming for plant building and tunnel layout; and
· Efficient use of the space for station layout to minimise the overall width of the station and tunnel box sections.
10.5.2.8 Owing to urban setting constraints, the available schemes for construction of railway facilities and tunnels are limited, hindering the minimisation of waste generation. Alternative methods for construction and measures to minimise the generation of C&D materials at the preliminary design stage have been investigated for the key works sites according to Table 3.1:
YMT Interface
10.5.2.9
The civil works at
Running Tunnels (YMT to HOM Station and HOM to WHA
Stations)
10.5.2.10 The construction methods and sequence of the running tunnels between YMT and HOM Station and between HOM Station and WHA Station have been thoroughly reviewed in order to resolve the engineering constraints and urban settings in each area. With this, the tunnel design has been optimised to minimum sizes to ensure the viable construction and safe operation.
10.5.2.11 The EAP and ventilation building at Club de Recreio serve for air ventilation, emergency access by rescuers and exit for fire escape. The quantity of C&D materials generated has been reduced by the adoption of measures as below:
· Construction of the ventilation building could be designed to optimise the size of the proposed EAP;
· Access shaft is combined with the ventilation building, wherever it is proved to be feasible, to reduce the number of buildings to be constructed; and
· Design on the configuration of the ventilation building and access shaft have been critically reviewed.
HOM and WHA Stations
10.5.2.12 The construction of stations has been thoroughly investigated and designed in order to reduce any unnecessary excavation:
· Optimising the formation levels of the stations to reduce excavation;
· Adoption of ground filling to form the required level of stabling sidings at WHA Station; and
· Liaison with the Buildings Department to reduce the number of piles hence the amount of spoil generated.
Barging Point and Temporary Magazine Site
10.5.2.13 The civil works for the establishment of the barging point at the Hung Hom finger pier and of the temporary magazine site at TKO Area 137 would be minor and the generation of C&D materials anticipated would not be significant.
Reuse of C&D
Materials
Maximising Off-site Reuse
· Off-site concrete batching plants; and
·
HKBCF –
A man-made island proposed off the eastern side of the
Other Potential Outlets Considered
10.5.2.15
Other possibilities of reusing
C&D materials in concurrent projects or outlets in
·
Wanchai Development Phase II (WD II) and Central – Wan Chai Bypass (CWB) would require approximately
3.78M tonnes of general fill and 1.92M tonnes of rock fill between 2010 and
2016.
·
10.5.2.16 As the liaison with the relevant parties as mentioned above is still on-going, the possibility of reusing the excavated materials including soil and rocks from the project is yet to be confirmed subject to the agreement or approval from the relevant parties. The relevant correspondence is included in Appendix 10.2.
On-site Sorting of
C&D Materials
10.5.2.17 Concerning the necessity of maximising the reuse of C&D materials for the project, on-site sorting has been considered to recover inert C&D materials, reusable, and recyclable materials before off-site disposal. All surplus C&D materials arising from or in connection with the works shall become the property of the Contractor when it is removed unless otherwise stated. The Contractor will be responsible for devising a system to work for on-site sorting of C&D materials and promptly removing all sorted and process materials arising from the construction activities to minimise temporary stockpiling on-site. The system should be included in the Waste Management Plan (WMP) as stipulated in the ETWB TC(W) No.19/2005 Environmental Management on Construction Sites, identifying the source of generation, estimated quantity, arrangement for on-site sorting, collection, temporary storage areas and frequency of collection by recycling Contractors or frequency of removal off-site.
10.5.2.18 It is recommended that specific areas should be provided by the Contractors for on-site sorting and to provide temporary storage areas for the sorted materials. The materials could be segregated according to the categories as shown below:
· Excavated materials suitable for reuse on-site;
· Excavated materials suitable for reuse for the construction of HZMB;
· Excavated materials for delivery to the Public Fill Reception Facilities; and
· Non-inert C&D materials for delivery to landfills.
10.5.2.19 If time or area constraints arise, C&D materials should at least be segregated into inert and non-inert materials, in which the inert portion could be reused and recycled before delivery to the Public Fill Reception Facilities for beneficial use in other projects. Opportunities for reusing the non-inert portion should be investigated before landfill disposal.
Disposal Programme
for C&D Material
10.5.2.20 Approximately
933,800m3 of C&D materials will be considered for the
reuse/recycling in other projects/facilities and there would be approximately
5,900m3 of C&D waste disposed of at landfills. The estimated annual disposal quantity of
surplus C&D materials is summarised in Table
10.3.
Table 10.3: Summary of Annual Disposal Quantities of C&D Materials
|
Disposal Outlet |
Waste Type |
Annual
Quantity of Disposal, m3 |
Total,
m3 |
||||
|
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2015 |
2015 |
|||
|
Reuse in Local Projects such as HKBCF |
Soft inert materials |
148,100 |
105,800 |
1,400 |
-- |
-- |
255,300 |
|
Rock |
3,660 |
122,560 |
9,480 |
-- |
-- |
135,700 |
|
|
Recycling in Local Crushing Facility* |
Rock |
14,640 |
490,240 |
37,920 |
-- |
-- |
542,800 |
|
Taishan |
Soft inert materials |
148,100 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
148,100 |
|
Public Fill Reception Facilities |
Artificial hard materials |
6,600 |
1,600 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
8,200 |
|
Landfill |
Materials from site formation |
4,600 |
300 |
500 |
500 |
-- |
5,900 |
* Subject to agreement with CEDD.
10.5.2.21 It
should be noted that about 80% of rock is proposed to be recycled in local rock
crushing facilities and this is subject to the agreement with the CEDD. If local crushing facilities are not available,
and the reuse of rock in other local projects is exhausted, disposal outlet for
the rocks to the mainland
10.5.2.22 Other
possible sites for reuse of the C&D materials would include
10.5.2.23 Wet
spoil, mainly generated from the construction of diaphragm-wall and bored
piling, should be reused . Due to its
high water content, it is recommended that the pre-treatment with dry materials
should be completed before reuse or off-site disposal. Wet spoil would be transported to Tuen Mun
Area 38 Fill Bank or Tseung Kwan O Area 137 Fill Bank, although no firmed up
agreement has been reached at this stage.
10.5.2.24 Surplus
excavated material for subsequent backfilling will be temporarily stockpiled as
much as possible, but the majority of backfilling materials will have to be
imported due to limited available spaces for stockpiling. It is anticipated that any fill materials
required will be sourced from the excavated materials stockpiled at the
temporary stockpiling areas, whenever it is suitable.
10.5.2.25 MTR Corporation has commenced
liaison with the Public Fill Committee (PFC) of CEDD and the EPD for the
disposal of surplus inert C&D materials during the detailed design phase of
the KTE project. The relevant
correspondence from the liaison is included in Appendix 10.2. No
construction work is allowed to proceed until all issues on management of
C&D materials have been resolved and all relevant arrangements have been
endorsed by Public Fill Committee of CEDD and EPD. The Construction and Demolition Material
Management Plan (C&DMMP) (prepared under the separate mechanism under the
auspices of the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau Technical Circular
(Works) No. 33/2002 Management of Construction and Demolition Material
Including Rock) for the Project has not been submitted to PFC for
endorsement and the final quantities and arrangement for disposal of surplus
C&D material to be generated in the Project will be subject to PFC’s
endorsement.
10.5.2.26 In
addition to the C&D materials that will be generated by the project and
will be suitable for reuse as public fill, some non-inert C&D waste will be
generated during the construction phase.
These materials will include:
· Cleared vegetation;
· Wood from formwork;
· Unusable cement mixes; and
· Damaged or contaminated construction materials.
10.5.2.27 About
5,900m3 of C&D waste will be generated throughout the
construction works from general site clearance works, tree felling, piling
works and earthworks for construction of various structures. The non-inert C&D materials would be
disposed of to designated landfills, due to the limited available outlets. This C&D waste has to be disposed of at
landfills. The use of steel falsework instead of wood
has been a cost-effective practice in the industry such as for tunnel linings
and portals. As steel falsework is a
proprietary system, it will be reused throughout the project and subsequent projects. The use of steel will substantially reduce
the amount of waste wood that the project will generate.
10.5.2.28 The
other types of C&D waste are, also, expected to be limited, with only small
quantities of maintenance and packaging waste being generated. Given that the material generated will be in
small quantities, significant impacts associated with its handling and disposal
are not expected.
10.5.2.29 Measures
to minimise the generation of waste shall be implemented and demolition waste
shall be sorted to avoid contamination of the materials suitable for public
fill but significant impacts are not predicted from the handling, storage or
disposal of this material.
10.5.3
Chemical Waste
10.5.3.1
Chemical wastes likely to be generated from the
construction activities for the proposed tunnels, station and associated
structures will include:
· Scrap batteries or spent acid/alkali from their maintenance;
· Used paint, engine oils, hydraulic fluids and waste fuel;
· Spent mineral oils/cleansing fluids from mechanical machinery; and
· Spent solvents/solutions, some of which may be halogenated, from equipment cleansing activities.
10.5.3.2
Chemical waste may pose serious environmental,
health and safety hazards if not stored and disposed of in an appropriate
manner as outlined in the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation
and the Code of Practice on the Packing, Labelling and Storage of Chemical
Waste. These hazards may include:
· Toxic effects to workers;
· Adverse effects on air, water and land from spills; and
· Fire hazards.
10.5.3.3
It is difficult to quantify the amount of chemical
waste as it will be highly dependent on the Contractor’s on-site maintenance
practice and the quantities of plant and vehicles utilized. However, it is
anticipated that the quantity of chemical waste, such as lubricating oil and
solvent produced from plant maintenance will be small and in the order of few
hundred litres per month and if handled, stored,
transported and disposed of in an appropriate manner, no impacts are
predicted.
10.5.3.4
Notwithstanding, the future Contractor should
register to the EPD as a Chemical Waste Producer pursuant to the Regulation and
the chemical waste should be collected by licensed collectors for subsequent
disposal at licensed waste disposal facilities, for example the Chemical Waste
Treatment Centre in Tsing Yi.
10.5.4
General Refuse
10.5.4.1
The presence of a construction site with workers
and site office(s) will result in the generation of a variety of general refuse
requiring disposal. General refuse will mainly consist of food waste, aluminum
cans and waste paper.
10.5.4.2
The storage of general refuse has the potential to
give rise to adverse environmental impacts. These include odour if the waste is
not collected frequently (for example, daily), windblown litter, water quality
impacts if waste enters waster bodies, and visual impact. The sites may also
attract pests, vermin, and other disease vectors if the waste storage areas are
not well maintained and cleared regularly. In addition, disposal of wastes at
sites other than approved landfills, can also lead to similar adverse impacts
at those sites.
10.5.4.3
The number of staff (clerical and workers) to be
employed for the project is not available at this stage, but is anticipated to
be about 1,000 staff. On this basis, the
total refuse generated per day would be about 650kg/day, assuming the refuse
generated rate is 0.65kg/head/day.
Provided that the mitigation measures recommended below are adopted, the
potential environmental impacts caused by the storage, handling, transport and
disposal of general refuse is expected to be minimal. It is recommended that general refuse should
be collected on a daily basis for disposal.
Given the small quantity of general refuse, adverse impacts to the
operation of the landfills are not expected.
10.5.5
Construction Phase Mitigation Measures
10.5.5.1
Mitigation measures are required to ensure the
proper handling, storage, transportation and disposal of waste is carried
out. Also measures to ensure that the
generation of waste is avoided and minimised and that waste materials are
recycled and treated. The recommended
mitigation measures for all categories of waste are as follows and also
summarised in Section 16.
General
(i) The requirements as stipulated in the ETWB TC(W) No.19/2005 Environmental Management on Construction Sites and the other relevant guidelines should be included in the Particular Specification for the Contractor as appropriate.
(ii) The Contractor should be requested to submit an outline WMP prior to the commencement of construction work, in accordance with the ETWB TC(W) No.19/2005 so as to provide an overall framework of waste management and reduction. The WMP should include:
· Waste management policy;
· Record of generated waste;
· Waste reduction target;
· Waste reduction programme;
· Role and responsibility of waste management team;
· Benefit of waste management;
· Analysis of waste materials;
· Reuse, recycling and disposal plans;
· Transportation process of waste products; and
· Monitoring and action plan.
(iii) The waste management hierarchy (given in sub-section 10.4.1) should be strictly followed. This hierarchy should be adopted to evaluate the waste management options in order to maximise the extent of waste reduction and cost reduction. The records of quantities of waste generated, recycled and disposed (locations) should be properly documented.
(iv) A trip-ticket system should be established in accordance with ETWB(W) 31/2004 and Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction Waste) Regulation to monitor the disposal of public fill and solid wastes at public filling facilities and landfills, and to control fly-tipping. A trip-ticket system would be included as one of the contractual requirements for the Contractor to strictly implement. The Engineer would also regularly audit the effectiveness of the system.
(v) A recording system for the amount of waste generated, recycled and disposed (locations) should be established. The future Contractor should also provide proper training to workers regarding the appropriate concepts of site cleanliness and waste management procedures, e.g. waste reduction, reuse and recycling all the time.
C&D Materials
(vi)
The Project Proponent shall notify the CEDD of the
estimated spoil volumes to be generated, and liaise and agree with the Public
Fill Committee for the disposal of surplus inert C&D materials including
good quality rock during detailed design of the project. Wherever practicable,
C&D materials should be segregated from other wastes to avoid contamination
and ensure acceptability at public filling areas or reclamation sites. The following mitigation measures should be
implemented in handling the waste:
· Maintain temporary stockpiles and reuse excavated fill material for backfilling and reinstatement;
· For the tunnel sections, stockpile excavated C&D material for backfilling as much as possible adjacent to its source for immediate backfill once the tunnel section is completed;
· Carry out on-site sorting;
· Surplus artificial hard materials should be delivered to Tseung Kwan O Area 137 recycling plant or its successor for recycling into subsequent useful products;
· Make provisions in the Contract documents to allow and promote the use of recycled aggregates;
· Implement a trip-ticket system for each works contract to ensure that the disposal of C&D materials are properly documented and verified; and
· Implement an enhanced Waste Management Plan similar to ETWB TC(W) No. 19/2005 Environmental Management on Construction Sites to encourage on-site sorting of C&D materials and to minimize their generation during the course of construction.
·
Disposal of the C&D
materials onto any sensitive locations such as agricultural lands, etc. should
be avoided. The Contractor shall propose
the final disposal sites to the Project Proponent and get its approval before
implementation.
C&D Waste
(vii) Standard formwork should be used in order to minimise the arising of C&D materials. The use of more durable formwork or plastic facing for the construction works should be considered. Use of wooden hoardings should also be avoided, as in other railway projects by the Project Proponent. Metal hoarding should be used to enhance the possibility of recycling. The purchasing of construction materials will be carefully planned in order to avoid over ordering and wastage.
(viii) The Contractor should recycle as much of the C&D materials as possible on-site. Public fill and C&D waste should be segregated and stored in different containers or skips to enhance reuse or recycling of materials and their proper disposal. Where practicable, concrete and masonry can be crushed and used as fill. Steel reinforcing bar can be used by scrap steel mills. Different areas of the sites should be considered for such segregation and storage.
Chemical Waste
(ix) Chemical waste producers should be registered with EPD. For those processes which generate chemical waste, the Contractor shall identify any alternatives that generate reduced quantities or even no chemical waste, or less dangerous types of chemical waste.
(x) Chemical waste should be handled in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Handling and Storage of Chemical Wastes as follows:
· Containers should be suitable for the substance they are holding, resistant to corrosion, maintained in a good condition, and securely closed. They should have a capacity of less than 450L unless the specification have been approved by EPD and enclosed with at least 3 sides;
· Containers should display a label in English and Chinese in accordance with instructions prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Regulations and should be clearly labelled and used solely for the storage of chemical wastes;
· Storage should be in areas with impermeable floors and bund with capacity to accommodate 110% of the volume of the largest container or 20% by volume of the chemical waste stored in the area, whichever is greatest;
· Storage area should have adequate ventilation and be sufficiently covered to prevent rainfall entering (water collected within the bund must be tested and disposed of as chemical waste, if necessary);
· Incompatible materials should be adequately separated; and
·
Disposal of chemical waste should be via a
licensed waste collector and to a facility licensed to receive chemical waste,
such as the CWTC which also offers a chemical waste collection service and can
supply the necessary storage containers or be to a re-user of the waste, under approval
from EPD.
General Refuse
(xi) General refuse generated on-site should be stored in enclosed bins or compaction units separately from construction and chemical wastes. A reputable waste collector should be employed by the Contractor to remove general refuse from the site, separately from construction and chemical wastes, on a daily basis to minimize odour, pest and litter impacts. Burning of refuse on construction sites is prohibited by law.
(xii) Aluminum cans are often recovered from the waste stream by individual collectors if they are segregated and made easily accessible. Separate labelled bins for their deposit should be provided if feasible.
(xiii) Office wastes can be reduced through the recycling of paper if volumes are large enough to warrant collection. Participation in a local collection scheme should be considered by the Contractor. In addition, waste separation facilities for paper, aluminium cans, plastic bottles etc., should be provided.
10.6
Operational Phase Impact Assessment
10.6.1
Background
10.6.1.1
During the operational phase, the station and the
associated facilities will generate general refuse, industrial waste and
chemical waste.
10.6.2
General Refuse and Industrial Waste
10.6.2.1
General refuse will arise from the public, station
employees and commercial operators within the HOM and WHA Stations. Waste would include food, paper, wood,
plastic, office waste, metal containers etc.
The storage and handling of these wastes may give rise to environmental
impacts.
10.6.2.2
Maintenance activities of the station and tracks
will generate industrial waste including scrap materials from rail and carriage
maintenance, used fluorescent tubes, used welding rods, cleansing materials and
discarded electronic equipment.
10.6.2.3
A reputable waste collector should be employed to
remove general refuse and industrial waste from the stations, separately from
chemical wastes, on a daily basis to minimise odour, pest and litter impacts.
10.6.3
Chemical Waste
10.6.3.1
Similar to industrial waste, lubricants, paints,
used batteries, mineral oil, coolants, and solvents will be generated during
the operational phase within the stations and alignment areas. These wastes may pose significant
environmental, health and safety hazard if they are not properly managed.
10.6.3.2
The requirements given in the Code of Practice on
the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes should be followed in
handling of these chemical wastes. A
trip-ticket system should be operated in accordance with the Waste Disposal
(Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation to monitor all movements of chemical
wastes which will be collected by a licensed collector to a licensed facility
for final treatment and disposal.
10.6.4
Operational Phase Mitigation Measures
10.6.4.1
The anticipated volume of waste generation in operation phase is
insignificant. Nevertheless, mitigation
measures are recommended for the identified waste types in order to minimise
the potential impacts to the environment.
General Refuse and
Industrial Waste
10.6.4.2
Recycling of waste paper, aluminium cans and plastic bottles should be
encouraged and it is recommended to place clearly labelled recycling bins at
the designated locations which could be accessed conveniently. Other general refuse should be separated from
chemical and industrial waste by providing separated bins for storage to
maximise the recyclable volume. A
reputable licensed waste collector should be employed to remove general refuse
from stations on a daily basis to minimise odour, pest and litter impacts.
10.6.4.3
Industrial waste, generated mainly from the maintenance works, should be
separated from other types of waste during disposal. Moreover, steel should be sorted out for
their resalable value. A licensed
collector should be employed for the collection of industrial waste.
Chemical Waste
10.6.4.4
The requirements given in the Code of Practice on the Packaging,
Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes would be followed in handling of
chemical waste as in construction phase.
A trip-ticket system would be adopted by the operator to monitor
disposal of chemical waste.
Non-recyclable chemical waste should be disposed of at appropriate
facility like the EPD’s Chemical Waste Treatment Centre in Tsing Yi by licensed
collectors. Recyclable chemical waste
should be collected and transported off-site by licensed collectors.
10.7
Waste Disposal
Recommendations
10.7.1.1
Based upon the estimated
quantities and types of waste to be generated by the project, disposal options
have been proposed, as detailed in Table
10.5.
Table 10.5: Recommended Waste Disposal Sites
|
Type of Waste |
Proposed Disposal Site |
|
C&D
materials |
HKBCF, Tuen Mun
Area 38 Fill Bank, Tseung Kwan O Area 137 Fill Bank, other potential outlets
(e.g. |
|
C&D waste
(plastics, glass, wood, including cleared vegetation etc.) |
Landfill |
|
Chemical waste
(as defined under Schedule 1 of the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste)
Regulation) |
Chemical Waste
Treatment Facility in Tsing Yi or other approved facilities |
|
General refuse |
Landfill |
10.8
Residual Environmental Impacts
10.8.1.1
With the implementation of recommended mitigation measures,
residual impacts are not anticipated for both the construction and operational
phases.
10.9
Monitoring and Audit
Requirements
10.9.1.1 The assessment has concluded that the handling, transportation and disposal of waste materials during construction will not give rise to significant impacts if appropriate mitigation measures are implemented. However, it is recommended that during the construction phase, regular site inspections and supervision of the waste management procedures shall be undertaken as part of the EM&A procedures, to ensure proper control, all waste is removed from site areas as appropriate and illegal disposal of waste is not undertaken. Waste EM&A during the operational stage is not required. Further details of the specific construction phase EM&A requirements are detailed in this EIA report and EM&A Manual.
10.10.1
Construction Phase
10.10.1.1 The quantity and timing for the generation of waste during the construction phase have been estimated. Measures, including the opportunity for on-site sorting, reusing excavated fill materials (stored in stockpiles) etc, are devised in the construction methodology to minimise the surplus materials to be disposed off-site via the barging facility. The annual disposal quantities for C&D materials and their disposal methods have also been assessed. Recommendations have been made for the Contractor for implementation during the construction period to minimise the waste generation and any off-site disposal. No construction work is allowed to proceed until all issues on management of C&D materials have been resolved and all relevant arrangements have been agreed between the responsible Government department and party.
10.10.2
Operational Phase
10.10.2.1 The types and quantities of waste that would be generated during the operational phase have been assessed. Recommendations have been made to ensure proper treatment and disposal of these wastes.