| 5.2e |
Environmentally
Sound Waste Management and Facilities |
Our Responsibilities
Waste Disposal in Hong Kong
Achievements in 2004
Our
Responsibilities
We aim to
provide convenient and cost-effective waste management facilities,
as well as promote a sustainable approach to waste management in
Hong Kong, in which we consume less, produce less waste and re-use
or recover value from waste.
Waste
Disposal in Hong Kong
The quantities
of waste disposed of at Hong Kong's landfills have remained
steady over the years. In 2004:
| • |
|
3.4
million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) required disposal,
a figure that has been stable in recent years (see Table 1
- MSW). This compares favourably with a 3.5% annual growth
rate in the years before 2000. |
| • |
|
Construction
waste disposed of at landfills decreased by 2% over 2003 to
2.41 million tonnes. Construction waste has been a problem at
landfills for years (see Table 1 - C&D Waste). |
| • |
|
Special
wastes disposed of at landfills, such as asbestos and livestock
waste and sludge from sewage and water treatment, increased
by 2% to 0.59 million tonnes (see Table 1 - Special Waste). |
| • |
|
The
Chemical Waste Treatment Centre (CWTC) treated 37 500 tonnes
of waste (see breakdown in Table 2). |
| Table
1 - |
Quantity
of municipal solid waste (MSW), C&D waste
and special waste disposed of at landfills
in 1991-2004 |
|
Year
|
MSW
|
C&D
Waste
|
Special
Waste
|
2004
|
3
400
|
2
410
|
593
|
2003
|
3
450
|
2
460
|
580
|
2002
|
3
440
|
3
720
|
560
|
|
2001
|
3
390
|
2
340
|
400
|
|
2000
|
3
410
|
2
740
|
400
|
1999
|
3
380
|
2
880
|
320
|
1998
|
3
190
|
2
570
|
290
|
1997
|
3
170
|
2
370
|
230
|
|
1996
|
2
970
|
2
750
|
180
|
|
1995
|
2
850
|
5
150
|
130
|
|
1994
|
3
080
|
5
650
|
140
|
|
1993
|
3
090
|
4
200
|
90
|
|
1992
|
2
890
|
4
370
|
90
|
|
1991
|
2
700
|
5
980
|
120
|
| Quantity
(x 1 000 tonnes) |
|
| Table
2 - |
Chemical
waste collected at CWTC 2004
|
|
| MARPOL
oily water |
11
784 tonnes
|
| MARPOL
waste |
7
254 tonnes
|
| Spent
etchants (Non-ammonical) |
1
702 tonnes
|
| Land
based waste oil |
6
177 tonnes
|
| Halogenated,
non-halogenated & flammable solvent |
2
591 tonnes
|
| Acids |
3
172 tonnes
|
| Spent
etchants (Ammonical) |
2
125 tonnes
|
| Alkalis |
1
169 tonnes
|
| Toxic
metal & metallic compound |
1
306 tonnes
|
| Others
(including cyanide/pesticides/PCB wastes etc.) |
252
tonnes
|
|
|
The
EPD manages three strategic landfills, built in the 1990s to meet
waste management needs. Eight refuse transfer stations serve almost
six million people and help to reduce the number of vehicle trips
to landfills (see map at Figure 1).
Figure
1 - Refuse Transfer Stations and Landfills in Hong Kong.
|
Achievements
in 2004
Waste Reduction
Construction Waste
Waste Facilities
Other Achievements
Waste Reduction
Our performance
The recovery rate of municipal solid waste decreased slightly from
41% in 2003 to about 40% in 2004. The surge in metals recovery seen
in 2003 subsided somewhat, but this was balanced by higher demand
for other recyclables. Much of the waste recovery occurs in the
commercial and industrial sectors.
Recycling
in housing estates
To encourage more domestic recycling, a Waste Recycling Campaign
for Housing Estates was launched in 1998. It now covers 1 420 estates
and collects paper, aluminium cans and plastic bottles from each
block. In 2004 a pilot scheme on source separation of domestic waste
was launched. The objective of the programme was to facilitate residents
to separate waste at source by providing waste separation facilities
on each floor, and broaden the types of recyclables recovered. In
addition to the materials collected by the 3-coloured waste separation
bins, all metals, plastics and other recyclables were collected
and residents were reminded to recycle all uncontaminated paper,
not just newspapers and magazines as seen previously. The scheme
has been successful and was rolled out territory-wide in January
2005. This scheme was initiated based on experience gained from
a trial dry-wet waste separation scheme, which was found to be too
expensive to operate.
A
resident deposits waste
in the waste separation bins in a housing estate. |
Other recycling
| • |
The Wastewi$e
programme continued to sign on new members, including all public
hospitals. Operators set targets to reduce and recycle waste
and use recycled products, and membership has reached 771 since
1999. |
| • |
About 41
000 used computers and electrical and electronic equipment were
collected for re-use and recycling in a one-year pilot scheme
ending in December 2004. |
| • |
A study
on characterising food waste got underway, with the goal of
facilitating interested parties to develop on-site treatment
in 2005. |
Converting
food waste for other uses reduces pressure on landfills. |
Supporting
the recycling industry
| • |
28 short-term
tenancies for recyclers have been secured so far. The tenancies
initially lasted only about six months, but by the end of 2004
typically ran for three to five years and had good facilities
such as paved surfaces and convenient access. |
| • |
Work proceeded
on the EIA, land use rezoning plan and infrastructure study
for the Eco Park, a 20-hectare site in Tuen Mun Area 38 to provide
permanent facilities for recycling. The target opening date
is late 2006. |
| • |
Product
responsibility is being encouraged through a Rechargeable Battery
Recycling Programme, which will begin in early 2005 to collect
all types of rechargeable batteries. More than 30 producers,
importers and retailers have signed up. Meanwhile, a pilot programme
to recycle waste tyres was extended to April 2005 and by the
end of 2004 had collected 4 600 tonnes of waste tyres, saving
HK$3.3 million in landfill disposal costs. |
A
waste recycling site at Cha Kwo Ling. |
Construction
Waste
About 38% of
waste at landfills is construction waste. In 2004 the Legislative
Council passed a bill allowing for construction waste disposal charges.
This is expected to reduce construction waste loads by about 20%.
The charges are: $100 per tonne to deposit waste at sorting facilities
for re-use and recycling; $27 per tonne at public reception facilities
for inert waste; and $125 per tonne at landfills for waste that
contains less than 50% inert material. The charges will come into
effect in the latter part of 2005.
Waste
Facilities
Existing
landfills
The three strategic landfills are running out of space and the EPD
has proposed to extend them. Relevant stakeholders were consulted
in 2004 on the scope of feasibility and EIA studies, which will
begin in 2005. District Councillors and Legislative Councillors
were invited to visit some of the sites, and the public was invited
to comment on the potential environmental impacts of the extension
schemes. The EIA study briefs will include a requirement that 3-D
public engagement tools be used, to enhance public understanding
of the proposals.
An agreement
has also been signed with a landfill contractor on off-site utilisation
of landfill gas. The landfill gas will be used as substitute fuel
for the production of town gas.
Integrated Waste Management Facilities
Integrated Waste Management Facilities (IWMF) will be needed to
reduce the bulk of waste. 59 Expression of Interest proposals have
been received, suggesting possible technologies for IWMF. An advisory
group and five sub-groups of mostly non-officials, suggested 129
criteria for assessing the proposals. Two view-sharing sessions
were held with stakeholders in November 2004, including academics,
green groups, professional institutions and public utilities. A
full public consultation on the possible technologies will be held
in 2005.
Other
Achievements
Sludge:
A study was commissioned to develop treatment facilities for sludge,
which is expected to increase from 800 tonnes per day now to more
than 2 000 tonnes per day when the next phase of the Harbour Area
Treatment Scheme is commissioned (see 5.2d
Better Water Quality for details).
Clinical Waste: A bill to control clinical waste was submitted
to the Legislative Council in June 2003 but the Council did not
have time to consider the bill in the 2003/04 legislative year.
The bill will be re-introduced in early 2005.
Low-level
Radioactive Waste: A storage facility for this waste is being
built on Siu A Chau and is expected to be commissioned in 2005.
Risk-based
Remediation Goals for Contaminated Land: These have been drafted
and were being considered by the Environment, Transport and Works
Bureau at the end of 2004.
Workshop
on Dioxins: The EPD attended an international conference in
Hangzhou on dioxins and hosted a workshop in Hong Kong with officials
from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Chemical
Waste: A study was commissioned in 2004 to inspect the Chemical
Waste Treatment Centre at Tsing Yi and to determine the future chemical
waste treatment requirements after 2008.
Re-use of
Closed Landfill: The Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground, the first
permanent recreational facility built on a restored landfill in
Hong Kong, was opened for use by the public in April 2004.
The
jogging track at Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground is paved with
recycled material. |
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