Report

9.1.1 This section identifies the potential waste arising from the construction and operation of CBL, and evaluates the potential waste management implications that may result from waste generated during these phases.

9.1.2 Mitigation measures and good site practices, including waste handling, storage and disposal, have been recommended with reference to waste legislation and management guidelines.

9.2 Legislation and Standards

9.2.1 The relevant legislation and associated guidance notes related to the study for the assessment of waste management implications include:

· Waste Disposal (Amendment) Ordinance (Cap 354) and subsidiary regulations;

· Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) (Cap. 499), Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process (TM-EIAO) Annex 7 and Annex 15;

· Dumping at Sea Ordinance (Cap 466);

· Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap 28), and

· Public Health and Municipal Service Ordinance (Cap 132) – Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances By-laws.

9.2.2 Under the Waste Disposal (Amendment) Ordinance, regulations relevant to this EIA include:

· Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction Waste) Regulation (Cap 354); and

· Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation (Cap 354).

Waste Disposal (Amendment) Ordinance and the Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction Waste) Regulation

9.2.3 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) defines that inert construction waste includes rock, rubble, boulder, earth, soil, sand, concrete, brick, tile, masonry or used bentonite.

9.2.4 Under the WDO and the Charging Regulation, wastes can only be disposed of at designated waste disposal facilities licensed by EPD. Breach of this Ordinance can lead to a fine and/or imprisonment. The WDO also stipulates the requirements for issuing licenses for the collection and transportation of wastes.

9.2.5 The Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme entered into operation on 1 December 2005. Starting from 1 December 2005, the main contractor undertaking construction work under a contract with value of HK$1 million or above is required to establish a billing account with EPD before transporting the construction waste to the designated waste disposal facilities (e.g. landfill, public fill, etc.). Vehicles delivering construction waste to public fill reception facility require prior approval from EPD. Breach of these regulations can lead to a fine and/or imprisonment.

Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation

9.2.6 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.

9.2.7 A person shall not produce, or cause to be produced, chemical wastes unless he is registered with 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 EPD, or be collected a licensed collector to transport the wastes to a licensed treatment facility. For each consignment of wastes, the waste producer, collector and disposer of the wastes must sign all relevant parts of a computerised trip ticket. The system is designed to trace wastes from production through to disposal.

9.2.8 This regulation also prescribes the storage facilities to be provided on site and labelling and warning signs. To minimise the risk of pollution and danger to human health or life, the waste producer is required to prepare and make available written emergency procedures for spillage, leakage or accidents arising from the storage of chemical wastes. The waste producer must also provide employees with training for such procedures.

Dumping at Sea Ordinance

9.2.9 According to the Dumping at Sea Ordinance, a permit from EPD is required if any waste producer intends to dump materials from vessels to designated marine dumping areas. The Authority will consider a number of factors including the source and nature of materials to be dumped, dumping rates, need for inspection/testing, water pollution avoidance measures, etc. before determining whether such a permit would be granted, and where deemed necessary, any conditions to be complied with. Breach of the requirements of the permit would result in a fine and/or imprisonment.

Land (miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance

9.2.10 The inert portion of construction and demolition (C&D) materials may be taken to public filling facilities including public filling area, public filling barging points and stockpiling areas. Delivery of inert C&D materials to such public filing facilities requires a Dumping License (to be issued by CEDD).

Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation

9.2.11 This regulation provides further control on illegal dumping of litter or waste in street and public places (including water course, stream, channel, etc). An offence of this regulation would result in a fine and/or imprisonment.

Other Relevant Guidelines

9.2.12 Table 9.1 summaries other documents and guidelines that are related to waste management and disposal:

Table 9.1 Other relevant documents and guidelines

Bureau / Department	Documents / Guidelines / Technical Circulars
EPD	· Waste Reduction Framework Plan, 1998 · Code of Practice on the Packaging, labeling and Storage of Chemical Wastes (1992)
CEDD	· Project Administration Handbook for Civil Engineering Works, 2008 Edition
EPD / CEDD	· New Disposal Arrangements for Construction Waste (1992)
Development Bureau	· WBTC No. 2/93, Public Dumps · WBTC No 2/93B, Public Filling Facilities · WBTC No. 16/96, Wet Soil in Public Dumps · WBTC Nos. 4/98 and 4/98A, Use of Public Fill in Reclamation and Earth Filling Project · 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. 12/2000, Fill Management · WBTC No. 19/2001, Metallic Site Hoardings and Signboards · WBTC No. 06/2002 & 06/2002A, Enhanced Specification for Site Cleanliness and Tidiness · WBTC No. 12/2002, Specification Facilitating the Use of Recycled Aggregates · Environment, Transport and Works Bureau Technical Circular (ETWBTC) (Works) No. 33/2002, Management of Construction and Demolition Material Including Rock · ETWBTC (Works) No. 34/2002, Management of Dredged / Excavated Sediment · ETWBTC (Works) No. 06/2010, Trip-ticket System for Disposal of Construction and Demolition Material · ETWBTC (Works) No. 19/2005, Environmental Management on Construction Sites
PlanD	· Environmental Guidelines for Planning In Hong Kong (1990), Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines

Construction & Demolition (C&D) Material Management

9.2.13 According to ETWBTC (Works) No. 33/2002, for Designated Projects, where C&D materials are expected to exceed 50,000m³, a Construction & Demolition Material Management Plan (C&DMMP) has to be submitted together with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report to the Public Fill Committee (PFC) for approval.

9.2.14 ETWBTC (Works) No. 19/2005 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.

Disposal Criteria for Dredged Sediment

9.2.15 ETWBTC (Works) No. 34/2002 sets out the procedure to be followed in assessing and classifying sediment and explains the marine disposal arrangement for classified material. Applications for approval of dredging proposal and allocation of marine disposal shall be made to the Secretary of Marine Fill Committee (MFC). Marine Dumping Permits as stipulated under the Dumping at Sea Ordinance are required from EPD for the disposal of dredged sediment.

9.3 Assessment Methodology

9.3.1 The assessment of waste management implications from handling, storage, collection, transportation and disposal of solid waste materials generated by the construction of CBL has been undertaken in accordance with the Annexes 7 and 15 of the TM-EIAO and the EIA Study Brief and included:

· Estimation of the type, timing and quantity of the wastes to be generated; and

· Assessment of the potential environmental implications on the capacity of waste collection, transfer and disposal facilities.

9.3.2 Secondary environmental impacts due to the management of waste, including potential air emission and noise impacts have been assessed and evaluated in other relevant sections.

9.4 Construction Phase – Evaluation of Waste Generation

9.4.1 During the construction phase, the main activities which will result in generation of waste include the construction of the CBL bridge substructure and superstructure, the bridge foundation and the seawall upgrading works at Road D9. The typical waste types associated with these activities include:

· Dredged marine sediment,

· C&D materials,

· Chemical waste, and

· General refuse and sewage from workers.

C&D Materials

9.4.2 C&D material consists of the following two portions:

· inert portion – soil, rock and concrete, etc. which can be reused as fill material; and

· non-inert portion – timber, glass, steel, plastics, etc. which are not suitable for reuse as fill material and should be recycled before deposal at landfills.

9.4.3 As discussed in Section 4, precast segmental construction for the approaches and off-site fabrication of the main bridge decks and arch will be adopted. As a result, the majority of the works will occur off-site. Since the need for formwork and temporary falseworks is greatly reduced by adopting such construction methods, most of the C&D material that will be generated by the project will be from marine excavation for the construction of the bridge foundations and the seawall upgrading works.

9.4.4 Based on the preliminary estimation, a total of approximately 98.71 thousand m³ excavated materials, including 80.06 thousand m³ of inert C&D soft materials, 15.48 thousand m³ of Grade III rock and 3.17 thousand m³ of other C&D materials (bitumen, concrete, etc.) would be generated from the construction of CBL. It is anticipated that a portion of the inert C&D materials (about 64.69 thousand m³) generated from the construction works can be reused on-site as filling material. There will be approximately 34.02 thousand m³ inert C&D soft materials to be delivered to public fill reception facilities.

9.4.5 For the excavation at Road D9, the excavation behind the existing seawall has been greatly reduced by the introduction of temporary retaining structure. Thus the C&D materials generated has been minimized.

9.4.6 The estimated quantity of C&D materials to be generated, reused and delivered to public fill reception facilities is summarised in Table 9.2.

Materials	Sources	Generated	To be reused on site	Public fill reception facilities (PFRF)
Inert C&D soft materials	Excavation for seawall upgrading works, construction of prebored H-piles, bored piles and pile caps	80.06	46.04	34.02
Grade III rock (low quality rock)	Excavation for construction of prebored H-piles, bored piles	15.48	15.48	-
Other C&D materials (bitumen & concrete)	Excavation for the existing road	3.17	3.17	-
Total	98.71	64.69	34.02

On-site sorting of C&D material & Temporary Stockpiles

9.4.7 All C&D materials arising from the construction will be sorted on-site to recover the inert C&D materials as well as the reusable and recyclable materials. Temporary stockpiles will be located at the GI/C site at Road D9.

9.4.8 Any surplus C&D materials will become the property of the Contractor once they are removed from the site. The Contractor will be responsible for devising a system to work for on-site sorting of C&D materials and to promptly remove all sorted and processed material arising from the construction activities to optimise temporary stockpiling on-site. It is recommended that the system should include the identification of the source of generation, estimated quantity, arrangement for on-site sorting and/or collection, temporary storage areas, and frequency of collection by recycling contractors or frequency of removal off-site.

Excavated Marine Sediment

9.4.9 According to the proposed methodology for the construction of CBL, which is discussed in detail in Section 4, excavation of sediment from pile casings will be required for the construction of bridge foundations.

9.4.10 Sediment quality assessment including a preliminary marine ground investigation with sediment sampling and laboratory testing has been undertaken in accordance with the requirements in ETWBTC (Works) No. 34/2002.

9.4.11 In accordance with the ETWBTC (Works) No. 34/3002, the marine sediment to be dredged has been classified as Category L (i.e. require Type 1 - Open Sea Disposal), Category Mp (i.e. require Type 1 - Open Sea Disposal (Dedicated Sites)), Category Mf (i.e. require Type 2 - Confined Marine Disposal), and Category H (i.e. require Type 2 – Confined Marine Disposal). Table 9.3 summarises the estimated quantity of each category of sediment to be dredged and corresponding deposal options. The assessment methodology and results are presented in Section 7.

Table 9.3 Summary of the estimated quantity of excavated marine sediment in thousand m³

Category ⁽¹⁾	Disposal option ⁽¹⁾	Estimated quantity⁽²⁾
L ⁽³⁾	Type 1 – Open Sea Disposal	4.121
Mp ⁽⁴⁾	Type 1 – Open Sea Disposal (Dedicated Site)	0.068
Mf ⁽⁴⁾ and H ⁽⁵⁾	Type 2 – Confined Marine Disposal	0.071
Total		4.26

Notes:

(1) As per ETWBTC (Works) No. 34/2002

(2) Bulk volume, thousand m³.

(3) Chemical analytical test results of the sediment are below or equal to the Lower Chemical Exceedance Level (LCEL)

(4) Chemical analytical test results of the sediment are greater than the LCEL, but less than or equal to the Upper Chemical Exceedance Level (UCEL); Mp - Biological test passed; Mf - Biological test failed.

(5) Analytical results greater than the UCEL

9.4.12 The testing results presented in this report are for EIA purposes only. Detailed analysis will be required to apply for a Dumping Permit for the sediments. A proposal for sampling and testing of the sediment will be prepared and submitted to the EPD for approval. The approved detailed sediment sampling and testing will be carried out prior to the commencement of the excavation activities to confirm the sediment disposal option. A Sediment Quality Report (SQR) shall be prepared for EPD approval as required under the Dumping at Sea Ordinance which will include the sampling details, the laboratory testing results, proposed classification and disposal option of the sediment according to the requirements of the Appendix A of ETWBTC (Works) No. 34/2002.

9.4.13 The final disposal site will be determined by the MFC and a dumping licence will be obtained from the DEP prior to the commencement of the excavation works.

9.4.14 Assessment of potential impacts relating to sediment and water quality is presented in Section 8. With proper preventive and mitigation measures in place for handling, transport and disposal as per the requirements given in the ETWBTC (Works) No. 34/2002, no insurmountable environmental impacts would be anticipated.

Chemical Wastes

9.4.15 Chemical wastes likely to be generated from the construction activities and associated facilities may 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.

9.4.16 Chemical wastes may pose 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 Packaging, 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.

9.4.17 The amount of chemical waste that will arise will be highly dependent on the contractor’s on-site maintenance practice and the number of plant and vehicles utilized. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that the quantity of chemical waste would be small and in the order of few hundred litres per month.

9.4.18 Suitable arrangements for the storage, handling, transport and disposal of chemical waste shall be made in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Waste. Wherever possible opportunities should be taken to reuse and recycle materials.

Sewage

9.4.19 Sewage will arise from amenity facilities used by the construction workforce and site office’s sanitary facilities. The sewage generated should be properly managed to minimise the adverse impact of odour and potential health risks to the workers by attracting pests and other disease vectors.

9.4.20 As the workers will be scattered within the construction site, the most cost-effective solution will be to provide an adequate number of portable toilets within the site to ensure that sewage from site staff is properly collected. No adverse waste impact is anticipated if the chemical toilets are properly maintained and licensed collectors are employed for the collection and disposal of sewage on a regular basis.

General Refuse

9.4.21 The presence of a construction site with workers and site office will result in the generation of a general refuse (consisting mainly of good waste, aluminium cans and waste paper) which will require off-site disposal. It is conservatively assumed that between 100 and 200 construction workers would be working on site at any one time. With a general refuse generation rate of 0.65kg per worker per day[1], the quantity of refuse generated would be about 65kg to 130kg per day.

9.4.22 Effective collection of site waste will be required to prevent waste materials being blown around by wind, flushed or leached into the marine environment, or creating an odour nuisance or pest and vermin problem. Waste storage areas shall be well maintained and cleaned regularly. In addition, disposal of waste at sites other than approved waste transfer or disposal facilities shall be prohibited.

9.4.23 With the implementation of good waste management practices at the site, adverse environmental impacts are not expected to arise from the storage handling and transportation of general refuse generated from the site.

9.5 Construction Phase – Recommended Mitigation Measures

9.5.1 This section recommends the mitigation measures and good site practice to avoid or reduce potential adverse environmental impacts associated with handling, collection and deposal of waste arising from the construction and operation of the proposed CBL. The recommendations are made based on the waste management hierarchy principles. The waste management options considered to be most preferable have the least environmental impacts and are more sustainable in the long term. The hierarchy is as follows:

· avoidance and minimization,

· reuse of materials,

· recovery and recycling, and

· treatment and disposal.

9.5.2 Prior to the commencement of the construction works, the contractors should incorporate these recommendations into a Waste Management Plan to provide an overall framework for waste management and reduction. Recommended of good site practice, waste reduction measures as well as the waste transportation, storage and collection are as follows:

Good Site Practice

9.5.3 Adverse waste management implications are not expected, provided that good site practices are strictly implemented. The following good site practices are recommended throughout the construction phase of the project:

· nomination of an approved personnel to be responsible for the implementation of good site practices, arrangements for collection and effective deposal to an appropriate facility of all wastes generated at the site;

· training of site personnel in proper waste management and chemical handling procedures;

· provision of sufficient waste disposal points and regular collection for disposal;

· separation of chemical wastes for special handling and appropriate treatment at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre;

· regular cleaning and maintenance programme for drainage systems, sumps and oil interceptors; and

· implementation of a recording system for the amount of wastes generated/recycled and disposal sites.

Waste Reduction Measures

9.5.4 The amount of waste generated can be significantly reduced through good management and control. Waste reduction is best achieved at the site planning and design phase, as well as by ensuring the implementation of good site practices when the works are in progress. Recommendations for achieving waste reduction include:

· on-site reuse of any material excavated as far as practicable;

· segregation and storage of different types of waste in different containers, skips or stockpiles to enhance reuse or recycling of material and their proper disposal;

· collection of aluminium cans and waste paper by individual collectors during construction should be encouraged. Separately labelled recycling bins should also be provided to segregate these wastes from other general refuse by the workforce;

· recycling of any unused chemicals and those with remaining functional capacity as far as possible;

· prevention of potential damage or contamination to the construction materials though proper storage and good site practices;

· planning and stocking of construction materials should be made carefully to minimise amount of waste generated avoid unnecessary generation of waste; and

· training on the importance of appropriate waste management procedures, including waste reduction, reuse and recycling should be provided to workers.

Storage, Collection and Transportation of Waste

9.5.5 Storage of waste on site may induce adverse environmental implications if not properly managed. The following recommendations should be implemented to minimise the impacts:

· waste such as soil should be handled and stored well to ensure secure containment;

· stockpiling area should be provided with covers and water spraying system to prevent materials from being washed away and to reduce wind-blown litter

· different locations should be designated to stockpile each material to enhance reuse.

9.5.6 With respect to the collection and transportation of waste from the construction works area to respective disposal sites, the following recommendations should be implemented to minimise the potential adverse environmental impacts:

· remove waste in timely manner;

· employ trucks with cover or enclosed containers for waste transportations;

· obtain relevant waste disposal permits from the appropriate authorities; and disposal of waste should be done at licensed waste disposal facilities.

9.5.7 In addition to the above measures, other specific mitigation measures on handling other specific waste generated from construction phase are recommended in the following subsections.

C&D Materials

9.5.8 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;

· carry out on-site sorting;

· make provisions in the contract documents to allow and promote the use of recycled aggregates where appropriate; and

· implement a trip-ticket system for each works contract to ensure that the disposal of C&D materials are properly documented and verified.

9.5.9 In addition, disposal of the C&D materials onto any sensitive location such as agricultural land, etc. should be avoided. The contractor shall propose the final disposal sites to the Project Proponent and obtain its approval before implementation.

9.5.10 Standard formwork or pre-fabrication should be used as far as practicable 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. Metal hoarding should be used to enhance the possibility of recycling. The purchasing of construction materials should be carefully planned in order to avoid over ordering and wastage.

9.5.11 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 reinforcement bar can be used by scrap steel mills. Different areas of the construction site should be considered for such segregation and storage.

Excavated Sediments

9.5.12 The basic requirements and procedures for excavated/dredged sediment disposal are specified under ETWBTC (Works) No. 34/2002. The final disposal site will be determined by the MFC and a dumping licence will be obtained from EPD prior to the commencement of the excavation works.

9.5.13 During transportation and disposal of the excavated marine sediments, the following measures should be taken to minimise potential environmental impacts:

· bottom opening of barges should be fitted with tight fitting seals to prevent leakage of material. Excess material should be cleaned from the decks and exposed fittings of barges and hopper excavators before the vessel is moved;

· monitoring of the barge loading should be conducted to ensure that loss of material does not take place during transportation;

· transport barges or vessels should be equipped with automatic self-monitoring devices as specified by the DEP; and

· barges or hopper barges should not be filled to a level that would cause the overflow of materials or sediment-laden water during loading or transportation.

Chemical Waste

9.5.14 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.

9.5.15 If chemical waste is produced at the construction site, the contractors should register with EPD as chemical waste producers. Chemical waste should be handled in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Handling and Storage of Chemical Wastes. Containers used for storage of chemical wastes should:

· be suitable for the substance they are holding, resistant to corrosion, maintained in a good condition, and securely closed;

· have a capacity of less than 450 L unless the specification have been approved by EPD; and

· display a label in English and Chinese in accordance with instructions prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Regulations.

9.5.16 The storage area for chemical wastes should:

· be clearly labelled and used solely for the storage of chemical wastes;

· be enclosed on at least 3 sides;

· have an impermeable floor and bunding, of 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;

· have adequate ventilation;

· be covered to prevent rainfall entering (water collected within the bund must be tested and disposed as chemical waste, if necessary); and

· be arranged so that incompatible materials are adequately separated.

9.5.17 Disposal of chemical waste should:

· be via a licensed waste collector; and

· be 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.

Sewage

9.5.18 An adequate number of portable toilets should be provided for the on-site construction workers. Any waste should be transferred to a sewage treatment works by a licensed collector.

General Refuse

9.5.19 General refuse generated on-site should be stored in enclosed bins or compaction units separately from construction and chemical wastes. Recycling bins should also be provided to encourage recycling. A reputable waste collector should be employed by the contractor to remove general refuse from the site on a daily basis separately from the construction and chemical wastes. Burning of refuse on construction sites is prohibited by law.

9.6 Operational Phase

9.6.1 It is not anticipated that large quantities of waste would be generated during the operational phase. Only a small amount of general refuse would be generated from the footpath and cycle track along CBL and Road D9. Waste collection bins and recycling bins would be provided and therefore adverse waste management implications are not anticipated.

9.7 Residual Environmental Impacts

9.7.1 With the implementation of recommended mitigation measures for the handling, transportation and disposal of the identified wastes, adverse residual waste management implications are not anticipated for both the construction and operational phases.

9.8 Conclusion

9.8.1 Potential waste management implications from the generation of waste during the construction and operational phase of the Project have been evaluated. A range of best practice mitigation measures have been proposed for implementation by the contractor during the construction period to minimise waste generation and off-site disposal and has compiled with Annex 7 and Annex 15 of the TM-EIAO. In addition, monitoring and audit measures are proposed to ensure that robust measures are promoted to minimise impacts and that waste is controlled effectively.

[1] This is considered as a conservative estimate based on the number reported in a number of EIA reports approved under the EIAO.