An Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) has been prepared to provide information on the nature of
environmental impacts likely to arise from the construction, operation and
decommissioning of the proposed concrete batching plant at Telegraph Bay. The
EIA has also assessed the acceptability of the identified environmental impacts
on representative sensitive receivers (SRs) following the implementation of the
proposed mitigation measures.
The assessment
methodologies adopted for the study follow the guidelines as outlined in the
Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process. Quantitative
assessments have been carried out with the use of computer models and standard
theoretical principles, which are accepted by the Environmental Protection
Department. The environmental assessment findings accurately reflect the
potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed concrete batching
plant.
5.1.1 Construction
Phase
As the construction period
of the concrete batching plant is short (< 120 days) and the amount of
excavated material is small (approximately 1200m3), the impact
arising from the construction phase of the plant is not considered significant.
5.1.2
Operational Phase
During operation
phase, the concrete batching plant should strictly follow the requirements stipulated in the
Best Practicable Means Requirement for Cement Works (Concrete Batching Plant)
and the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) for dust control. Besides,
the following practices will also be incoporated:
·
Dust collectors will be sized to
exceed the requirement of the Specified Processes Regulation.
·
For Stage 1, the cement tankers
will be working inside enclosure with cladding to reduce air emission.
·
For stage 2, cement will be transferred directly from barges to
the plant. There is no need for cement tankers for intermediate transfer.With the
built-in dust suppression measures for the batching plant, the modelling
results indicate that the net TSP hourly and daily concentrations at the
representative air sensitive receivers (ASRs) are well below the EIAO-TM
Criterion for 1-hour TSP and Air Quality Objective (AQO) respectively. However,
the cumulative TSP concentrations are expected to exceed the TSP criteria at
some of the ASRs, taking into account the concurrent construction works at the
site.
With the implementation of the mitigation measures
at the concrete batching plant and the concurrent construction site at the Telegraph
Bay, the predicted cumulative 1-hour and 24 hour TSP concentration are expected
to comply with the Air Quality ObjectivesThrough the implementation of
additional dust suppression measures such as speed control of dump trucks and
increased watering of the site and haul roads, however, the cumulative TSP
concentrations at all ASRs would comply with the criteria.
Figure
3 shows the locations of the representative air sensitive receivers.
5.2.1 Construction Phase
Taking into account the
concurrent construction activities, the cumulative noise levels of the construction of the proposed concrete batching plant
at certain noise sensitive receivers (NSRs), including domestic premises and educational
institutions, would exceed the respective construction noise limits. MSeveral mitigation
measures or combinations of measures have been evaluated to reduce the
identified impacts, including:
·
use of silenced
Powered Mechanical Equipment (PME);
·
good site
practices.
With the implementation
of the suggested mitigation measures, the predicted noise levels during the
construction of the proposed concrete batching plant at the nearby domestic
premises, as well as the schools (during normal hours and examination period),
would comply with the noise criteria.
With the implementation of the suggested mitigation
measures, the predicted noise levels at the nearby domestic premises, as well
as the schools (during the normal teaching period), would comply with the
criteria. However, minor residual impacts would occur on some
schools during the school examination period. In order to avoid the potential
cumulative noise impact on school, the construction activities should be
scheduled so as to avoid carrying out concurrently during the examination
periods of these two schools.
5.2.2 Operation
Phase
The noise impact arising from
the operation of the concrete batching plant is small, and the cumulative
effects minor.The
cumulative noise levels due to the operation of the concrete batching plant
would also exceed the
noise limits. Mitigation measures, similar to those applied in the construction
phases, will also be incoporated.
·
use of silenced Powered
Mechanical Equipment (PME);
·
good site practices.
With the implementation of the
suggested mitigation measures, the predicted noise levels during the
operation of the concrete batching plant at the nearby domestic premises, as well as the
schools (during normal hours and examination period), would comply with the noise
criteria.
Figure 4 shows the
locations of the representative noise sensitive receivers.
5.3 Waste Impacts
5.3.1
Construction Phase
Construction
activities to be carried out for the Cyberport development will result in the generation
of a variety of wastes and materials, which can be divided into distinct
categories, based on their composition and ultimate method of disposal. The identified waste types include:
·
excavated
materials;
·
construction
and demolition (C&D) material;
·
chemical
wastes; and
·
general refuse.
If not properly managed,
the handling and disposal of these wastes may cause environmental nuisance and
impacts.
5.3.2 Operation Phase
A concrete recycling machine
will be installed on-site to recycle concrete waste in order to reduce material
consumption and waste generation.
Concrete waste material will be broken down into slurry water and
aggregates. Sludge will be generated
during the recycling process and will require off-site disposal.
The other waste arising
during the operational phase would be chemical wastes, such as fuel and
lubrication oils, used by the loaders and trucks.
Diesel fuel will be stored in drums and in a completely
bunded area as per government safety regulations. Used oils will be stored in containers and disposed off-site by
licensed contractors. Provided that the storage and disposal of chemical wastes
are in accordance with the requirements, adverse environmental impacts are not
expected.
5.3.3 Mitigation
Measures
Table 21 provides a
summary of the various waste types likely to be generated during the
construction and operation of the concrete batching plant, together with the
recommended handling and disposal methods.
With the provision of
adequate waste collection, treatment and disposal facilities, and
implementation of the recommended mitigation measures, there will not be any
unacceptable residual waste impacts.
Table 21 Summary
of Waste Handling Procedures and Disposal Routes
|
Waste
Type |
Handling |
Disposal |
|
Excavated Material |
|
Not Applicable |
|
Chemical Wastes |
Recycle on-site or by licensed companies Stored on-site in accordance with government
regulations |
By licensed contractor to facility licensed to
receive chemical waste, such as Chemical Waste Treatment Facility |
|
General Refuse |
Provide on-site refuse collection facilities |
Refuse station for compaction and
containerisation and then to landfill Private hygiene company |
5.4.1
Construction Phase
Construction
Runoff and Drainage
During site formation works, soil surfaces would
be exposed and an elevated level of suspended particles would be present in the
surface run-off. As the proposed site
for the concrete batching plant is located near the seawall, the coastal waters
could potentially be impacted by sediment laden and polluted runoff if
construction runoff from the site is uncontrolled. Sources of water pollution
include release of grouting and cement materials with rain wash, wash water
from dust suppression sprays, and fuel, oil and other lubricants from
maintenance of construction vehicles and mechanical equipment.
Mitigation measures should be implemented to
control construction site runoff, and to minimise the chances of introducing
sediment and pollutants into the nearby coastal waters. With the implementation
of adequate construction site drainage and the provision of sediment removal
facilities, it is expected that unacceptable water quality impacts would not
arise.
General
Construction Activities
Uncontrolled discharge of debris and rubbish,
such as packaging and used construction materials, could result in floating
refuse with associated impacts on the aesthetic quality of the coastal waters;
and spillage of liquids stored on-site, such as oil, diesel and solvents etc,
are likely to result in water quality impacts if they enter the water column.
Good construction practices and site management
measures should be observed to ensure that rubbish, fuels and solvents do not
enter the nearby coastal waters. Open
drainage channels and culverts near the works areas should be covered to block
the entrance of large debris and refuse.
Domestic sewage would be generated from the
workforce during the construction phase.
It is unlikely that sewage generated from the site would have a significant
water quality impact, provided that sewage is not discharged directly into
storm water drains adjacent to the construction site. Temporary sanitary facilities such as portable chemical toilets
should be used on-site and properly maintained.
5.4.2 Operation
Phase
All water used within the concrete batching
plant will be collected, stored and recycled to reduce resource consumption.
This includes water used in the concrete batching process, trunk cleaning, yard
cleaning and spraying. As no wastewater
will be discharged outside the boundary of the plant, there will not be any
potential water quality impacts associated with the operation of the
facility.
The sensitive receivers
to the concrete batching plant will be Baguio Villa, Aegean Terrace and Pok Fu
Lam Garden and Chi Fu Fa Yuen.
As Pok Fu Lam Garden and
Aegean Terrace are located at higher levels, the plant will not block the view
of these receivers towards the existing landscape features.
The size of the Stage 2 concrete batching
plant is 95m ´ 45m ´ ~24m. As the heights of the lower floors in
Baguio Villa are around 30-40 mPD. The plant will only obstruct a very small
part of the view of the sensitive receivers in the lower floors of Baguio Villa
during the operation stage. The
proposed concrete batching plant is only a small, temporary, low-rise structure
near the seawall of a large construction site at Telegraph Bay. At present, it
is partially screened by an existing earth mound. By the time the office blocks
in Cyberport Phases C1,
C2 and C3
are erected, the plant will be further screened from the views of the nearby
sensitive receivers. As such, it is not expected to have a significant visual
impact on sensitive receivers in the neighbourhood.When the main construction
contracts starts, buildings will be erected on the site, and these will reduce
the view from the sensitive receivers in Baguio Villa and the visual impact of
the concrete batching plant will be much reduced. Therefore, the impact of the
concrete batching plant on the sensitive receivers can be considered as
minor. A photomontage of
the proposed stage 2 concrete
batching plant as viewed from Baguio Villas is shown in Figure 5.
In order to increase the
visual compatibility of the concrete batching plant, it is suggested to paint reflective surfaces and the
external façade into dull green.
The construction of the
plant is temporary and will be decommissioned after the project is finished. It
will have no permanent effect on the sensitive receivers.
5.6 Environmental Monitoring and Audit
(EM&A)
The
environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) programme and Manual, which are
currently being implemented on-site are applicable and adequate for this
Project.An
Environmental Monitoring and Audit programme has been recommended during construction
and operation of the concrete batching plant. The EM&A requirements cover air quality, noise, water quality, waate
management. With the inclusion of the recommended EM&A requirement into the
work programs, it is anticipated that the construction and operation of the
concrete batching plant can be carried out with full compliance of the
standards set by the EIA Technical Memorandum.