Letter to the Editor of SCMP - Response to a letter on the development of Integrated Waste Management Facility

 
Letter to the Editor of SCMP - Response to a letter on the development of Integrated Waste Management Facility

We would like to respond to the article “Incinerator would disturb residents of nearby rehab centre on Shek Kwu Chau” from SARDA on March 23.

Contrary to what the article has suggested, we have not disregarded the patients and staff on the Shek Kwu Chau (SKC) island. The rehabilitation centre on SKC has been identified in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) study as one of the sensitive receivers that has been assessed in details in respect of the environmental impacts and the necessary preventive and mitigation measures to protect those living or working on the island.

According to the EIA report which is available on EPD’s web site, the predicted environmental impacts of the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 1 (the Project) on the rehabilitation centre fully comply with all environmental criteria and standards.

Before and after the completion of the EIA study, we have engaged SARDA and the local community. We have discussed with representatives of SARDA on several occasions and replied to them to explain the impacts of the project and the design and control measures.

We would like to assure SARDA that the Project will be designed to meet stringent international standards and suitable mitigation measures will be adopted to minimize the environmental impacts. We will adopt good practices for the control of noise emissions, including the use of quiet plant and working methods and the use of noise barriers.

Also, a community liaison group will be set up to maintain close communication with the local community during the design and implementation of the project and we would invite SARDA to join the community liaison group. We would like to thank SARDA for their views and comments.

Mr Elvis WK Au
Assistant Director (Nature Conservation and Infrastructure Planning)
for Director of Environment Protection