Extract from Memorandum for Executive Council XCR (88) 20 on 19.1.1988 - Private Operation of
Refuse Transfer Stations
Background
Annex C
4
There are at present three main methods of waste disposal in Hong Kong, each with associated problems
(a)
(b)
(c)
On
Municipal incinerators, at Lai Chi Kok, Kwai Chung and Kennedy Town. environmental grounds, we are committed to phasing out incineration as a means of waste disposal;
to
The Chai Wan composting plant, which has operated neither
its design specifications nor to an environmentally acceptable standard, and is now being converted into a small temporary refuse transfer
station
Government-operated)
(to pending
be
the
development of larger purpose-built transfer stations on Hong Kong Island; and
Small landfill sites situated in or close to the major urban areas, such as Jordan Valley (Kwun Tong), Shuen Wan (Tai Po) and Pillar Point Valley (Tuen Mun).
These have limited capacities, and will be exhausted within a few years.
Waste is collected at source by standard refuse collection vehicles and delivered directly to these facilities.
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The quantity. of solid waste arising from household, commercial, construction and other sources is forecast to double to 16,000 tonnes per day within the next ten years.
A computerised waste management model commissioned by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has shown that the best waste disposal strategy is to develop refuse transfer stations in or near urban areas linked to large landfill sites in the remoter parts of the New Territories. This strategy will serve the needs of Hong Kong well into the next century.
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Under this strategy, refuse collection vehicles will deliver waste to the refuse transfer stations where it will be compacted for bulk shipment to landfill sites. The major advantage of these facilities will be to reduce transport costs and total vehicle movements as relatively few large roadgoing vehicles or seagoing barges are required to travel the long distances from transfer stations in the urban areas to landfill sites in the New Territories. The present arrangement is to transport waste in refuse collection vehicles from the points of collection direct to all disposal facilities including the landfill sites.