THE ENVIRONMENT
Domestic, commercial and industrial wastes are collectively referred to as municipal solid waste. Domestic waste is forecast to increase by 4.5 per cent, and commercial and industrial wastes by 7.1 per cent, per year over the next 11 years. By 2006, some 13 200 tonnes of municipal solid waste will require collection and disposal each day. By implementing the 1989 Waste Disposal Plan in phases, the government is tackling the solid waste problem through replacing old facilities with high-standard new facilities together with improved waste management services. Recycling and reuse techniques are being studied to minimise waste generation and reduce the amount of waste that requires landfilling.
Sewerage Master Plans
The sixteenth and final sewage master plan, covering Tseung Kwan O, was completed in 1995, giving the government a comprehensive territory-wide blueprint for new and/or upgraded sewerage works. The new sewerage works recommended under the masterplans are being progressively implemented. In the old industrial area of East Kowloon, 70 per cent of the polluting flows have already been intercepted by the Stage 1 works of the East Kowloon SMP. Construction of the remaining stages in this area will start in 1996.
New sewers in the Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay areas on southern Hong Kong island were completed and a new sewage treatment works at Stanley was formally opened in July 1995. This latter plant is unique in Asia, being placed in a cavern carved out of the rock hillside. Similarly, new sewers are being laid in the New Territories providing an important service to previously unsewered areas. In 1995 new sewer construction was carried out mainly in the Sha Tin, Tai Po and Sai Kung districts.
Centralised treatment and disposal system
Important decisions were taken on Hong Kong's Strategic Sewage Disposal Scheme in 1995. On the advice of an international panel of experts it was decided to adopt chemically enhanced primary treatment at the Stonecutters Island treatment plant as a medium- to long-term measure. This has the advantage of improving the quality of treated effluent from the plant while at the same time freeing up site capacity so that, if necessary, Hong Kong Island flows could also be diverted there for treatment. Different chemicals and disinfection systems are being studied for their effectiveness. A review of the options for the next stages of the scheme was completed. The review highlighted the importance of a comprehensive EIA to assess the relative impacts of the discharge of sewage with different levels of treatment at alternative locations.
Sewage charges
Hong Kong's planned capital sewerage programmes will cost about HK$20b. Of this, some HK$9.4b will be needed for the High Priority Programme (HPP) covering the industrialised urban areas of Hong Kong and Kowloon. Capital costs for these facilities were paid by the government and a sewage services charging scheme was introduced in 1995 under which users will contribute to the system's operation and maintenance costs. Households pay modest charges. Industry and commerce, producing more polluting discharges, have to pay for the added costs of sewage treatment through a trade effluent surcharge. This application of the 'polluter pays' principle will ensure the costs of sewage treatment are properly internalised in the
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