THE ENVIRONMENT
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further promote waste prevention and recycling and has been making progress in this regard.
Charging for waste disposal is an important element in the waste management strategy adopted in Hong Kong. It can provide economic incentives for waste producers to reduce waste and to carry out sorting to facilitate re-use and recycling which will, in turn, help conserve landfill capacity. As a first step, the Government intends to levy charges for the disposal of construction waste at landfills, sorting facilities and public fill reception facilities. In December, it introduced the Waste Disposal (Amendment) (No.2) Bill into the Legislative Council to give effect to the scheme for charging for construction waste disposal. Subject to the passage of the bill and related regulations, the Government intends to implement the charging scheme in late 2004.
Landfills
All municipal solid waste is disposed of at three large modern landfills in the New Territories. Specialist waste management contractors operate these landfills to high environmental standards.
The community disposed of about 9 440 tonnes of municipal solid wastes every day in 2003. Of this, 7 400 tonnes comprised domestic waste and 2 040 tonnes comprised commercial and industrial waste. On average, each person in Hong Kong disposed of about 1.38 kilograms of municipal solid waste daily.
Rapid development in Hong Kong over the past decade has contributed to a dramatic increase in the amount of construction and demolition (C&D) material. The material generated every day amounted to some 52 000 tonnes, on average, and about 87 per cent of it was suitable for re-use in reclamation projects.
The current three landfills have a remaining lifespan of only eight to 12 years. In 2003, the Government completed a study to explore the feasibility of extending the existing landfills and to identify potential new landfill sites. Extension schemes for the existing landfills have been proposed. Planning and development work will soon. proceed to ensure the continuity of waste disposal outlets.
Hong Kong has 13 old landfills. For safety and environmental reasons, restoration measures have been taken at these landfills, and restoration of 12 of them has been completed. It is intended to restore the last landfill, at Pillar Point Valley, by late 2005. After full restoration, the sites may be used primarily for community and recreational activities.
Refuse Transfer Stations
The network of refuse transfer stations forms an important component of the Government's waste disposal facilities. Waste collected in urban centres is delivered to these stations, where it is compacted into sealed containers for delivery to the three landfills.
Seven modern transfer stations and one set of Outlying Island Transfer Facilities (OITF) handle a total of 5 720 tonnes of waste every day. This is mostly domestic waste, and represents around 74 per cent of Hong Kong's total daily domestic waste production. Six of these transfer facilities the stations at Hong Kong Island East, Hong Kong Island West, West Kowloon, North Lantau and North-West New Territories and the OITF on Ma Wan-- also provide service to private waste collectors.