278 The Environment
The Government aims to implement the polluter-pays principle by introducing solid waste disposal charges and producer responsibility schemes. The Government will introduce the Product Eco-responsibility Bill into the Legislative Council to provide a legal framework for implementing producer responsibility schemes in Hong Kong. The environmental levy on plastic shopping bags will be the first statutory producer responsibility scheme under the bill. Meanwhile, EPD has reached consensus with the computer trade to organise a territory-wide, trade-funded Computer Recycling Programme, and will continue to promote the introduction of voluntary producer responsibility schemes by the other relevant trades.
Landfills
All municipal solid waste is disposed of at three large modern landfills in the New Territories, which are operated to high environmental standards.
The community disposed of about 9 430 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day in 2007. Of this, 6 370 tonnes was domestic waste and 3 060 tonnes was commercial and industrial waste. On average, each person in Hong Kong disposed of about 1.36 kilogrammes of municipal solid waste daily.
In 2007, it was estimated that the three landfills would be full in early to mid- 2010s. Feasibility and environmental impact assessment studies on possible landfill extension schemes are under way.
Hong Kong has 13 old landfills, which have been restored for safety and environmental reasons. Recreational facilities have been built on three of the restored sites. Plans to develop recreational facilities on seven other sites are in progress.
Refuse Transfer Stations
Municipal solid waste is collected, delivered to refuse transfer stations by refuse collection vehicles and containerised before being taken to landfills by sea or land transport. A network of six modern transfer stations and one set of Outlying Islands Transfer Facilities handles 5 534 tonnes of waste every day. About 76 per cent of Hong Kong's domestic waste is delivered via this network to landfills.
Chemical and Special Wastes
All chemical waste producers are required to pack, label and store their chemical wastes correctly before disposal at licensed treatment facilities. A trip ticket system tracks the movement of chemical waste from its origin to the final disposal point.
In 2007, a daily average of 125 tonnes of chemical waste, including waste from sea-going vessels, was treated at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre on Tsing Yi Island. A government contractor operates the treatment centre. Waste producers using its services are required to pay part of the treatment cost.
Following the commissioning of the Low-level Radioactive Waste Storage Facility at Siu A Chau, most of the low-level radioactive waste generated in Hong Kong has been transferred to the facility for long-term storage. The facility is purposely built to meet stringent international standards for the safe storage of low-level radioactive waste.
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