280 The Environment
The Government is also promoting local recycling, with the development of a 20-hectare EcoPark in Tuen Mun Area 38 for exclusive use by the recycling and environmental industry. The EcoPark is being developed in two phases on 8 and 12 hectares of land respectively. All lots in Phase I have been let to waste recyclers. The infrastructure works of Phase II will be completed in early 2010.
To encourage waste reduction, recovery and recycling, the Government launched a territory-wide Source Separation of Domestic Waste Programme in January 2005. Over the five years to 2009, domestic waste requiring disposal dropped by 14.5 per cent. On the other hand, waste requiring disposal from the commercial and industrial sector continued to increase in the same period. The Government therefore rolled out a similar programme for the commercial and industrial sectors in October 2007. In 2009, commercial and industrial waste requiring disposal remained at the preceding year's level.
In line with the polluter-pays principle, the Government aims to create economic incentives for waste reduction, recovery and recycling by introducing producer responsibility schemes (PRS) and a charging scheme for municipal solid waste. An environmental levy scheme on plastic shopping bags was implemented in July 2009 as the first mandatory PRS under the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance. Subject to the outcome of public consultation, the second scheme will target waste electrical and electronic equipment.
Meanwhile, the EPD continues to promote and support trade-funded voluntary recycling programmes. In addition, it will examine possible charging options for Hong Kong in respect of municipal solid waste.
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 3.27 million tonnes of municipal solid waste in 2009. Of this, about 67 per cent was domestic waste and the remainder was commercial and industrial waste. On average, each person in Hong Kong disposed of about 1.28 kilogrammes of municipal solid waste daily.
In 2009, it was estimated that the three landfills would be filled to capacity during mid- to late-2010. Planning work for the extension of all three landfills is under way.
Hong Kong has 13 old landfills, which have been restored for safety and environmental reasons. Recreational facilities have been or will be built on most of the restored sites.
Refuse Transfer Stations
Municipal solid waste is collected and delivered to refuse transfer stations by refuse collection vehicles, containerised and then taken to landfills by sea or land transport. A network of six transfer stations and seven outlying islands transfer