MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 1977
LAI CHI KOK INCINERATOR CHIMNEY TO BE EXTENDED
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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL BEGIN WORK NEXT MONTH ON RAISING THE EXISTING 88-METRE TALL CHIMNEY AT THE LAI CHI KOK INCINERATOR TO 119 METRES IN AN EFFORT TO MINIMISE POLLUTION IN THE AREA.
THE EXTENSION IS MADE POSSIBLE FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW AIRCRAFT APPROACH GUIDANCE SYSTEMS FOR KAI TAK AIRPORT WHICH PERMIT A STRUCTURE OF THIS HEIGHT NEAR THE FLIGHT PATH.
AT PRESENT, THE EXHAUST GASES FROM THE INCINERATOR ARE DISCHARGED THROUGH THREE CHIMNEYS, SERVING TWO DIFFERENT PLANTS IN THE INCINERATOR.
IN ADDITION TO EXTENDING THE CHIMNEY, MODIFICATIONS WILL BE MADE TO DIVERT THE FLUE GASES FROM ONE OF THE PLANTS NOW SERVED BY TWO 66-METRE CHIMNEYS TO THE TALL ONE.
ON COMPLETION, USE OF THE TWO SMALLER CHIMNEYS WOULD NO LONGER BE NECESSARY UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
MR. J. COLLIER, ACTING SENIOR ENGINEER (OPERATIONS) OF THE P.W.D.'S ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE, SAID THAT THE MODIFICATION WOULD ENABLE THE EXHAUST GASES TO DISPERSE AT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL.
+THIS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY RESULT IN AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE ATMOSPHERE NEAR THE INCINERATOR, PARTICULARLY DURING PERIODS WHEN METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS CAUSE TEMPERATURE INVERSION WHICH KEEPS THE EXHAUST GASES AT A LOWER LEVEL,+ HE ADDED.
WORK ON EXTENDING THE CHIMNEY WILL TAKE ABOUT NINE MONTHS
TO COMPLETE.
DURING THIS PERIOD, MR. COLLIER SAID, THE EXHAUST GASES WOULD HAVE TO BE DISCHARGED THROUGH THE TWO SMALL CHIMNEYS, WHICH WOULD UNFORTUNATELY CAUSE SOME TEMPORARY INCONVENIENCE.
+HOWEVER ANY NUISANCE ARISING FROM THIS UNAVOIDABLE PROBLEM WILL BE SHORT-LIVED, AND BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR RESIDENTS IN THE AREA WILL FIND A VERY MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN A SITUATION WHICH HAS BOTHERED THEM FOR SOME TIME,+ MR. COLLIER SAID.
MEANWHILE, WORK IS IN PROGRESS ON THE NEW KWAI CHUNG INCINERATOR.
THE INCINERATOR EXPECTED TO BE OPERATIONAL BY EARLY 1979, WILL HAVE A 150-METRE TALL CHIMNEY, THE TALLEST IN HONG KONG.
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