THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1987
11
NT LANDFILL AND PFA LAGOON SITES VISITED
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THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, TODAY (THURSDAY) VISITED THE SITE PROPOSED FOR THE WEST NEW TERRITORIES LANDFILL AS PART OF A TRIP TO FAMILIARISE HIMSELF WITH THE LONG- TERM PLANNING FOR THE DISPOSAL OF WASTE FROM THE URBAN AREAS AND THE NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES.
HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DR STUART REED, AND SENIOR STAFF OF HIS DEPARTMENT,
THE LANDFILL WOULD BE ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD AND WHEN FULLY DEVELOPED, WOULD COVER AN AREA OF ABOUT 110 HECTARES AND HAVE A CAPACITY OF 54 MILLION CUBIC METRES.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE LANDFILL WOULD BE ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE AND, IN THE LONGER TERM, COULD BE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE A USEFUL RECREATIONAL RESOURCE TO SERVE THE AREA.
MR CHAMBERS WAS TOLD THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS STUDY, IT HAD BEEN AGREED THAT THE LANDFILL SHOULD BE FULLY SEALED AND THAT ALL LEACHATES PRODUCED WOULD BE COLLECTED AND TREATED BEFORE DISPOSAL TO ENSURE THERE WERE NO EFFECTS ON DEEP BAY, AND THAT ALL VILLAGERS LIVING NEAR TO THE LANDFILL WHO MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE RELOCATED PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF DISPOSAL OPERATIONS.
THE STUDY, WHICH WOULD BE COMPLETED IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR, WOULD ALSO RESULT IN THE INTRODUCTION TO HONG KONG OF HIGHER STANDARDS OF OPERATION AND RESTORATION OF LANDFILL SITES.
THE LANDFILL WOULD CATER FOR WASTE GENERATED IN THE NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES AND PARTS OF THE URBAN AREA FOR THE NEXT 30 TO 35 YEARS AND THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATING COSTS OVER THIS TIME WOULD BE ABOUT $1 100 MILLION.
EARLIER, MR CHAMBERS ALSO VISITED THE PULVERISHED FUEL ASH (PFA) LAGOON SITE ON THE SOUTHERN SHORE OF DEEP BAY, PROJECT INITIATED BY CASTLE PEAK POWER COMPANY LIMITED IN 1977 AND EVENTUALLY APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
THE SITE OCCUPIES ABOUT 63 HECTARES OF FORESHORE AND SEABED NEAR THE VILLAGE OF TSANG TSUI IN NIM WAN, SOUTH OF DEEP BAY.
AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT OF THE PROJECT BY CARRIED OUT CAPCO, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A STUDY MANAGEMENT GROUP CHAIRED BY THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, HAD BEEN COMPLETED.
/THE NEED