23
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1992
CONSTRUCTION WASTES RECYCLING UNDER STUDY
* * * * *
THE
GOVERNMENT
IS EXAMINING HOW TO REDUCE THE AMOUNTS OF CONSTRUCTION WASTES PRESENTED FOR DISPOSAL AT LANDFILLS AND HOW SUCH WASTES MIGHT BE RECYCLED.
AND
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT LANDS, MR A.G. EASON, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY REV THE HON FUNG CHI-WOOD IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
"IT HAS ALREADY BEEN AGREED THAT, SUBJECT TO FUNDING, CERTAIN FUTURE RECLAMATION PROJECTS SHOULD BE BROUGHT FORWARD ΤΟ ABSORB CONSTRUCTION WASTE BY PUBLIC DUMPING, HE SAID.
A PILOT SCHEME IS ALSO IN HAND TO TEST THE VIABILITY OF A RECYCLING PLANT FOR CONSTRUCTION WASTE.
IF THIS IS SUCCESSFUL, IT MAY BE PUT TO MORE PERMANENT AND EXTENSIVE USE, MR EASON SAID.
ALTHOUGH THERE HAD NOT BEEN A DRASTIC INCREASE IN THE QUANTITY OF COMMERCIAL WASTE BEING DISPOSED OF AT LANDFILLS IN RECENT YEARS, MR EASON NOTED THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO ENCOURAGE THE RECOVERY AND RECYCLING OF WASTES GENERALLY.
HE SAID HONG KONG ALREADY HAD A SUBSTANTIAL WASTE RECOVERY INDUSTRY, FOR EXAMPLE, MOST OF THE OFFICE PAPER WASTES PRODUCED IN THE MAIN OFFICE AREAS WERE RECOVERED AND EXPORTED FOR RECYCLING.
ON THE LEVYING OF CHARGES FOR DISPOSAL OF WASTES, MR BASON SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONSIDERING THE GENERAL FEASIBILITY OF IMPOSING SUCH CHARGES, ALTHOUGH DELIBERATIONS WERE AT AN EARLY STAGE.
HE SAID GIVEN THE HIGH COST OF PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE DISPOSAL FACILITIES, CLEARLY A CASE COULD BE MADE FOR LEVYING CHARGES, ON THE POLLUTER PAYS PRINCIPLE, FOR THE DISPOSAL SOLID WASTES AT LANDFILLS.
OF
CIVIL SERVICE WASTAGE STABILISING
*
THE OVERALL WASTAGE RATE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE IS STABILISING AT SECRETARY AROUND FIVE PER CENT EACH YEAR IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HENRY TANG, MR SCALE WIGGHAM SAID THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS ON BOTH THE DIRECTORATE PAY AND THE MASTER PAY SCALE LEFT THE SERVICE IN 1989/90 INCLUDING 21 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS (AO).
WAS 10,790,
/THE WASTAGE