THURSDAY, MAY 14, 1992
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY URGED TO MINIMISE WASTE
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THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, TODAY (THURSDAY) CALLED ON THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TO BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS AND ΤΟ ATTACH GREATER IMPORTANCE IN MINIMISING AND RECYCLING WASTE.
SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF REAL ESTATES AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY, MR EASON SAID LIKE OTHER COSTS INCLUDING LABOUR, RAW MATERIALS, TRANSPORT WHICH INDUSTRY HAD TO BEAR, THE COST FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AMONG CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, IF ANY, COULD BE MINIMISED.
HE SAID
THE FACT THAT INDUSTRY COULD ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY OR REDUCE COSTS BY ADOPTING ENVIORNMENTAL PROTECTION AS A GOAL WAS STILL TOO OFTEN OVERLOOKED.
"THE KEY IS WASTE MINIMISATION NEEDS GREATER APPLICATION.
NOT A NEW IDEA BUT ONE WHICH
INCLUDING THE
CONSTRUCTION
"FOR EXAMPLE, FEW INDUSTRIES, INDUSTRY, IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET WOULD HIRE MORE STAFF THAN NECESSARY. IT IS SELF-EVIDENT THAT IT WOULD BE WASTEFUL.
"YET THE SAME ARGUMENT IS NOT ALWAYS APPLIED IN RELATION TO THE EXCESSIVE USE OF OTHER RESOURCES, SUCH AS POWER, WATER OR RAW MATERIALS, HE SAID.
MR EASON SAID THE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSING' AUTHORITY WERE NOW CONSIDERING HOW TO MINIMISE THE WASTE OF TROPICAL HARDWOOD WHICH WERE CURRENTLY EITHER DISPOSED OF AT LANDFILLS OR BURNT ON SITE AFTER USE, THEREBY PRODUCING UNNECESSARY WASTE.
WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HONG KONG CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION IS LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBLITY OF AWARDING A CONSULTANCY TO ADVISE ON WHAT STEPS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED ON CONSTRUCTION SITES IN HONG KONG TO MINIMISE CONSTRUCTION WASTE AND REUSE MORE MATERIALS, HE SAID.
OF
MR EASON SAID THERE WERE OTHER REASONS FOR CONSIDERING WAYS CUTTING BACK ON CONSTRUCTION WASTE, ONE OF THESE WAS PUBLIC CONCERN ON THE GROWING PROBLEM OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE BEING DISPOSED OF AT
LANDFILLS.
"SOME 16,000 TONNES PER DAY ARE DISPOSED OF BY THIS METHOD. THIS IS FAST EATING INTO THE AVAILABLE SPACE AT LANDFILLS, POSING A MAJOR DISPOSAL PROBLEM IN THE SHORT TERM, HE SAID.
H
ALTHOUGH A PROGRAMME IS WELL UNDERWAY TO COMMISSION THREE MAJOR STRATEGIC LANDFILLS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR EASON SAID UNLESS OTHER STEPS WERE TAKEN IN PARALLEL, THERE WAS A REAL RISK THAT THE AVAILABLE SPACE IN EXISTING LANDFILLS WOULD BE FILLED UP BEFORE THE NEW ONES COME ON LINE.
/MR EASON
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