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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1992
CONSTRUCTION WASTE DIVERSION SCHEME CONTINUES
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A SPOKESMAN FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THE NEW ARRANGEMENT TO DIVERSE CONSTRUCTION WASTE AWAY FROM THE TSEUNG KWAN O AND SHUEN WAN LANDFILLS WOULD CONTINUE.
THE CONSTRUCTION WASTE DIVERSION SCHEME WOULD HELP TO ENSURE THAT THE REUSABLE WASTE COULD BE MORE PROFITABLY DISPOSED OF TU PRODUCE RECLAIMED LAND RATHER THAN WASTING TAXPAYERS MONEY BY OCCUPYING LANDFILL SPACE WHICH IS SPECIALLY PREPARED TO RECEIVE DOMESTIC AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE AT SOME CONSIDERABLE COST TO PUBLIC FUNDS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
UNDER THE SCHEME WHICH WAS INTRODUCED ON OCTOBER CONSTRUCTION WASTE CONTAINING MORE THAN 20 PER CENT INERT MATERIAL VOLUME ARE NOT ACCEPTED AT THE TWO LANDFILLS.
CONSTRUCTION WASTE COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS SET OUT THE PUBLIC DUMPING LICENCE CAN BE DISPOSED OF AT PUBLIC DUMPS.
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THE SPOKESMAN SAID PRODUCERS OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE WERE ENCOURAGED TO SORT THEIR WASTE AT SOURCE SO THAT IT COULD BE DISPOSED OF CONVENIENTLY.
"THE SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE BEING PRESENTED TO LANDFILLS, IN THE PERIOD FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SCHEME, HAS DEMONSTRATED CLEARLY THAT SEPARATION OF WASTE ON-SITE IS FEASIBLE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
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HOWEVER, SINCE THAT TIME THE AMOUNTS OF WASTE RECEIVED LANDFILL HAS INCREASED STEADILY, REFLECTING REDUCED EFFORTS ON THE PART OF THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS TO CONTINUE TO CO-OPERATE IN THE SEPARATION OF WASTE ON-SITE," HE SAID.
THE ARRANGEMENT FOR HELPING LORRY DRIVERS, WHO HAVE TO DISPOSE OF LOADS OF MIXED WASTES, WOULD CONTINUE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
EFFORTS WOULD CONTINUE TO PERSUADE MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TO ADOPT THE RELATIVELY SIMPLE PROCEDURES NEEDED TO SEPARATE WASTE ON SITE.
THUS, THE SMALL COSTS INCURRED IN DOING THIS WOULD BE BORNE BY THE INDUSTRY ITSELF RATHER THAN THAT THE MUCH GREATER COST OF THE MISUSE OF SPECIALLY PREPARED LANDFILL SPACE TO BE BORNE BY THE COMMUNITY.
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THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE CONDITION OF CONTRACT THE NEW STRATEGIC LANDFILLS IN THE WEST, SOUTHEAST AND NORTHEAST NEW TERRITORIES, WHICH WILL BE OPENED IN NID-1993 ONWARDS, WOULD NOT ALLOW THE DISPOSAL OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE WHICH COULD NOT MEET THE NEW DISPOSAL REQUIREMENT OF LESS THAN 20 PER CENT INERT MATERIAL.
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