XN000022-1977-11-21 — Page 4

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1977

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GOVERNMENT STUDYING REPORT ON SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT $245 MILLION IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS ON SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL, MR. FONG CHUN-NAM, P.W.D.'S PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT CIVIL ENGINEER, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF VICTORIA, MR. FONG SAID THAT THE ANNUAL EXPENDITURE ON SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL HAD INCREASED FROM $23 MILLION IN 1973/74 TO $81 MILLION THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.

HOWEVER, HE EXPECTED THAT THE ANNUAL EXPENDITURE WOULD CONTINUE TO SOAR AS MORE WASTE WOULD BE GENERATED AND MORE SOPHISTICATED PLANTS WOULD BE BUILT.

ON THE EXISTING LEGISLATION CONTROLLING SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL, MR. FONG SAID, IT WAS CONSIDERED ADEQUATE TO COPE WITH THE PRESENT PROBLEM.

TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT OF HONG KONG, THE GOVERNMENT HAD APPOINTED A FIRM OF CONSULTANTS TO LOOK AT THE LEGISLATION NECESSARY FOR HONG KONG AND DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE WAS PART OF THE STUDY.

+THE CONSULTANTS HAVE NOW SUBMITTED THE IR REPORT WHICH IS BEING CLOSELY EXAMINED BY THE GOVERNMENT,+ MR. FONG SAID.

+ THE REPORT RECOMMENDS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE STREAMLINING OF THE PRESENT MANAGEMENT AND THE TIGHTENING UP OF THE EXISTING LEGISLATION. +

HE ADDED THAT THE REPORT HAD ALSO RECOMMENDED THE INTRODUCTION OF A WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN WHICH SHOULD SET OUT THE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF ALL WASTE GENERATED IN HONG KONG.

FOR BETTER CONTROL OF THE ENVIRONMENT, HE SAID, THE CONSULTANTS HAD SUGGESTED THAT DISPOSAL OF WASTE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

ON THE RATE OF SOLID WASTE GENERATED, MR. FONG SAID: +EACH OF US IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT ONE KILOGRAMME OF WASTE A DAY, INCLUDING BOTH DOMESTIC AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE.

+THIS FIGURE IS STEADILY GOING UP AT A RATE OF ABOUT FIVE PER CENT PER YEAR. +

HE SAID THAT AT PRESENT ABOUT 4,000 TONNES OF WASTE WERE DISPOSED OF EACH DAY.

WITH THE INCREASE IN POPULATION AND THE STEADY INCREASE IN THE RATE OF WASTE GENERATION, THE TOTAL QUANTITY OF REFUSE THAT WOULD REQUIRE DISPOSAL DAILY BY 1983 WOULD BE IN THE ORDER OF 6,300 TONNES.

/CURRENTLY,