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Attention News Editors:

Representatives from the Transport Branch and the Transport Department will hold a media session on the Public Bus Services (Amendment) Bill 1995 at 4 pm today (Wednesday) at the GIS Press Conference Room, fifth floor, Beaconsfield House, Central.

You are invited to attend.

End/Wednesday, May 10, 1995

ExCo approves landfill charging scheme

The Governor-in-Council has approved that a regulation should be made for the introduction of charges for waste disposal at landfills by private waste collectors. Charges are expected to start on September 20.

The Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Waste) Regulation will set out that charges be calculated on the basis of each tonne of waste disposed by a private collector at a landfill. This is in line with the polluter/user pays principle.

Initially, the charge will be set at $43 per tonne of waste (1995 prices) to recover 50 per cent of the full cost.

Payment will be in the form of pre-paid tickets of one- tonne and five-tonne face value, available at 32 sales offices throughout the territory, including one each at the operational landfills receiving privately collected waste.

Arrangements are being worked out for an electronic payment system to be adopted next year to simplify charge collection procedures and to shorten the processing time at landfills.

To address concerns about the possible impact on domestic premises currently served by private waste collectors, household waste disposed of at landfills by private waste collectors will be exempted.

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will register private waste collectors who deliver household waste to landfills and provide them with tickets based on the quantity of household waste they collect and dispose.

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