XN000022-1996-04-03 — Page 5

(8)

(9)

· 4 ·

Town plans should be revised to make available suitable sites for tendering or bidding only by waste recyclers to conduct their activities.

A dedicated Waste Reduction Team within the Government and a Waste Reduction Task Force representing the wider views of the community be formed to drive the Waste Reduction Plan.

Other recommendations include dedicated publicity and education campaigns, preferential purchase, launching of a waste composting programme, and monitoring and review of the waste reduction strategy.

The consultants have also recommended that long Kong should achieve by 2005 the targets of stabilising the amount of municipal waste requiring treatment and disposal at 1996 levels and of reducing by 21 per cent municipal waste requiring landfilling through bulk waste reduction technology.

A government spokesman said: "We need to formulate an effective waste reduction strategy because municipal waste is expected to increase by 40 per cent in 10 years - from 4 million tonnes in 1995 to 5.6 million tonnes in 2005. "If the increase goes unchecked, Hong Kong will in the next few years need more new landfills. This is difficult and expensive in a compact place like Flong Kong where land supply is always in great demand."

The spokesman emphasised that the Government has not taken a view on the consultants' recommendations.

"We are

now seeking views from major commercial and industrial organisations, relevant advisory bodies and concerned groups.

"These views will help us formulate a Waste Reduction Plan for further consultation with the public later in the year," the spokesman said.

End