XN000022-1997-03-12 — Page 6

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Clinical wastes treatment at Chemical Waste Treatment Centre under consideration

Following is a question by the Hon Lee Wing-tat and a written reply by the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Bowen Leung, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

It is learnt that the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is formulating a plan for the delivery of the territory's clinical wastes to the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre (CWTC) on Tsing Yi Island for disposal. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

Reply:

(a)

(b)

(c)

Mr President,

(a)

(b)

(c)

the EPD's move to formulate such a plan is because of the drastic drop in the amount of chemical wastes disposed of at the CWTC last year;

an Environmental Impact Assessment will be undertaken on the above plan; and

the EPD will suspend its plan to construct a purpose-built centralised incineration facility for the disposal of all clinical wastes generated in the territory?

The consideration to treat clinical waste at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre (CWTC) is not connected to the amount of chemical waste treated. The Administration submitted a paper on the Centralised Incineration Facility for Special Wastes (CIF) to the Public Works Sub- committee of Finance Committee in May 1995. During that meeting, Members requested more information on whether the proposed CIF was the most cost-effective means of treating clinical waste and if there were alternatives. The Administration therefore conducted a review on the possibility of utilising existing incinerators, including the CWTC, to treat clinical waste and is now assessing the available options.

If the option of disposing of clinical waste at the CWTC was favoured, an Environmental Impact Assessment would be conducted before making a final decision.

No decision has been taken on the construction of the CIF.

End