TNAG-1980-FCO40-2813-Pollution-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 29

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2.38

Consumer packaging

wastes such as plastic bags,

bottles and lunch boxes create a persistent litter problem.

seeking the cooperation of the beverage

The Government is

manufacturers, superma rket

such containers, to find

problems these containers

consumer.

These solutions

satisfactory

chains and other major users of

solutions to the

create when in the hands of the

might include alternatives to

of household wastes, or e ven

plastic bags and separation

statutory controls.

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A strategy will therefore be required for this

difficu lt area.

Increased use of degradable plastic bags

will not solve the litter problem, because although they

decompose quicker, say in one year compared to 100 years

for an ordinary plastic bag

any type of plastic bag

normally reaches a point of disposal well before a year.

Whereas

degradable bags would lead to a useful reduction of

landfill space, they are not SO good for recycling and

their use will discourage efforts to recycle plastics.

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rubble

Construction wastes

timber, concrete and other

are an important and rapidly growing category of

waste that will be exa mined by the EP D to assess the

opportunities for resource recovery and reuse.

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.41

A further su bstantial opportunity

for resource

recovery is the gas produced at landfill sites. There are currently about 80 million m3 of methane generated at which represented 7% of gas used

The quantity of landfill gas

existing

landfill sites,

in Hong Kong in 1988.

generated will increase in future, along with the growing

quantities of wastes, and as a greater proportion of wastes

is

disposed of in

landfills.

This gas will need to be

CONFIDENTIAL