270
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE
The Social Cost Behind Hong Kong's Economic Progress-Environmental Degradation
The remarkable economic progress Hong Kong earned over the past thirty years through rapid industrialization and urbanization has overshadowed the costs it pays for the success. Among these costs, apart from the social, economic as well as political inequalities in the society that often cause heated criticism from the general public, there is also the long neglected problem of environmental degradation that is now threatening the remaining unspoilt areas of the territory, its surrounding waters and in particular the well being of Hong Kong people.
Today, our beautiful Victoria Harbour is treated as a large septic tank for the three million urban population living around the harbour. Hong Kong produces daily over one million tonnes of sewage, as well as more than six thousand tonnes of solid waste. More than three quarters of that is dumped, with virtually no treatment other than a primary measure of screening, straight into the sea around us. Added to that, around two thousand tonnes a day of pig and poultry waste, night soil from farms and squatters also flow untreated into our watercourse and then to our coastal waters.
The combined effect of the increasing amount of sewage since the late 1970's, and the immense reclamation schemes and typhoon shelter construction work have meant that the flushing and scouring effects of tides and currents that worked so well in dispersing pollutants in the past have been greatly undermined. Water quality at our bathing beaches and at a number of areas such as Tolo Harbour are at the brim of environmental disaster.
Water and waste pollution are not the end of the story. Serious air and noise pollution are also observed. Large amounts of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides are continually emitted from factories and ill maintained diesel-engined vehicles into the air. Air pollution in the two industrial townships of Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan has already exceeded the maximum tolerable standard. The millions of people living in these places, mostly of working class, are constantly exposed to the threat of lung cancer, emphysema, bronchitis and so on. They are involuntarily victimized in the course of Hong Kong's industrialization process.
Those students studying in the 1,500 classrooms located along the airport flight path and on roads with heavy traffic are not much better off. The high level of noise pollution frequently renders normal conversation difficult, if not impossible. In some cases, the situation is so severe that teachers are forced to use loudhailers to communicate with their students. A large number of our next generation is nurtured under severe physical and psychological stress when they first go to school. How much would you expect them to love their school, their community and to contribute as responsible citizens in the future?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 156 of 201
271
If we accept the above-mentioned environmental degradation is a true fact that deserves prompt attention, there is still much evidence to suggest that the environmental problem will grow worse in coming years in terms of intensity and scope so that we cannot afford a minute's delay in taking action. In the 60's and early 70's, we were lucky to see that most of the pollution mentioned was localized in the urban areas which occupy just 9.4 per cent of the total area in Hong Kong. However, since the 1970's, new town development in the New Territories has proceeded at an unprecedented rate. The transport network has been transformed and industry has taken a more dispersed locational pattern. Both threaten the many previously unspoilt areas.
We are happy to see that the Hong Kong economy, in response to international economic change, has undergone a structural change towards the development of a high technology industrial sector. But it is not too encouraging to witness a similar marked upward trend in toxic waste production as well as the emergence of new waste requiring special treatment. It will be wise to introduce preventative as well as remedial measures at an early stage before things get out of hand and become too expensive to correct.
Government's Role in Environmental Protection
It has been the half-heartedness of the government in environmental protection that has led our environment to worsen over the past thirty years. It was not until 1975 when the Environmental Resources Limited was commissioned by the government that the first comprehensive survey on the state of the territory's environment and the existing machinery for environmental protection was carried out. The resulting 1977 report set out priorities for environmental policy, specific legislative proposals and an administrative framework for environmental protection.
The government's response to this report was two-fold: passing new legislation; and the reorganization and strengthening of resources for environmental protection, but the development of both has been disappointing.
In the first aspect, the government has committed to introduce five new ordinances. Four ordinances concern specific problems on noise, air and water pollution and waste disposal, while the fifth lays out procedures for preparing environmental impact statements for new projects. Together, these Ordinances form the basis of a comprehensive environmental protection programme. However, the drafting process of these ordinances has been subject to serious delay. To date only three ordinances regarding waste disposal, water pollution control and air pollution control have been enacted. The Noise Control Bill is unlikely to reach the statute book until early 1987 while the fifth ordinance is likely to be shelved in favour of an ad hoc approach on the preparation of environmental impact statements for major projects. Moreover, without the support by follow-up effective regulations, the three enacted ordinances are virtually powerless to produce any beneficial impact on the environment.
270
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE
The Social Cost Behind Hong Kong's Economic Progress-Environmental Degradation
The remarkable economic progress Hong Kong earned over the past thirty years through rapid industrialization and urbanization has overshadowed the costs it pays for the success. Among these costs, apart from the social, economic as well as political inequalities in the society that often cause heated criticism from the general public, there is also the long neglected problem of environmental degradation that is now threatening the remaining unspoilt areas of the territory, its surrounding waters and in particular the well being of Hong Kong people.
Today, our beautiful Victoria Harbour is treated as a large septic tank for the three million urban population living around the harbour. Hong Kong produces daily over one million tonnes of sewage, as well as more than six thousand tonnes of solid waste. More than three quarters of that is dumped, with virtually no treatment other than a primary measure of screening, straight into the sea around us. Added to that, around two thousand tonnes a day of pig and poultry wast, night soil from farms and squatters also flow untreated into our watercourse and then to our coastal waters.
The combined effect of the increasing amount of sewage since the late 1970's, and the immense reclamation schemes and typhoon shelter construction work have meant that the flushing and scouring effects of tides and currents that worked so well in dispersing pollutants in the past have been greatly undermined. Water quality at our bathing beaches and at a number of areas such as Tolo Harbour are at the brim of environmental disaster.
Water and waste pollution are not the end of the story. Serious air and noise pollution are also observed. Large amounts of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides are continually emitted from factories and ill maintained diesel-engined vehicles into the air. Air pollution in the two industrial townships of Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan has already exceeded the maximun tolerable standard. The millions of people living in these places, mostly of working class, are constantly exposed to the threat of lung cancer, empysema, bronchitis and so on. They are involuntarily victimized in the course of Hong Kong's industriali- zation process.
Those students studying in the 1 500 classrooms located along the airport flight path and on roads with heavy traffic are not much better off. The high level of noise pollution frequently renders normal conversation difficult, if not impossible. In some cases, the situation is so severe that teachers are forced to use loudhailers to communicate with their students. A large number of our next generation is nurtured under severe physical and psychological stress when they first go to school. How much would you expect them to love their school, their community and to contribute as responsible citizens in the future?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 156 of 201
271
If we accept the above-mentioned environmental degradation is a true fact that deserves prompt attention, there is still much evidence to suggest that the environmental problem will grow worse in coming years in terms of intensity and scope so that we cannot afford a minute's delay in taking action. In the 60's and early 70's, we were lucky to see that most of the pollution mentioned was localized in the urban areas which occupy just 9.4 per cent of the total area in Hong Kong. However, since the 1970's, new town development in the New Territories has proceeded at an unprecedented rate. The transport network has been transformed and industry has taken a more dispersed locational pattern. Both threaten the many previously unspoilt areas.
We are happy to see that the Hong Kong economy, in response to international economic change, has undergone a structural change towards the development of a high technology industrial sector. But it is not too encouraging to witness a similar marked upward trend in toxic waste pro- duction as well as the emergence of new waste requiring special treatment. It will be wise to introduce preventative as well as remedial measures at an early stage before things get out of hand and become too expensive to correct.
Government's Role in Environmental Protection
It has been the half-heartedness of the government in environmental protection that has led our environment to worsen over the past thirty years. It was not until 1975 when the Environmental Resources Limited was commissioned by the government that the first comprehensive survey on the state of the territory's environment and the existing machinery for environmental protection was carried out. The resulting 1977 report set out priorities for environmental policy, specific legislative proposals and an administrative framework for environmental protection.
The government's response to this report was two fold: passing new legislation; and the reorganization and strengthening of resources for environmental protection, but the development of both has been disappointing.
In the first aspect, the government has committed to introduce five new ordinances. Four ordinances concern specific problems on noise, air and water pollution and waste disposal, while the fifth lays out procedures for preparing environmental impact statements for new projects. Together, these Ordinances form the basis of a comprehensive environmental protection programme. However, the drafting process of these ordinances has been subject to serious delay. To date only three ordinances regarding waste disposal, water pollution control and air pollution control have been enacted. The Noise Control Bill is unlikely to reach the statute book until early 1987 while the fifth ordinance is likely to be shelved in favour of an ad hoc approach on the preparation of environmental impact statements for major projects. Moreover, without the support by follow up effective regulations, the three enacted ordinances are virtually powerless to produce any beneficial impact on the environment.
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