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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):--Ladies and Gentlemen, the meeting is called to order.
## MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 1987, were confirmed.
## PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:-
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of September 1987.
## QUESTIONS
1. THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in Cantonese): To what extent is Council actively encouraging the public to use plastic bags in refuse disposal, and also to what extent is the Urban Services Department refuse collection staff using plastic bags in order to reduce obnoxious odours and other nuisances to the public during the process of refuse collection?
MR. TONG KAM-biu, Vice-CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):---This question is in two parts. The first part inquires about the extent to which the Council is actively encouraging the public to use plastic bags in refuse disposal. The second part asks the extent to which the Urban Services Department makes use of plastic bags to reduce obnoxious odours and other nuisances to the public during the process of refuse collection.
The answer to the first part of the question is that the Council has been for years positively encouraging the public to use plastic bags in refuse disposal. Leaflets have been distributed to educate the public to wrap their refuse in plastic bags prior to disposal. In 1983, the Council provided manpower and publicity facilities to co-sponsor with the Wan Chai District Board a trial scheme whereby selected buildings were given plastic bags to facilitate disposal of refuse. The result was encouraging, and it has since been the stand of the Council to promote similar trials in all urban districts.
Currently, in the territory-wide KHKC Campaign, prominent supermarkets have responded to Council's request to print the KHKC message on their plastic shopping bags to urge the public to 'pitch in' with such bags.
In various KHKC activities such as Clean Beach Campaign, plastic refuse bags are widely used so as to arouse public awareness of the need to use plastic bags to dispose of refuse. Similarly, the opportunity was also taken in the 'Keep Your Venue Clean Campaign' in the mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival held at Victoria Park whereby participants were asked to pick up and put litter in plastic bags in exchange for prizes and raffle tickets donated by private enterprises.
Appeal for corporate involvement to donate plastic bags to facilitate disposal of litter by motorists was also made to instil a sense of public awareness.
On the second part of the question, USD staff, whenever practicable, use plastic bags to reduce obnoxious odours and other nuisances to the public during the process of refuse collection. Plastic bags are widely used as liners to litter containers on streets, in parks, playgrounds, beaches and the like. Plastic bags are also used by some staff for refuse collection operations, such as litter-picking on grass verges and hillslopes.
Unfortunately, there are operational constraints in the use of plastic bags. It is not a practicable proposition to ask department staff to put all refuse into plastic bags at the RCPs pending the arrival of the RCVs. Instead, the Council is extending the use of large, lidded, plastic garbage bins on wheels at RCPs so that refuse delivered to the RCPs is properly stored without giving rise to nuisance, even without prior bagging. Concurrently, the Council is also extending the use of the electro-hydraulic trailers which stay at RCPs and compact refuse into their holds immediately on its delivery to the RCP. This again eliminates nuisance and avoids double-handling.
THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in Cantonese):-In 1983, there was a pilot scheme jointly organised by the Urban Council and the Wan Chai District Board. However, in the other 9 urban district boards, has the Urban Council implemented any similar pilot schemes and if not, do we have any plan to implement such a scheme and is it possible for the Urban Council to jointly organize similar activities again with the Wan Chai District Board?
MR. TONG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, since 1983 we have organised a joint activity with the Wan Chai District Board and according to my information, we have not carried out similar co-sponsored activity in other district boards in Hong Kong. However, I understand that the Southern District Board as well as the Eastern District Board have carried out similar programmes i.e. they have urged residents in the districts to make use of plastic bags to take care of their refuse. The Eastern District Board is encouraging the marine population to use plastic bags to dispose of refuse. We would certainly refer Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's views to our own Select Committee to see whether we can organise similar activities in conjunction with other urban district boards.
MR. SULLKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, unfortunately we still incinerate our waste. I understand that certain types of plastic bags give out very obnoxious gases when they are burnt. Has the Department made any enquiries as to which plastic bags are suitable for incineration and which are not?
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):--Ladies and Gentlemen, the meeting is called to order.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 1987, were confirmed.
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:-
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and
Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of September 1987.
QUESTIONS
1. THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in Cantonese): To what extent is Council actively encouraging the public to use plastic bags in refuse disposal, and also to what extent is the Urban Services Department refuse collection staff using plastic bags in order to reduce obnoxious odours and other nuisances to the public during the process of refuse collection?
MR. TONG KAM-biu, Vice-ChAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):---This question is in two parts. The first part inquires about the extent to which the Council is actively encouraging the public to use plastic bags in refuse disposal. The second part asks the extent to which the Urban Services Department makes use of plastic bags to reduce obnoxious odours and other nuisances to the public during the process of refuse collection.
The answer to the first part of the question is that the Council has been for years positively encouraging the public to use plastic bags in refuse disposal. Leaflets have been distributed to educate the public to wrap their refuse in plastic bags prior to disposal. In 1983, the Council provided manpower and publicity facilities to co-sponsor with the Wan Chai District Board a trial scheme whereby selected buildings were given plastic bags to facilitate disposal of refuse. The result was encouraging, and it has since been the stand of the Council to promote similar trials in all urban districts.
Currently, in the territory-wide KHKC Campaign, prominent supermarkets have responded to Council's request to print the KHKC message on their plastic shopping bags to urge the public to 'pitch in' with such bags.
In various KHKC activities such as Clean Beach Campaign, plastic refuse bags are widely used so as to arouse public awareness of the need to use plastic
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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bags to dispose of refuse. Similarly, the opportunity was also taken in the 'Keep Your Venue Clean Campaign' in the mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival held at Victoria Park whereby participants were asked to pick up and put litter in plastic bags in exchange for prizes and raffle tickets donated by private enterprises.
Appeal for corporate involvement to donate plastic bags to facilitate disposal of litter by motorists was also made to instil a sense of public awareness.
On the second part of the question, USD staff, whenever practicable, use plastic bags to reduce obnoxious odours and other nuisances to the public during the process of refuse collection. Plastic bags are widely used as liners to litter containers on streets, in parks, playgrounds, beaches and the like. Plastic bags ae also used by some staff for refuse collection operations, such as litter-picking on grass verges and hillslopes.
Unfortunately, there are operational constraints in the use of plastic bags. It is not a practicable proposition to ask department staff to put all refuse into plastic bags at the RCPs pending the arrival of the RCVs. Instead, the Council is extending the use of large, lidded, plastic garbage bins on wheels at RCPs so that refuse delivered to the RCPs is properly stored without giving rise to nuisance, even without prior bagging. Concurrently, the Council is also extending the use of the electro-hydraulic trailers which stay at RCPs and compact refuse into their holds immediately on its delivery to the RCP. This again eliminates nuisance and avoids double-handling.
THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in Cantonese):-In 1983, there was a pilot scheme jointly organised by the Urban Council and the Wan Chai District Board. However, in the other 9 urban district boards, has the Urban Council implemented any similar pilot schemes and if not, do we have any plan to implement such a scheme and is it possible for the Urban Council to jointly organize similar activities again with the Wan Chai District Board?
MR. TONG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, since 1983 we have organised a joint activity with the Wan Chai District Board and according to my infor- mation, we have not carried out similar co-sponsored activity in other district boards in Hong Kong. However, I understand that the Southern District Board as well as the Eastern District Board have carried out similar programmes i.e. they have urged residents in the districts to make use of plastic bags to take care of their refuse. The Eastern District Board is encouraging the marine popula- tion to use plastic bags to dispose of refuse. We would certainly refer Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's views to our own Select Committee to see whether we can organise similar activities in conjunction with other urban district boards.
MR. SULKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, unfortunately we still incinerate our waste. I understand that certian types of plastic bags give out very obnoxious gases when they are burnt. Has the Department made any enquiries as to which plastic bags are suitable for incineration and which are not?
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