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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I understand that cost consideration has loomed large in Government's decision to exclude incineration as a means of waste disposal. In comparison with forming landfill sites, the construction of a high-tech modern incineration plant requires a huge initial capital investment. However, given its effectiveness in reducing the volume of waste with a minimum of side-effects, a higher initial investment is warranted. Moreover incineration will generate electricity which will offset subsequent operation costs and partly recover the initial capital input.
Last but not the least, an important facet of a comprehensive waste disposal plan is education and publicity. Citizens should be educated on ways to reduce waste and encouraged to recycle waste. I believe this is the least costly and most environment-friendly strategy to be included in an effective waste disposal plan.
Sir, I beg to move.
**LEUNG PING-CHUNG, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE** (in English):-Mr. Chairman, first of all I would be most grateful if I could be allowed to discuss the motion. The solid wastes in Hong Kong are disposed through the processes of landfilling and incineration. We have started talking about waste reduction and recycling. It is appropriate time that we evaluate the pros and cons of the different methodologies and sort out what suits Hong Kong best.
The assumption is that landfilling is the best method of solid wastes disposal because, assumingly, it is cheap and produces valuable land. However, suitable sites are not easy to find, and landfilling introduces hazards like unsanitary environment, air pollution, water pollution and methane explosion. Landfilling has to be maintained on a significant scale because there are components within the solid wastes which are non-recyclable, non-combustible and products of incineration would also need disposal.
The attraction of incineration is that solid waste is reduced to carbon, then carbon dioxide and hydrogen. It also helps destroying pathogens and toxic chemicals, reduces the volume of solid wastes, simplifies collecting system and can be linked up with energy producing systems.
However, the public's opposition to incineration is increasing because of air pollution, the releasing of metal toxin in the remaining ash, creation of new chemical compounds, rising costs and disturbance to recycling. These problems are largely technical. Modern incinerators with higher working temperature and effective filtering capacity initiate more thorough combustion, release less toxic products and leave less ash. Technical advancement, therefore, minimizes problems.
Reduction starts with reduced generation which should be a process shared between the industries and household families. With regard to the industries, products could be modified so that they last longer, they become less toxic, more recyclable and are supplied in lesser quantities and more simple packages. This is again a highly technical problem.
Page 61 of 126
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
As far as the household share is concerned, it involves the avoidance of disposable utensils and the change of daily habits. Reusable items could be retained rather than disposed of in the form of garbage.
Recycling relates to technology and social policy. It is not a simple thing. Personal planning and commitment is essential before recycling is ever practised. However, if recycling is not practised as a group activity, little achievement is expected. Therefore, social facilitation is necessary. New technology needs to be developed for both public use and manufacturers' use to initiate more recycling activities. Market forces need to be activated to accept more recycled products. Good examples of these include glass, paper, plastic and aluminium products and wares.
Obviously a better disposal of municipal solid wastes depends on individual efforts, technological support from the industries and Government services. Individual efforts need to be initiated by effective education, but the effects would not be seen immediately. Technological support from the industries needs foresight and social responsibility which might be difficult to expect from Hong Kong industrialists and entrepreneurs throughout this era. Therefore, although the concept of reducing solid wastes and recycling need to be introduced to the general public and wherever possible should be facilitated, no great changes could be expected in the near future. The solid responsibility from the Government, therefore, remains on straightforward disposal. While landfilling must continue as a major means of garbage disposal, it would be naive to condemn the other means, namely, incineration, as being unacceptable. Suitable sites for landfilling will sooner or later run out and landfilling is not without problems. Old incinerators that fail to produce thorough combustion need to be condemned and replaced but that should not prevent the building of modern, effective and environmentally friendly ones, although the cost is also higher. It is now time to review the whole policy of municipal solid wastes disposal, to work out a practical solution basing on balanced development and maximization of resources. Landfilling as the sole means of disposal is not an advisable policy. The slow transportation of solid wastes to the landfilling areas back fires on the refuse transfer stations and garbage collection service of the Urban Services Department. This creates new problems out of existing ones. The situation must be reviewed and the policy reformed. With that remark, Mr. Chairman, may I second the motion.
**DR. RONALD LEUNG DING-BONG, CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL** (in English):- Thank you. The motion has been moved and seconded. I shall now take the liberty to give my address to express my views on the use of incinerator.
The UC Objective
Our UC is the collection authority of domestic wastes in the urban area, whereas the Planning and Environment Branch is the policy branch for the final disposal of all wastes for the whole territory. While the responsibility of the UC is to clean all the streets and public places and to collect all wastes from the
Page 61 of 126
Page 61 of 126
103
102
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I understand that cost consideration has loomed large in Government's decision to exclude incineration as a means of waste disposal. In comparison with forming landfill sites, the construction of a high-tech modern incineration plant requires a huge initial capital investment. However, given its effectiveness in reducing the volume of waste with a minimum of side-effects, a higher initial investment is warranted. Moreover incineration will generate electricity which will offset subsequent operation costs and partly recover the initial capital input.
Last but not the least, an important facet of a comprehensive waste disposal plan is education and publicity. Citizens should be educated on ways to reduce waste and encouraged to recycle waste. I believe this is the least costly and most environment-friendly strategy to be included in an effective waste disposal plan.
Sir, I beg to move.
LEUNG PING-CHUNG, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, first of all I would be most grateful if I could be allowed to discuss the motion. The solid wastes in Hong Kong are disposed through the processes of landfilling and incineration. We have started talking about waste reduction and recycling. It is appropriate time that we evaluate the pros and cons of the different methodologies and sort out what suits Hong Kong best.
The assumption is that landfilling is the best method of solid wastes disposal because, assumingly, it is cheap and produces valuable land. However, suitable sites are not easy to find, and landfilling introduces hazards like unsanitary environment, air pollution, water pollution and methane explosion. Landfilling has to be maintained on a significant scale because there are components within the solid wastes which are non-recyclable, non-combustible and products of incineration would also need disposal.
The attraction of incineration is that solid waste is reduced to carbon, then carbon dioxide and hydrogen. It also helps destroying pathogens and toxic chemicals, reduces the volume of solid wastes, simplifies collecting system and can be linked up with energy producing systems.
However, the public's opposition to incineration is increasing because of air pollution, the releasing of metal toxin in the remaining ash, creation of new chemical compounds, rising costs and disturbance to recycling. These problems are largely technical. Modern incinerators with higher working temperature and effective filtering capacity initiate more thorough combustion, release less toxic products and leave less ash. Technical advancement, therefore, minimizes problems.
Reduction starts with reduced generation which should be a process shared between the industries and household families. With regard to the industries, products could be modified so that they last longer, they become less toxic, more recyclable and are supplied in lesser quantities and more simple packages. This is again a highly technical problem.
Page 61 of 126
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
As far as the household share is concerned, it involves the avoidance of disposable utensils and the change of daily habits. Reusable items could be retained rather than disposed of in the form of garbage.
Recycling relates to technology and social policy. It is not a simple thing. Personal planning and commitment is essential before recycling is ever practised. However, if recycling is not practised as a group activity, little achievement is expected. Therefore, social facilitation is necessary. New technology needs to be developed for both public use and manufacturers' use to initiate more recycling activities. Market forces need to be activated to accept more recycled products. Good examples of these include glass, paper, plastic and aluminium products and wares.
Obviously a better disposal of municipal solid wastes depends on individual efforts, technological support from the industries and Government services. Individual efforts need to be initiated by effective education, but the effects would not be seen immediately. Technological support from the industries needs foresight and social responsibility which might be difficult to expect from Hong Kong industrialists and entrepreneurs throughout this era. Therefore, although the concept of reducing solid wastes and recycling need to be introduced to the general public and wherever possible should be facilitated, no great changes could be expected in the near future. The solid responsibility from the Government, therefore, remains on straightforward disposal. While landfilling must continue as a major means of garbage disposal, it would be naive to condemn the other means, namely, incineration, as being unacceptable. Suitable sites for landfilling will sooner or later run out and landfilling is not without problems. Old incinerators that fail to produce thorough combustion need to be condemned and replaced but that should not prevent the building of modern, effective and environmentally friendly ones, although the cost is also higher. It is now time to review the whole policy of municipal solid wastes disposal, to work out a practical solution basing on balanced development and maximization of resources. Landfilling as the sole means of disposal is not an advisable policy. The slow transportation of solid wastes to the landfilling areas back fires on the refuse transfer stations and garbage collection service of the Urban Services Department. This creates new problems out of existing ones. The situation must be reviewed and the policy reformed. With that remark, Mr. Chairman, may I second the motion.
DR. RONALD LEUNG DING-BONG, CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL (in English):- Thank you. The motion has been moved and seconded. I shall now take the liberty to give my address to express my views on the use of incinerator.
The UC Objective
Our UC is the collection authority of domestic wastes in the urban area, whereas the Planning and Environment Branch is the policy branch for the final disposal of all wastes for the whole territory. While the responsibility of the UC is to clean all the streets and public places and to collect all wastes from the
Page 61 of 126
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