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ways to reduce waste in the next two decades, I have read the reports (no 18 & 19) published on 6.9.1995 but I did not see any significant information. I wonder whether they have fully reflected the views of the public and environmental groups on waste reduction and whether they have taken into account the experience of the Urban Council in collecting reuse in the past century? I have on hand two sets of information material found in the Council but find that there are insufficient information and record in this aspect. So I suggest that we should face this issue squarely now. A certain degree of difficulties would exist in categorising waste for recycling. So, I suggest the Government to adopt a phased scheme.
The first stage would be to implement the scheme in business areas and large residential developments. Paper waste should be collected first; they should be sorted out and then recycled to be reused. The Government should provide technical support and support in terms of collection to waste paper recycling industries. In the second stage, apart from paper, glass and plastic bottles should also be categorized. There again, the Government should also provide technical support and also support in terms of collection and also provision of land,
The third stage would be to look at the issue of categorising organic waste from households. High temperature, non-polluting methods should be used for dealing with our waste and the Government should reconsider this methodology because it can reduce the burden on our landfills. Smokeless, high temperature incineration is not only a safe way to dispose waste but the heat thus generated can also be converted into electricity. In this regard, our Chairman is very well informed, so I will not provide any further information. In a few months time, there will be a motion on the same subject but I must stress that categorising waste for recycling purpose is the prelude to non-polluting disposal of our household waste.
Lastly, our Department should consider providing litter bins of different colours for containing different kinds of waste. For instance, green containers for metal, blue containers for paper, white containers for glass and plastic bottles and of course the Department can work out the details.
In conclusion, we should reduce the amount of waste to save the Earth for the benefits of our future generations.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I move the motion.
Ms. GRACE AU YUK-HAR (in Cantonese):-Hong Kong is now producing 20 000 tons of waste per day, among which 8 000 tons came from our households, commercial and industrial sectors. On average, each citizen produce 1.3 kg of waste every day. From the figures, you can see that there has been a drastic increase in the amount of solid waste in recent years. This has much to do with our rapid economic development, general preference for commodities with packaging and the increase in population.
According to the consultation report published by the Environmental Protection Department on the use of landfills by private refuse collection contractors, about
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ways to reduce waste in the next two decades, I have read the reports (no 18 & 19) published on 6.9.1995 but I did not see any significant information. I wonder whether they have fully reflected the views of the public and environmental groups on waste reduction and whether they have taken into account the experience of the Urban Council in collecting resuse in the past century? I have on hand two sets of information material found in the Council but find that there are insufficient information and record in this aspect. So I suggest that we should face this issuc squarely now. A certain degree of difficulties would exist in categorising waste for recycling. So, I suggest the Government to adopt a phased scheme.
The first stage would be to implement the scheme in business areas and large residential developments. Paper waste should be collected first; they should be sorted out and then recycled to be reused. The Government should provide technical support and support in terms of collection to wasic paper recycling industries. In the second stage, apart from paper, glass and plastic boules should also be categorized. There again, the Government should also provide technical support and also support in terms of collection and also provision of land,
The third stage would be to look at the issue of categorising organic waste from households. High temperature, non-polluting methods should be used for dealing with our waste and the Government should reconsider this methodology because it can reduce the burden on our landfills. Smokeless, high temperature incineration is not only a safe way to dispose waste but the heat thus generated can also be converted into electricity. In this regard, our Chairman is very well informed, so I will not provide any further information. In a few months time, there will be a motion on the same subject but I must stress that categorising waste for recycling purpose is the prelude to non-polluting disposal of our household waste.
Lastly, our Department should consider providing litter bins of different colours for containing different kinds of waste. For instance, green containers for metal, blue containers for paper, white containers for glass and plastic bottles and of course the Department can work out the details.
In conclusion, we should reduce the amount of waste to save the Earth for the benefits of our future generations.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I move the motion.
Ms. GRACE AU YUK-HAR (in Cantonese):-Hong Kong is now producing 20 000 tons of waste per day, among which 8 000 tons came from our households, commercial and industrial sectors. On average, each citizen produce 1,3 kg of waste every day. From the figures, you can see that there has been a drastic increase in the amount of solid waste in recent years. This has much to do with our rapid economic development, general preference for commodities with packaging and the increase in population.
According to the consultation report published by the Environmental Protection Department on the use of landfills by private refuse collection contractors, about
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