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always possible because no suitable sites can be found. Yes, the source of money has to be considered. In considering the source of money, it cannot be denied that the initial investment is very costly. However, if the 20 year depreciation factor is considered, we must not forget that the heat generated from the incinerators could produce electricity which could be sold to the consumers by the electric company. When all the above factors are put together, from the economic point of view, the cost, even though not cheap, will not be more expensive than our present landfills. Please don't forget that the current cost for handling each ton of waste by way of landfills is $200.00.
The second reason for the Government's reservation towards incinerators is that no suitable sites can be found. I think that is just an excuse. In fact, the sites now selected by Government for refuse transfer stations are very suitable for the construction of incinerator plants. To build an incinerator, only 20,000 square metres of land is required and the degree of pollution caused by it will not exceed that caused by a refuse transfer station. According to overseas experience, there is an incinerator near the Palace in Morocco and there are incinerators in the top grade residential areas in Japan. Residents in the vicinity do not think that they have caused too much disturbance. In our neighbouring Macau, an incinerator has been built in Taipei and the environment there is not polluted in any way.
With these remarks, I criticise the Draft Paper for putting the stress in the wrong place. It is putting the cart before the horse and its effectiveness is doubled. It is just gloss work that aims at slogan-like publicity. It tries to shed responsibility and fails to actively shoulder the legislative responsibility to assist industries that need subsidy. It has also neglected waste treatment methods brought in by new technologies. I have great reservations on this Paper. Thank you.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I second your motion.
THE HON. MOK YING-FAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, according to the results of the half year waste recovery exercise in housing estates which the Environmental Protection Department commissioned the Friends of the Earth to take up in August last year, estate involvement and the quantity of waste paper collected were high. Amoy Garden came out as most successful, generating an income of over $6,000 from selling waste paper. That sum was put under the building management account. Under the same exercise, results were not satisfactory at one housing estate because of the uncooperative attitude of the manager and the lukewarm response of the residents.
The above shows that it is feasible to carry out waste recovery exercises in housing estates. However, we cannot simply rely on the self-motivation of residents. If we do, the schemes will encounter difficulties and become hard to maintain. The fact that Government does not insist on cooperating with other environmental protection bodies when promoting the concept of
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always possible because no suitable sites can be found. Yes, the source of Imoney has to be considered. In considering the source of money, it cannot be denied that the initial investment is very costly. However, if the 20 year depreciation factor is considered, we must not forget that the heat generated from the incinerators could produce electricity which could be sold to the .consumers by the electric company. When all the above factors are put together, from the economic point of view, the cost, even though not cheap, will not be more expensive than our present landfills. Please don't forget that the current cost for handling each ton of waste by way of landfills is $200.00.
The second reason for the Government's reservation towards incinerators is that no suitable sites can be found. I think that is just an excuse. In fact, the sites now selected by Government for refuse transfer stations are very suitable for the construction of incinerator plants. To build an incinerator, only 20 000 square metres of land is required and the degree of pollution caused by it will not exceed that caused by a refuse transfer station. According to overseas experience, there is an incinerator near the Palace in Morocco and there are incinerators in the top grade residential areas in Japan. Residents in the vicinity do not think that they have caused too much disturbance. In our neighbouring Macau. an incinerator has been built in Taipei and the environment there is not polluted in any way.
With these remarks, I criticise the Draft Paper for putting the stress in the wrong place. It is putting the cart before the horse and its effectiveness is doubled. It is just gloss work that aims at slogan-like publicity. It tries to shed responsibility and fails to actively shoulder the legislative responsibility to assist industries that need subsidy. It has also neglected waste treatment methods brought in by new technologies. I have great rescrvations on this Paper. Thank you.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonesc):—Mr. Chairman, 1 second your motion.
THE HON. MOK YING-FAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, according to the results of the half year waste recovery exercise in housing estates which the Environmental Protection Department commissioned the Friends of the Earth to take up in August last year, estate involvement and the quantity of waste paper collected were high. Amoy Garden came out as most successful, generating an income of over $6,000 from selling waste paper. That sum was put under the building management account. Under the same exercise, results were not satisfactory at one housing estate because of the uncooperative attitude of the manager and the lukewarm response of the residents.
The above shows that it is feasible to carry out waste recovery exercises in housing estates. However, we cannot simply rely on the self motivation of residents. If we do, the schemes will encounter difficulties and become hard to maintain. The fact that Government does not insist on cooperating with other environmental protection bodies when promoting the concept of
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