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:making people pay for the pollution they cause is to reflect the cost of the environment on products with the purpose of reducing pollution. Therefore, the Democratic Party believes a more effective way to reduce pollution is to introduce legislation to cover highly pollutant products and bring in the financial incentive.
The 3R principle of environmental protection is reduction, reuse and recycling. We hope that government will coordinate efforts for better effects of refuse sorting and recycling. Contrary to the finding of the Draft Paper, about half of our domestic waste can be recovered for reuse. An analysis by the Environmental Protection Department has revealed that half of our domestic waste is glass, metal, plastics and paper and that business waste has even higher recovering value. The waste recycling trade in Hong Kong is still small and most of them are cottage industries. Only waste paper and scrap metal industries are more developed. Government should come up with positive measures to help these trades by the allocation of land etc. The Productivity Council should give technical assistance too so that our recycling industries can grow.
The Draft Paper has also suggested that our building ordinances be amended to require space to be reserved for the storage of recoverable waste and that additional planning criteria be devised for this purpose. I think that is a good direction to go by. Although I find the Draft Paper conservative and somewhat backward in implementing the principle of environmental protection, it is still more progressive than the Chairman's objection to the recycling of domestic waste for reuse.
As regards our strategic landfill plans, they are being pushed to their end in view of the huge increase of waste. By bringing in advanced low pollution incineration systems, the volume of waste will be reduced greatly and the usable life of our landfills will prolong. Certain hi-tech methods will help as well as conserve energy for us. However, we should not be short sighted and think incineration will solve problems of waste generation and volume. Really effective environmental protection measures should start from the source of the problem. Finally, I believe government and this Council should join in the active promotion of environmental education and the greening campaign. We should change today's capitalist consumer culture and go about the task of environmental protection from people's awareness and life styles.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
MS. JENNIFER CHOW KIT-BING (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, statistics show that the people of Hong Kong are producing more and more waste. From 5,200 tonnes daily in 1983, we escalated to 8,500 tonnes daily in 1993 and then to 15,700 tonnes daily this year. That volume fills 165 double-decker buses each day. It is estimated that by 2000, our domestic waste alone will increase to 13,000 tonnes a day. In the past, the Government believed that
Page 126 of 654
Page 126 of 654
Page 126 of 654
Page 126 of 654
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
129
:making people pay for the pollution they cause is to reflect the cost of the environment on products with the purpose of reducing pollution. Therefore, the Democratic Party believes a more effective way to reduce pollution is to introduce legislation to cover highly pollutant products and bring in the financial incentive.
The 3R principle of environmental protection is reduction, reuse and recycling. We hope that government will coordinate efforts for better effects of refuse sorting and recycling. Contrary to the finding of the Draft Paper, about half of our domestic waste can be recovered for reuse. An analysis by the Environmental Protection Department has revealed that half of our domestic waste is glass, metal, plastics and paper and that business waste has even higher recovering value. The waste recycling trade in Hong Kong is still small and most of them are cottage industries. Only waste paper and scrap metal industries are more developed. Government should come up with positive measures to help these trades by the allocation of land etc. The Productivity Council should give technical assistance too so that our recycling industries can grow.
The Draft Paper has also suggested that our building ordinances be amended to require space to be reserved for the storage of recoverable waste and that additional planning criteria be devised for this purpose. I think that is a good direction to go by. Although I find the Draft Paper conservative and somewhat backward in implementing the principle of environmental protection, it is still more progressive than the Chairman's objection to the recycling of domestic waste for reuse.
As regards our strategic landfill plans, they are being pushed to their end in view of the huge increase of waste. By bringing in advanced low pollution incineration systems, the volume of waste will be reduced greatly and the usable life of our landfills will prolong. Certain hi-tech methods will help as well as conserve energy for us. However, we should not be short sighted and think incineration will solve problems of waste generation and volume. Really effective environmental protection measures should start from the source of the problem. Finally, I believe government and this Council should join in the active promotion of environmental education and the greening campaign. We should change today's capitalist consumer culture and go about the task of environmental protection from people's awareness and life styles.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
MS. JENNIFER CHOW KIT-BING (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, statistics show that the people of Hong Kong are producing more and more waste. From 5 200 tonnes daily in 1983, we escalated to 8 500 tonnes daily in 1993 and then to 15 700 tonnes daily this year. That volume fills 165 double decker buses each day. It is estimated that by 2000, our domestic waste alone will increase to 13 000 tonnes a day. In the past, the Government believed that
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Page 126 of 654
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