ENG-2013 — Page 303

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The Environment

Council for Sustainable Development launched a four-month public engagement process in September 2013 on the implementation details.

In line with the polluter-pays principle, the government aims to expedite the introduction of Producer Responsibility Schemes (PRSS) to encourage recovery, recycling and waste reduction at source. Legislative proposals to extend the Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags to cover all retailers were introduced in the Legislative Council in May 2013. The government also aims to introduce necessary legislative proposals to implement mandatory PRS on waste electrical and electronic equipment in 2014. Following positive public response to the introduction of a new mandatory PRS on glass beverage bottles, the government will prepare the necessary legislative proposals and continue to expand the collection network. Meanwhile, the EPD will continue to promote and support trade-funded voluntary recycling programmes.

In January 2013, the government announced the plan to develop five pilot community green. stations (CGSs) in different parts of the territory to step up environmental education and facilitate collection of recyclables. The government will extend the initiative by progressively setting up a CGS in each of the 18 districts. The EPD will appoint a non-profit-making organisation by way of tender to operate each CGS.

Landfills

All municipal solid waste (MSW) is disposed of at three large strategic landfills in the New Territories, which are operated to high environmental standards.

In 2013, 3.48 million tonnes of MSW was disposed of. About 69 per cent was domestic waste and the remainder was commercial and industrial waste. On average, each person in Hong Kong disposed of about 1.33 kilogrammes of MSW daily. It is estimated that the three landfills will reach their design capacities one-by-one by 2019. Planning work for the extension of all three landfills is under way.

Hong Kong has 13 old landfills, which have been restored for safety and environmental reasons. Recreational facilities have been or will be built on most of the restored sites.

Refuse Transfer Stations

MSW is collected and delivered to refuse transfer stations by refuse collection vehicles, containerised and then taken to landfills in bulk by sea or land transport. A network of six transfer stations and seven outlying islands transfer facilities handled 1.81 million tonnes of waste in 2013. At present, about 80 per cent of Hong Kong's domestic waste is delivered via this network to landfills.

Chemical and Special Waste

All chemical waste producers are required to pack, label and store their chemical waste correctly before disposal at licensed treatment facilities. A trip ticket system tracks the movement of chemical waste from its origin to the final disposal point. In 2013, a daily average of 26 tonnes of chemical waste, including MARPOL Annexes I and II waste from ocean-going vessels, were treated at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre on Tsing Yi Island, which is

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