*********************************************************

Following is a question by Dr Hon Law Chi-kwong and an oral reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (February 12):

Question:

It is learnt that the Administration will, in collaboration with a proponent organisation, implement a pilot scheme on the separate collection of wet and dry wastes in several housing estates on Island East early this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a) the name of the organisation concerned and the division of responsibilities between the organisation and the relevant government department(s);

(b) the total estimated expenditure of the pilot scheme and the amount to be borne by public money, together with the expenditure on the procurement and distribution of plastic bags; and

(c) the criteria for determining whether to collaborate with non-governmental organisations in organising waste recovery activities; and the organisations with which it will collaborate in organising such activities?

Reply:

Madam President,

Government has been testing out various waste recovery systems in order to identify the modes that are the most cost-effective and will best suit local needs. Such systems include placement of waste separation bins at public venues and public/private housing estates to facilitate the public to participate in waste separation. Moreover, we have been exploring the feasibility of utilising waste management facilities to assist in waste recovery works. For instance, we have in July last year set up a pilot recycling plant at the Northwest New Territories Transfer Station to recover used electronic and electrical appliances collected at the local districts. In recent years, we have also been working closely with community organisations and green groups to try out different waste recovery systems.

Last year, the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong has proposed to carry out wet/dry waste sorting as a means to promote waste recycling, and has applied for funding from the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) to carry out the project. As this form of waste recovery has been practised overseas but never in Hong Kong, we have agreed to collaborate with the organisation concerned to carry out a pilot scheme to test the economics and logistics of this form of waste recovery.

The organisation concerned is responsible for the implementation of the pilot scheme and the related educational and publicity work in the participating housing estates. The Government will provide technical support and assist in formulating a code on wet/dry waste sorting. Moreover, the Government will set up a temporary sorting facility at the Island East Transfer Station and arrange for the delivery of dry waste to the facility for re-sorting.

The pilot scheme will last one year and its estimated expenditure is about $6.2 million. ECF has granted the organisation concerned about $1.5 million for the waste recovery, educational and publicity work in the housing estates, of which about $0.5 million will be used for the procurement of plastic bags for wet/dry waste sorting. The remaining $4.7 million will be used by the Environmental Protection Department to set up the temporary sorting facility, delivering dry waste to the facility and hiring staff for the waste sorting work.

We believe that the pilot scheme will help bring down the costs for waste transfer and landfilling and reduce the demand for landfill space. We will carry out a review upon completion of the scheme to examine the cost-effectiveness of this form of waste recovery. Having considered the capacity of the sorting facility at the Island East Transfer Station and the need to manage within available resources, we have no plans to carry out other wet/dry waste sorting pilot schemes.

Any local non-profit-making organisations may apply to the ECF for funds to carry out community waste recovery projects. The ECF Committee and its Vetting Sub-committee, comprising mainly non-officials, will consider each project with regard to its effectiveness in promoting waste recycling, its status as a non-profit-making project and its benefits to the community. We will continue to co-operate with the organisations carrying out these projects and provide necessary support to facilitate the implementation of community waste recovery projects.

Thank you, Madam President.

End/Wednesday, February 12, 2003

NNNN