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The Deputy Director General of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Mr Chen Lian-zeng and the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, signed a Cooperation Agreement on Cross-boundary Marine Dumping in Guangzhou today (March 31).
The Cooperation Agreement provides a foundation for closer co-operation and communication between the two sides on the management of cross-boundary dumping of dredged materials generated in Hong Kong, and the accommodation of inert construction and demolition (C&D) materials in Mainland waters.
At the signing ceremony, Dr Liao said, "The Cooperation Agreement will help Hong Kong to properly handle dredged materials in the long run and to better utilize inert C&D materials, thus relieving the pressure on our marine dumping grounds and fill banks. This is of great importance to the sustainable development of Guangdong and Hong Kong."
Dr Liao also extended her heartfelt thanks to the SOA for its support and valuable assistance to the HKSARG in cross-boundary dumping of dredged materials and the use of inert C&D materials in reclamation projects on the mainland.
She said both the Mainland and Hong Kong shared the common interest in oceanic protection and the handling of waste and that it would be a win-win situation for both Governments in strengthening cooperation in these areas of work.
Dr Liao pointed out that in the past, many lands in Hong Kong were reclaimed from the sea and that C&D materials were used in these reclamation projects. However, such projects dwindled in recent years. With the fast economic development in Guangdong, there are many reclamation works along the coastal areas of the Pearl River Delta. These works can make greater use of Hong Kong's fill and C&D materials so as to reduce the exploitation of land in these areas.
Therefore, today's cooperation agreement has a significant meaning to the sustainable development in Guangdong and Hong Kong, Dr Liao said.
Under the Cooperation Agreement, both sides agreed that the HKSARG may, with reference to the needs of one or more projects, submit proposals to the Central People's Government for cross-boundary dumping of dredged materials and utilization of inert C&D materials.
However, the proposals submitted must comply with the relevant regulations and standards of both the Mainland and Hong Kong. The two sides will also further discuss on the technical issues involved in implementing the Cooperation Agreement.
Dr Liao said this arrangement would set a new milestone in cross-boundary cooperation in handling marine dumping and inert C&D materials. She hopes that both sides could soon identify a trial project for testing.
To strengthen the control over cross-boundary waste dumping, the SOA and the HKSARG will step up cooperation as well as exchange timely information on such operations so as to crack down on any illegal marine dumping activities.
According to the provisions of the Cooperation Agreement, the project proponents in Hong Kong should submit to the Civil Engineering Department and the Environmental Protection Department information on the project generating the dredged materials, the scale of the dumping operation and the statutory analysis of the contents of the materials.
The HKSARG will then perform the initial vetting. Only applications with the need for cross-boundary disposal confirmed will be passed together with the recommendations of the HKSARG to the Central People's Government for further consideration.
Since the end of August 2001, three meetings had been held in Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong and an agreement on the Cooperation Agreement was reached.
Ends/Wednesday, March 31, 2004
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