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Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and an oral reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (June 23) :-

Question:

Regarding electronic waste, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the quantities of electronic waste generated in Hong Kong in each of the past three years, broken down by component material, and the respective percentages of various types of waste component materials in the total quantity of electronic waste generated, as well as the quantity of electronic waste transported to landfills for disposal each year;

(b) whether there are channels for the recovery of electronic waste; if so, of the relevant details and the total quantity of such waste materials recovered over the past three years; and

(c) whether it has new plans in the future to handle electronic waste?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) The Government do not have information on the quantity of electronic waste generated in Hong Kong in the past three years. However, according to a survey conducted by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) in 2002, over 1.5 million units of computers and domestic appliances are discarded in Hong Kong each year.

We do not have a breakdown of the types of electronic waste disposed of at landfills. In the past three years, the total quantity of electronic waste (including obsolete electrical appliances) disposed of at landfills each year was 22,800 tonnes, 24,200 tonnes and 18,700 tonnes respectively, most of them being domestic appliances and electronic products, computers, monitors and circuit boards.

(b) According to the findings of the above mentioned survey conducted by EPD, a large proportion (about 70%) of the electronic products and electrical appliances which had been thrown away were reused or collected by recyclers and sold as second-hand goods. Only a small proportion (about 30%) of them were dumped.

(c) EPD has engaged Caritas (Hong Kong) and St. James' Settlement to implement a territory-wide trial programme to recover computers and electrical appliances respectively since January 2003. The trial programme aims to explore environmentally sound recycling outlets for used computers and electrical appliances, and examine the financial and operational requirements for running a long-term recycling programme. The trial programme has been well received by the public, which has collected over 25,000 units of computers and electrical appliances. The collected computers and electrical appliances are either donated to charitable organisations/ the needy or dismantled with the recovered parts and materials sold to recyclers. We will consider how similar schemes can be further promoted in the light of the results of the trial programme.

Moreover, EPD is examining the feasibility of implementing a product responsibility scheme for electrical and electronic equipment. EPD has initiated preliminary discussion with the trade, and intends to carry out a regulatory impact assessment study on the proposed scheme within this year. The aim of the study is to evaluate in detail the cost-effectiveness of different options and their impacts on the industry and stakeholders in accordance with the polluter pays principle, so as to identify practicable options for extensive public consultation.

Ends/Wednesday, June 23, 2004

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