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Following is a question by the Hon Li Fung-ying and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (January 26) :

Question:

It has been reported that some pieces of land in the New Territories are being used as storage sites for abandoned electronic products. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the number of pieces of land in Hong Kong which are being used for the above purpose at present, together with a list showing the district, size, original land use and the types and quantities of the abandoned electronic products stored in respect of each piece of land, and whether it is government-owned or private-owned;

(b) whether it has received complaints concerning the above sites; if it has, of the nature and number of such complaints, and the authorities' follow-up actions; and

(c) whether it has assessed the impacts of the sites concerned on the health of the nearby residents, the ecology and the environment; if it has, of the assessment results; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) Based on the inspections conducted by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), there are 91 sites being used for storing abandoned electronic products. The relevant information of such sites is listed at Annex. The Annex shows that most of the sites are old scheduled agricultural lots which are privately owned. The abandoned electronic products include used computers, office equipment (e.g. photocopiers, fax machines) and home appliances (e.g. audio equipment, used television sets). Our record does not show the original land use of each site.

(b) According to the Town Planning Ordinance, the use and development of any development permission area in the rural New Territories shall deem to be "unauthorised development" unless it was in existence before the publication of the relevant statutory plan in the Gazette or such use is always permitted under the statutory plan, or that planning permission has been granted by the Town Planning Board. The Planning Department (PlanD) can take control and prosecution actions against such cases of "unauthorised development" under the Ordinance.

Regarding the sites in the Annex, PlanD has received five complaints, one of which has been confirmed to be a case of "unauthorised development" upon investigation. Subsequent to the issuance of a warning letter by the PlanD, the recycling operation in question has discontinued. The PlanD will continue to monitor the use of the site. For the other four complaints, no action can be taken due to insufficient evidence to establish a case of "unauthorised development".

In addition, the EPD has received a total of 25 complaints relating to the operation of electronic waste workshops. The complaints are mainly about noise generated when moving objects within the storage sites; dust caused by vehicles entering and leaving the sites; suspected storage of harmful waste on the sites; and wastewater discharged from the sites. Investigations by the EPD only found one workshop that failed to properly store broken glass containing heavy metals in accordance with the law. The workshop will be prosecuted for violating the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation.

Besides, around the end of last year, the EPD has found two workshops in the North District that failed to properly store glass pieces from cathode ray tubes containing heavy metals in accordance with the law, thereby violating the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation. The operators of the workshops either have been or will be prosecuted.

Apart from acting on complaints, PlanD, Lands Department and EPD will conduct inspections and take action against non-compliance cases so identified.

(c) Electronic waste includes various kinds of abandoned electronic products and components. According to assessment by the EPD, the storage of electronic waste will not pose any immediate risks to the environment or the health of nearby residents. This is because waste electronic products and components are solid waste and usually enclosed within metal or plastic cases and, therefore, the hazardous contents, such as heavy metals, are not easily discharged.

Ends/Wednesday, January 26, 2005

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