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Following is a question by the Hon Audrey Eu and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, in the Legislative Council today (November 18):
Question:
According to the Government's statistics in 2008, the cost of collecting one tonne of refuse amounted to $186 and the total amount of refuse collected in that year was 1 888 406 tonnes. Meanwhile, many cities in the world such as Taipei and Sydney have set up recycling teams to increase the amount of waste recycled and thereby achieve waste reduction. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:
(a) it has assessed the feasibility of setting up recycling teams in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(b) it has assessed the staff establishment and expenditure involved in setting up recycling teams; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply :
President,
In Hong Kong, waste recovery and recycling are promoted primarily through market activities and the provision of supporting facilities, including the placing and distribution of about 34000 3-coloured waste separation bins by the Government. These separation bins are placed by government departments (e.g. Food and Environmental Hygiene Department) at public places, by the roadside, and in refuse collection points, leisure and cultural facilities, country parks and individual schools to facilitate public participation in waste recovery. There are over 300 active waste recyclers in Hong Kong with a workforce of several thousand employees engaged primarily in recycling of waste paper, waste metals and waste plastics. The waste recovery rate of Hong Kong is comparable to that of other major Asian cities. In 2008, the recovery rate of municipal solid waste in the territory was about 48%. The recovery rates of Taipei and Sydney, where a similar definition applies, are 44% (July 2009 figure) and 42% (2006-07 figure) respectively.
Hong Kong has made considerable progress in waste recycling through the provision of supporting facilities by the Government and the operation of the market. To enhance the recovery rates, the Government will continue to implement various measures to support the development of the local recovery and recycling industries, as well as exploring outlets for recyclables and recycled products. The Administration is pushing ahead with the measures put forward in A Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (2005-2014). They include:
* Promoting the Programme on Source Separation of Waste to encourage the public to separate waste at source, enhance the recovery rate, increase the amount of recycled waste and provide the recycling industry with a steady supply of source materials. As at end-October 2009, over 1 250 housing estates participated in the Programme which covers about 67% of the population. We will invite more housing estates to join the Programme and aim to expand it to cover 80% of the local population by end-2010.
* Implementing the Building (Refuse Storage and Material Recovery Chambers and Refuse Chutes) Regulations which have come into effect recently. The Regulations ensure that all new domestic buildings and the domestic parts of all new composite buildings shall provide for a refuse storage and material recovery room on every floor with sufficient space for recovery facilities to tie in with the implementation of source separation of waste.
* Continuing to identify suitable land for short-term lease by waste recyclers through tender. Currently there are 39 lots with an area of about seven hectares for this purpose.
* Continuing to develop the EcoPark in Tuen Mun Area 38 and provide the recycling and environmental industries with long-term land at affordable rent to encourage the industries to invest in advanced and value-added recycling technologies. Tenancies of the six lots in EcoPark Phase I have been awarded for the recycling of waste wood, used cooking oil, computer equipment, waste plastics, waste metals and acid batteries.
* Promoting among government departments the green procurement policy which includes the use of recycled products or products that contain recycled content as far as practicable when procuring certain products. This will help expand the market for such products, which in turn will promote the recovery and recycling industries.
* Encouraging the research and development of recovery technologies and upgrading the local recovery industry through the Innovation and Technology Fund, the Environment and Conservation Fund and various funds for supporting the small and medium enterprises.
* Implementing the producer responsibility schemes through legislation to promote waste recovery and recycling.
Ends/Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Issued at HKT 14:10
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