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Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Housing, Ms Elaine LK Chung, in the Legislative Council today (May 17):

Question:

With regard to matters relating to the removal and disposal of fixtures of newly-completed Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats by their owners before they move in, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether it has estimated the number of sanitary ware sets removed from newly built HOS flats and disposed of each year;

(b) of the average expenditure on disposing of a set of sanitary ware by means of landfill, including the costs of collection, transportation and landfill operation; and

(c) whether it has estimated the annual savings on landfill costs after implementing the measure to provide prospective buyers of HOS flats with 3 choices on fixtures and fittings?

Reply

Madam President,

(a) Owners of Home Ownership Scheme flats are not required to inform the management agents of their estates or the Housing Department if they wish to replace sanitary fittings before moving in. The Housing Department therefore does not keep records of such replacement.

(b) At present, there is no charge for disposal of waste at landfills but the total capital and operational cost to the Government for disposing waste at landfills is about HK$125 per metric tonne. This is in addition to the cost of transportation of the waste from the estate to the landfill site. The weight of a set of Home Ownership Scheme sanitary fittings is estimated at 0.097 metric tonne. Therefore, the cost of disposal is estimated to be $12.

(c) To address the concern on wastage problem due to re-fitting out, prospective purchasers of Home Ownership Scheme flats are now being offered two choices on fixtures and fittings in a few selected pilot projects which will be due for intake in 2003. The choices offered will include the "Basic Shell" and "Fully-fitted" Options.

The Housing Department estimates that with effect from 2003 when flats offering choices of fixtures and fittings are completed, re-fitting works will be substantially reduced. It is however not possible to estimate the reduction of waste and therefore the annual savings on landfill costs at this stage. The Housing Department plans to carry out surveys in 2003 to assess the effect of these pilot projects.

End/Wednesday, May 17, 2000

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