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The Government today (December 15) published "A Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)", which sets out a comprehensive strategy for MSW management in Hong Kong for the 10 years from 2005 to 2014.
The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, said, "We are facing an imminent waste problem. Unless we change our consumption-led lifestyle, our landfills will be full in six to 10 years." She noted that it was an opportune time to publish the policy framework.
"The message of the policy framework is clear and simple. We must all be responsible for what we consume and what we dispose of. It is clearly not sustainable to keep throwing all of our waste to the landfills," she said.
"We must take up the responsibility of avoiding, reducing, reusing, recycling and treating waste, and keeping our landfills only for the unavoidable residues after waste treatment."
"This policy framework proposes simple, yet effective, economic tools, which would create incentives for us all to recycle more and discard less," Dr Liao added.
The policy framework is underpinned by MSW charging, producer responsibility schemes (PRSs) and landfill disposal bans, with the support measures – sustained public education and partnership, and legislative backing – working in collaboration.
On MSW charging, the Government is considering a scheme that would impose charges according to the volume of mixed waste left after reusable and recyclable materials are taken out.
A Government spokesman said that subject to public consultation, a Bill to introduce MSW charging was expected to be introduced into the Legislative Council in 2007.
The producer-responsibility principle addresses cradle-to-grave environmental problems of consumer products, and overseas experience shows that PRSs are effective in encouraging producers to design products that generate less waste and to take on the responsibility of recycling.
To provide the framework for PRSs, the Product Eco-responsibility Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council in 2006. Product specific measures will then be introduced through subsidiary legislation, and priority will be given to electrical and electronic equipment, vehicle tyres and plastic shopping bags.
"We will also expedite the roll-out of the territory-wide source separation of domestic waste programme to increase the amount of recyclables collected locally. We aim to enlist 80% of the local population to take part in the source separation programme by 2010," the spokesman said.
The first phase of the EcoPark, which is being developed exclusively for the environmental industry, will be commissioned in late 2006.
"The PRSs, source separation programme, together with the EcoPark and other support measures, such as short-term tenancy sites and funding for technological development, for the local recycling industry, will help jump start a circular economy," he said.
"In the long run, we propose a landfill disposal ban on certain end-of-life products such as electrical and electronic equipment and vehicle tyres. Such a ban will complement our efforts on PRSs so that a stable source of used products and materials can be provided to sustain our recycling industry in the long term," the spokesman said.
The document also outlines the Government's three-tier approach to achieve a sustainable MSW management strategy: waste avoidance and minimisation; reuse, recovery and recycling; and bulk reduction and disposal of unavoidable waste.
"Although all three elements are interrelated, the first two determine the final volume of waste that needs to be disposed subsequently through advanced and efficient technologies," he said.
"First and foremost in the strategy are waste avoidance and recovery and bolder steps have to be taken to improve the already high recovery rate," he added.
In 2004, Hong Kong's waste recovery rate stood at 40%, which was quite high. The aim is to reach 45% by 2009 and 50% by 2014, to reduce the amount of MSW generated by 1% per annum up to 2014 based on the 2003 levels, and to reduce the total MSW disposed of at landfills to less than 25% by 2014.
As there would inevitably be unavoidable waste, the spokesman added that alternative waste treatment methods had to be adopted to reduce the volume of waste before final disposal.
He added that the Government was planning to develop the Integrated Waste Management Facilities (IWMF) in two phases. A multi-technology approach comprising biological treatment, mechanical biological treatment (MBT) and incineration technologies would be adopted.
The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works called on the community at large to discuss and comment on the initiatives and the milestones proposed in the policy framework.
"Only with the full support of the community can we turn this policy framework into a reality. We must work together to tackle our waste problem now so that our children will not be burdened with cleaning up the mess we leave behind," Dr Liao said.
The policy framework can be downloaded from the website of the EPD. Limited numbers of hard copies or CD-roms of the policy framework can be obtained at the District Offices and EPD's offices.
Ends/Thursday, December 15, 2005
Issued at HKT 16:26
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