*******************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Kam Nai-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, in the Legislative Council today (April 13):
Question:
Regarding the number and locations of three-coloured waste separation bins, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the numbers of three-coloured waste separation bins placed in the following government buildings at present (Please see Annex 1);
(b) of the numbers of three-coloured waste separation bins placed in the government buildings or venues in the following districts at present (Please see Annex 2); and
(c) given that in reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on 26 May 2010, the Secretary for the Environment indicated that the Government would pair up waste separation bins with litter bins if appropriate and circumstances permit, e.g. causing no obstruction or posing no danger to road users,
(i) of the number and locations of waste separation bins which had been paired up with litter bins in each of the past three years, as well as the types of buildings in which such recovery facilities had been placed, together with a breakdown of the figures and information by the 18 District Council districts and type of buildings;
(ii) of the criteria based on which the Government determines whether the situation concerned is permitted by circumstances and appropriate, and causes no obstruction or poses no danger to road users; and
(iii) whether it has any plan to implement the arrangement to pair up waste separation bins with litter bins throughout Hong Kong; if so, of the details and the specific timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Currently, government departments provide waste separation bins (WSBs) and other facilities at appropriate locations in buildings and premises under their management based on actual usage to facilitate source separation of waste by staff and users. Although we do not have relevant statistics on each and every government building and premises, information available to us shows that :
The Government Property Agency (GPA) has placed 115 sets of three-coloured waste separation bins (WSBs) at 48 joint-user government offices buildings under its management. In addition, the GPA has provided 114 sets of three-coloured WSBs at 60 government staff quarters under its management. Source separation of waste is also in place in other forms apart from the three-coloured WSBs. For example, in the offices of the Environment Bureau and the Environmental Protection Department at the Revenue Tower, a waste paper collection box is placed near each staff member. There are also facilities for treatment of food waste and collection of recyclables such as papers, plastics, metals, toner cartridges and rechargeable batteries. Meanwhile, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) provide three-coloured WSBs in public areas and their numbers by district are given in Annex 3.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has also placed 1,754 sets of WSBs in country park visitor centres, barbecue areas, camping areas and major picnic sites throughout the territory.
Overall speaking, the Government has placed 4,451 sets of WSBs in public areas.
Through the Environmental Campaign Committee, the Government has also provided 1,763 sets of WSBs to schools and institutes in various districts.
The FEHD provides litter bins next to or in the vicinity of three-coloured WSBs in public areas to facilitate waste recovery and disposal of litter by the public as appropriate. Suitable public places for installing the three-coloured WSBs are identified with regard to factors such as pedestrian circulation, geographic layout, public and operational needs.
Since the end of 2009, the FEHD has placed a set of four-in-one collection bins (i.e. combined waste separation and litter bins) at each of ten pilot locations. In early 2011, the scheme was extended to cover 57 other locations. While there are over 20,000 litter bins throughout the territory, in the first stage FEHD will replace about 1,000 sets of three-coloured WSBs and litter bins on roadsides plus another 800 sets or so at rural refuse collection points with the four-in-one or three-in-one collection bins.
Ends/Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Issued at HKT 12:34
NNNN