Hong Kong Environmental "Protection" Dept has downplayed risks with waste incineration, in its zeal to build Shek Kwu Chau "IWMF" [Integrated Waste Management Facility - a fancy term for a giant bonfire of rubbis]
Damning report on issues with incinerator ash:
As China’s economy has boomed in recent decades, the amount of garbage and solid waste generated in the country has soared from roughly 30 million tons in 1980 to 200 million tons today, most of it winding up in ill-tended landfills around major cities. Those landfills are at or near capacity, spawning illegal waste dumping and burning. The World Bank estimates that by 2025, China’s solid waste generation will double to more than 500 million tons annually.
Government Policy Not Followed; Waste Not Reduced - as Incineration Made Priority
In February this year Legco Public Accounts Committee published a damning report on EPD’s waste efforts, following a highly critical report by the Audit dept [director of audit]
Main conclusion:
There has been considerable brouhaha over Hong Kong’s waste strategy, especially plans to expand three landfills plus build an incinerator on an artificial island by Shek Kwu Chau – which passed two votes in the Legislative Council, but were then delayed, with the Finance Committee now set to vote on the plans in autumn.
Excellent letter in today's S China Morning Post:
Landfills won't solve HK's waste problem
I refer to the letter by Edmund Chen ("Incinerator seems sound option for HK", February 10).
I agree that the expansion of landfills (to handle Hong Kong's waste) should be a non-starter, and that for recycling to be successful it must be made profitable.
Mr Chen states confidently that the Environment Bureau is up to speed on technological developments in waste management in other places.
Letter I sent S China Morning Post, published on 22 Aug 2013:
那麼，我們應該怎麼辦？依我看來，政府必須首先結束對焚化爐的偏執。如果我們不興建焚化爐，香港不會突然滿佈垃圾；大失所望的，就只有對數以十億計預算虎視耽耽的大小公司。
Hong Kong government aims to dump and burn waste, and has no Plan B. Instead, it should develop a strategy that will energise Hong Kong by targeting zero waste to landfills and incinerators.
letter to S China Morning Post, appeared on 5 July 2013:
In his letter ("Questioning official figure on solid waste", July 1), Mark Parlett queries the government's figure of 48 per cent for Hong Kong's recycling rate. The figure indeed seems high: based on other government data, it suggests that the vast majority of domestic refuse dumped in landfills is food waste.
Do we really dispose of so little that can be recycled; are the truckloads dumped in landfills so different in composition to the contents of waste bins I see?