News and Views Hong Kong news

Typhoon Chaba set for landfall west of Hong Kong

Chaba has recently intensified to typhoon strength. Has a large eye on radar images, with rainbands across wide area – inc passing over Hong Kong (though rain here not so intense just now). The track is not as much to…

Severe Tropical Storm Chaba Nearing Hong Kong

The tropical cyclone now named Chaba has intensified to Severe Tropical Storm strength – intensifying rather more and faster than forecast; perhaps another storm development influenced by climate change. Looks set to make landfall as a typhoon; and T8 signal…

Maybe Stormy Weather for Hong Kong as July 2022 Begins

In past few days, computer forecast models have indicated a chance of stormy weather developing over the South China Sea near Hong Kong at the beginning of July. Updating on evening of 29 June. The T1 signal is in effect,…

AFCD launches Hong Kong Biodiversity Information Hub

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) launched the Hong Kong Biodiversity Information Hub (HKBIH) (bih.gov.hk) today (1 March 2022) aiming to foster a better understanding of local biodiversity by members of the public. The HKBIH is a one-stop website…

Bad Science and Hong Kong’ Rubbish Strategy

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…

Plan B for Hong Kong waste – Chinese version

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。 衛林士 我有份反對石鼓州焚化爐,最初全因它靠近我家長洲。當時我認為在這個美麗的地方興建工業建築物,還要加入高達150米的煙囪,實不應該。但當我對焚化爐認識日深,知道還有其他可行選擇後,我便明白不論焚化爐選址何處都是錯誤的方向。 我也開始明白依賴垃圾堆填是過時的做法。所以我很高興立法會議員最近撤回擴建將軍澳堆填區的決定,即使我們的環境局局長黃錦星表示如果不擴大堆填區、不興建焚化爐,政府便沒有「Plan B」。這是因為政府既沒遠見、也缺乏跳出框框的想像力嗎? 政府現行的廢物政策已是2005年的產物,當年香港家居廢物[市區固體廢物]的減廢目標毫不進取,只訂於在2014年以前每年減少1%。期間,實質廢物量卻有增無減。2011年時我們每天棄置近9,000噸家居廢物,比2005年多出三分之一。 今年五月,政府引入了可持續資源使用的藍圖。環境局局長也承認,在對付廢物方面「我們只踏出了幾步」。未前進的步伐源自政策的反對聲音,包括本來於2007年引入的家居垃圾徵費。值得一提的是,台灣實施廢物徵費後,減廢效果十分顯著。 反對政策的聲音亦阻撓了擴展三個堆填區的計劃,特別是將軍澳。透過大型焚化爐處理大部份沒被回收廢物的計劃亦同樣遇上困難。 政府聲稱焚化爐好處似乎不少,例如會採取「完全消毀」有機污染物的科技。可是,其他資料卻顯示焚化爐會製造重大污染,近期更有幾項源自西班牙、比利時和日本的研究,發現焚化爐與癌症和先天缺陷相關。此外,實驗室老鼠吸入受焚化爐灰塵的污染空氣後,組織、血液和DNA均出現損害。 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。 接下來,政府需要重整焦點,研發以促進香港堆填區零廢物為目標的策略。政府官員告訴我們香港做不到,但連三藩市等大城市也開始透過減廢回收逐步實現這個目標。相比下,香港未免膽怯。 實施零廢物政策自然需要經費。但香港早已打算耗資逾200億港元擴展堆填區和興建焚化爐。這筆款項如果花在減廢回收,必定更能用得其所。可悲的是由於兩方面都毫無計劃也沒有任何資助,回收工作很多時落在小型公司和綠色團體手中,也有大量為幫補家計而拾荒的長者參與其中。政府既有能力推展昂貴的焚化爐計劃,便絕對可以加大回收力度。 由於市民抗拒垃圾徵費,政府便應考慮獎勵減廢的措施。其中,按樽的做法可以鼓勵用家把瓶子送回再用和回收的收集處。此外,大部份家居垃圾都是吃不完的食物,市民需要教育和鼓勵減少廚餘。 經處理廚餘可以轉化成氣體能源、生物燃料和肥料。政府也計劃設立兩家規模較小的廚餘處理中心。為什麼不擴大規模,又或不在垃圾站附近設置數間廚餘處理中心? 等離子電弧廢棄物處理技術,可以為有機垃圾和廚餘處理後過多的肥料提供解決方案。這種技術把廢物流加熱至攝氏數千度,然後爆破份子,化成可用作飛機燃料的氣體。如果沒有足夠的廢物需要處理,我們更可挖開堆填區抽出有價值的金屬,這可以幫助回復地貌,惠及鄰近居民。 從事有關技術的公司如能與航空公司達成購買處理產生燃料的協議,便可在不用花費大量稅款,甚至完全無須使用納稅人一分一毫的情況下,就能在香港興建處理工廠。事實上,據新成立組織「香港智能城市廢物資源協會」的Peter Reid估計,這項技術的成本,遠較政府原來的擴展堆填區或興建焚化爐計劃來得更低。 而且方法還可以更快實施,亦能為香港引入新的廢物處理專業知識,並同時製造就業機會、帶來更多好處。 那麼,我們還在等什麼? –完 作者簡介 衛林士博士是作家、攝影師和錄像製作人,以野生動物和保育為專長,在香港已居住26年。他來自英國,擁有物理化學博士,相信香港可以更努力保護本土天然資源,令香港人和野生生態受惠。 Written for Ming Pao Weekly; appeared on 20 July 2013.

Biodiversity and Hong Kong city parks

I was recently among a small group of people from Living Cheung Chau and the Association for a Beautiful Hong Kong who visited an urban park in north Cheung Chau together with a team from the Leisure and Cultural Services…

A Brief History of Hong Kong Sustainability Innovation

I recently received an email asking about the track record of innovation in sustainability in Hong Kong. “Sorry, can’t be too helpful here I think,” I replied. “Our track record of innovation in sustainability is probably terrible.” But the email did…

Hong Kong’s Mysterious Migratory Butterflies

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On 31 December 2011, researchers trapping butterflies at Deep Water Bay on Hong Kong Island found a Chestnut Tiger with writing on its wings. Someone had used a fine marker pen to add numbers, letters and characters including a code: “YSK541”.…

Save Lung Mei Save Ourselves

lung mei

With unglamorous Lung Mei on shore of Tolo Harbour such a centre of attention, it is worth considering just what “nature conservation” means.

You too can be a citizen scientist!

Green groups critique environmental impact assessments, yet often rely on volunteers with expertise in natural history: citizen scientists.

Hong Kong Countryside Needs You!

Grassroots support for conservation is building, and surely now ahead of the government, and especially developers who too often seem out of touch with our changing society

Hong Kong should treasure Tung Chung Bay

Tung Chung Bay, north Lantau, is in an area that has featured in China’s history, and is rich in biodiversity – yet will be devastated by expansion of Tung Chung town. 香港應珍惜東涌灣 [see below] There’s a wonderful wetland on the…

Plasma arc waste incineration viable for Hong Kong

‘Science fiction’ waste solution a real option  Plasma arc incineration is a forward-looking and realistic alternative to landfills, and won’t generate the toxic emissions associated with burning waste [updating a little, Aug 2022: still seems a concept, not proven in…

Hong Kong weather outlook warmer wetter wilder

With global warming only just getting started, according to scientists, it’s time for Hong Kong to move beyond talk and switching off lights for an hour one day a year Early this month came news that Hong Kong ranked among…

Sparrows the scapegoats for H5N1 in chicken farm

Why is it microbiologists seem so ignorant of evolution and so forth? Too many seem to treat viruses as chemicals, not lifeforms subject to evolution. Ah, isn’t ignorance bliss, especially when you’re an “expert”. Today’s (6 Jan 2009) South China…

Hong Kong’s Dangerous Air

The Hong Kong Government seems to be downplaying or misinformed about the health impacts of our air pollution, Chief Executive Donald Tsang has even said: “It is a question of visibility.”

Hillfires

Every year, Hong Kong’s hillsides are afflicted by fires, especially in late autumn and winter.

HKZM bridge pollution

Perhaps bridge proponents could explain just why Hong Kong should contribute to the project, and so help push our air pollution from very bad to even worse.

Rockit 2005

Hong Kong’s Rockit Music Festival just on in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. Though only a couple of international bands this year (one a rapper with band – Princess Superstar; the other UK rock group Feeder), still a fun weekend –…

Threats to Deep Bay include increasing sedimentation

Last decade, the future looked bright for the Deep Bay wetland, in northwest Hong Kong. The British and Chinese governments agreed to list it under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance – showing they recognised it should be…

Sham Chung qns for SHK

SunHungKaigreenpromise

So far, Sun Hung Kai seems to have a really poor record of activities at Sham Chung. [No answers forthcoming to these questions.]