Wild About Hong Kong - hiking, wildlife, weather, conservation and more
Email to director of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, after multiple correspondence with other FEHD officials failed to achieve progress on issue of over zealous use of pesticides versus mosquitoes killing considerable other wildlife: I’m a birdwatcher living on…
I have organised and led several outings to the Hong Kong countryside for school groups, chiefly for one school, for which I developed a “Hidden Hong Kong” week covering Mai Po Marshes, Kadoorie Farm, Cheung Chau, the northeast New Territories,…
Table of Contents 6 October 2025: Seemingly Mindless Spraying and Depleted Cheung Chau Wildlife Death liquid squirted at almost bare ground FEHD effectively waging war on Cheung Chau wildlife Email sent in September 2013 Email in February 2019, mentioning fogging…
Some years ago, I was asked to meet two or three people who were starting a new “environmental” ngo in Hong Kong, the World Green Organisation. Didn’t seem quite right to me – hardly ecowarrior type stuff, not up to…
Table of Contents Policy framework ideas mostly ignored as incineration emphasised Presentation I gave to legco: No environmental impact assessment focused on Shek Kwu Chau site Email to me a few days ago: My name is Steven Chan. I am…
Hong Kong will face more intense heat, flood, storm surges and biodiversity depletion under climate change. Healing Parks, an advocacy group, says that urban parks can help to mitigate these hazards – but current park design guidelines fail to consider…
Hong Kong government has plans for a massive reclamation, in waters between Lantau and Victoria Harbour, for something like a new mini city with central business district. First named East Lantau Metropolis, then Lantau Tomorrow Vision – even though not…
The project that started as East Lantau Metropolis, became Lantau Tomorrow Vision, and was called Kau Yi Chau Islands Reclamation looked set to be the most disastrous infrastructure project in Hong Kong’s history – costing huge sums of money, unsustainable,…
Typhoon Mangkhut helped show “storm surge” is a threat to modern cities, not just something for the history books.
To anyone concerned about plans for Lantau Tomorrow Vision, the clobbering of Kansai by T Jebi should indicate it's a Really Bad Idea.
A consideration of science suggests the reclamation plans, including for East Lantau Metropolis are foolhardy, even irresponsible.
Government Policy Not Followed; Waste Not Reduced - as Incineration Made Priority
Powerpoint presentation I gave at Inter-departmental Working Group on Clean Shorelines - Engagement Session with Community Groups meeting.
While climate change may have long seemed an issue for hardcore, tree-hugging environmentalists, concerns are spreading.
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…
Typhoon Haiyan was among the strongest storms on record, and devastated a swathe of the Philippines. A storm surge was most damaging; and surges have hit Hong Kong.
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.
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. I’m among the opponents to the Shek…
what does it mean to be a crazy environmentalist? Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but can tell of some of the things I’ve done in the past month
Can you do anything to protect yourself against air pollution? Answer: you can try, but the best way is to have cleaner air; or even move!
The Environmental Protection Department is extremely biased in favour of the Shek Kwu Chau incinerator, and seems unable to admit drawbacks with incinerators or really consider alternatives.
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…
Response to plastic pellets “disaster” highlights concern for marine environment facing litany of woes
‘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's former Chief Executive Donald Tsang professed interest in nature, yet was anti-environment in practice.
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.”
Possible ways to clean indoor air a little. Prompted partly by reading info such as: ‘According to an article in “Heart,” the journal of the British Cardiac Society: “Epidemiology has clearly shown a link between increases in particulate air 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.
Right, let’s pretend I’m Steve Ballmer, barmy sales chief of Microsoft (Steve Who? … Steve Batty Ballmer goes iPod). Excuse me while I leap and dance around and whoop and scream for a few minutes. WOO! YEAH! WOOOO-OOOH! YEAH! YEEEEEEEE!…
It's not new in Hong Kong that vehicles emit particulates, factories and power stations pump out noxious fumes. So what happens? Not much really; plenty of hand-wringing, sorry comments from officials that there isn't much we can do.
For the planned Zhuhai bridge, the governments involved should evaluate the environmental sustainability of accelerating development of the western Pearl River Delta (PRD) and only allow the bridge to go ahead when we have identified air pollution offsets elsewhere.
Plans for the Hei Ling Chau superprison [by east Lantau] have been scrapped!
Greetings, Minions. I come to you as an emissary, reaching down to you – whom I believe I may call the man or woman on the street, or even in the dai pai dong – with a message from a…
The Hong Kong Government is undertaking a planning process centering on what the territory should be like in 2030. I’ve sent the following comments on a Consultation Booklet. You can find this and other information on the Hong Kong 2030…
