Tackling waste: Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau says overseas experience shows modern incinerators can operate safely and blend in harmoniously with local communities.

Tuen Mun's Tsang Tsui and Shek Kwu Chau, south of Lantau island, have been identified as potential sites for developing integrated waste management facilities, Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau says.

They would use incineration to reduce waste volume and recover energy, he added, speaking at a media briefing today.

An in-depth assessment of their environmental impacts and an engineering/ technical feasibility study will be conducted over the next 18 to 24 months. The construction costs for the facilities, due for commissioning in 2014, are estimated to be around $4 billion.

The amount of municipal solid waste in Hong Kong has been growing over the years, with about 17,000 tonnes generated daily in 2006 - 30% more than a decade ago.

Public education campaigns, the promotion of waste separation at source and the introduction of a construction-waste charging scheme had seen municipal solid-waste recovery rates rise to 45% while total waste disposed at landfills had dipped 1% in 2006.

Pressing need

However, Mr Yau said there remains a pressing need to adopt advanced technologies to reduce waste volume. The three existing landfills' capacity is depleting quickly and will be exhausted in four to eight years.

"The two potential sites were identified after taking into account environmental, ecological, planning, traffic, technical/engineering and economic considerations and social impact," Mr Yau said.

Further studies will be carried out to ascertain their viability, including emissions, transport and impact on residents and neighbourhood ecology.

He said the thermal-treatment facilities will be developed in phases. The first would occupy an area of about 10 hectares with a daily treatment capacity of about 3,000 tonnes. A demonstration-scale sorting and recycling facility would be included.

The Government has studied the capacity of similar facilities in other densely populated cities with similar demographic and geographic situations, Mr Yau added.

"The planned incinerator will adopt state-of-the-art thermal technology and will comply with stringent emission standards. It will generate electricity that will be put to gainful use, and will create jobs."

Views sought

Mr Yau will seek views from District Councils concerned and interested parties on the proposal, adding overseas experience shows modern incinerators can operate safely and blend in harmoniously with local communities.

Advisory Council for the Environment chairman Prof Lam Kin-che welcomed the Government's decision, saying Hong Kong needs to adopt advanced technologies to tackle the solid waste problem.