The Administration Wing has refuted media speculation that the Tamar site might be seriously contaminated. It says a ground investigation conducted for the Tamar project did not reveal any contaminant which cannot be handled effectively.

The wing today said the Government has conducted a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment for Central Reclamation Phase II including the Tamar site. A ground investigation was conducted in 2003 to assess the site's ground soil condition.

Results of the assessment revealed a small amount of contaminant with traces of heavy metal, but these could be completely disposed of according to ordinary and established landfilling procedures.

The assessment report is an open document, and the Ground Investigation Report has been included in the documents submitted to the subcommittee on Tamar development project under the Legislative Council Panel on Planning, Lands & Works on March 7.

Unsubstantiated

Allegations on the Tamar ground soil containing highly concentrated dioxins were not substantiated with evidence, the wing said.

According to experts, under normal circumstances, only incineration of waste containing certain types of plastics or similar materials with incomplete combustion would lead to chances of producing large amount of dioxins. There is no reason to believe that such incineration has ever taken place at the Tamar site.

Regarding comments which have mixed up the Tamar site with the former Cheoy Lee Shipyard, the wing said the circumstances pertaining to the two places are absolutely different.

In general, normal operation of dockyards does not involve mass burning of certain types of plastic materials. The dioxin-contaminated soil at the former Cheoy Lee Shipyard was found from some incineration pits and waste pits. The contamination was related to activities involving mass combustion of certain types of plastic.