Letters to the Editors
Letter to the editor of South China Morning Post - Response to reader's letter on waste management
I wish to respond to various unsubstantiated assertions in the letter by Kim Chai ("Sustainable disposal solution needed to tackle mounting waste", July 26).
Chai alleged there is no comprehensive programme on waste management in Hong Kong. This is untrue.
Our blueprints for Sustainable Use of Resources 2013-22 and Food Waste & Yard Waste 2014-22 set out comprehensive strategies, targets and plans to tackle waste challenges in the coming decade.
Our key target is to reduce per capita municipal solid waste (MSW) by 40% by 2022. To do so, we have initiatives to reduce waste at source, increase recycling, promote reuse, impose mandatory MSW charging, and build the necessary waste-to-energy infrastructure, as well as dealing with final treatment and disposal.
We are pushing out several mandatory producer responsibility schemes (PRS) – from 1 April 2015, plastic shopping bag charging will be extended to the entire retail sector; and two other PRS on waste electrical and electronic equipment and glass beverage bottles are in the pipeline.
Our initiatives are supported by many campaigns, such as Food Wise, so that we can inculcate a new "Use Less, Waste Less" culture in Hong Kong. We are establishing green community stations in each district to spread waste reduction, reuse and recycle messages through funding non-profit organisations.
To support the development of the recycling industry, we will set up a $1 billion Recycling Fund subject to funding approval from the legislature, continue to support research and development of new recycling technologies, and take the lead in green procurement.
Chan referred to the solutions in Denmark, Germany, Sweden, South Korea and Taiwan. He may be unaware that these advanced economies all have adequate waste-to-energy facilities coupled with adequate landfill space to handle waste that cannot be further reduced or recycled.
The Government will invest about HK$30 billion in waste recycling and treatment facilities. We now have a comprehensive programme of initiatives in line with the internationally-accepted waste management hierarchy.
Elvis WK Au
Assistant Director of Environmental Protection