The Government is planning to develop two state-of-the-art Waste-to-Energy Incineration Facilities (WEIF) with a total daily throughput capacity of 6,000 tonnes to handle its municipal solid waste disposal problem.
"Due to the imminent landfill shortage problem, incineration has been proposed as the major solid waste treatment technology to extend our landfill life and reduce the demand of future landfill space. This is part of our waste management strategy in addition to waste avoidance, reduction, reuse and recovery.
"Modern incineration can reduce the volume of non-recyclable waste before landfilling by some 85 per cent, render the refuse inert and allow recovery of energy from refuse for community consumption." a spokesman for the Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau said today (Friday).
"A feasibility study is being conducted on the development of the WEIF. The study addresses the engineering feasibility, environmental acceptability, health impacts, contract arrangement, site selection, preliminary design and cost estimates.
"While detailed cost estimate is yet to be determined, we expect the two incinerators to cost a total of about $10 billion. We welcome the private sector's participation in the WEIF development. We would consider how this could be achieved.
"The study is still on going and is expected to be completed later this year. Suitable sites for the development of incinerators have not yet been decided," the spokesman said.
"Once the site selection exercise is completed, the public, green groups, district board members and LegCo members will be consulted on the proposed projects.
"While the government will be introducing waste disposal charges which are in line with the Polluter Pays Principle, charges for incineration have not been worked out as these facilities are only in the early stages of development," the spokesman said.
End/Friday, August 13, 1999
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