Exclusive Sites Offered To Waste Paper Industry

The Government is offering two sites in the former Kai Tak airport for waste recycling operations and priority will be given to waste paper collectors, followed by waste paper exporters, recyclers and other waste recycling trades.

A spokesman for the Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau said today (Friday) that this exercise was a response to previous discussions with waste paper trade representatives, when requests for sites in the urban area for storage and baling operations were made.

The sites in Kai Tak, which are conveniently located, would meet their requirement. During a site visit on January 23 this year, the trade representatives showed interest in these sites.

The spokesman said, "According to the Waste Reduction Framework Plan announced in November, last year, we encourage material re-use, recovery and recycling to help achieve waste reduction."

"Allocation of suitable land on a short term basis for recycling is an identified measure. We have already let out two lots in the New Territories for metal and plastic recycling activities, and we are looking for additional sites to release later in the year," he added.

Particulars of the Kai Tak sites are:

(1) main fire station of about 15,000 sq. meters for a fixed term of three years renewable quarterly; and

(2) old fire station of about 4,000 sq. meters for a fixed term of one year renewable quarterly.

The quantity of waste paper exported has increased since the closure of Concordia, one of the territory's main waste paper recycling mills, in November 1998. About 1,146 tonnes, 1,058 tonnes, 1,325 and 1,582 tonnes per day were exported in October, November, December 1998 and January 1999 respectively.

There was no indication that additional waste paper was diverted to landfills for disposal.

Good progress has been made in the source separation of waste in public and private housing estates. He noted that waste paper collection at 132 private and public housing estates under the Environmental Campaign Committee's (ECC) waste recovery competition for paper and aluminium cans is still underway.

The Housing Department will extend source separation facilities to all public housing estates by May 1999.

"The ECC plans to extend the campaign to some 200 housing estates for recovery of paper, aluminium cans and plastic bottles in the middle of this year," he said.

"Based on the feedback from Housing Department, the amount of waste paper collected for recycling from public housing estates has increased from 1,229 tonnes in July 1998 to 3,088 tonnes in December 1998."

He said that this can be attributed to the installation of source separation facilities and the ECC's recycling campaign.

The Government is proposing amendments to the Buildings Ordinance for introduction into the Legislative Council in 1999. The changes to the subsidiary legislation would allow for the provision of adequate floor space in new buildings for material recovery and recycling.

Ends/Friday, March 26, 1999

NNNN


Back