Community has the know-how to tackle Hong Kong's waste challenges
Ian Brownlee says NGO initiatives provide sustainable ways for HK to move forward quickly
Well-researched community initiatives are placing a different pressure on the government to look at how to implement its waste management policy.
Waste management is widely recognised as a community problem. Waste levels are excessive relative to other places and landfill sites are running out of capacity. Community objections to landfill expansion and the use of incinerators are problems inherited from the previous administration.
In May, the Environment Bureau issued the "Blueprint for Sustainable Use of Resources 2013-2022", a comprehensive look at the waste problems in Hong Kong and the possible solutions, with the tag line of "Use Less, Waste Less". It does not just look at how to deal with waste disposal, but is an overview of the social changes and physical infrastructure needed to make Hong Kong a more sustainable city. It addresses broadly how to reduce waste going to landfills.
One frightening outcome is that everything is happening too late and too slowly. With landfills due to reach capacity in 2016, there is no real alternative available. The consultation on waste charging is one of the initiatives in progress - and it is at least 10 years late. The Shek Kwu Chau incinerator is held up in the courts and does not have the Legislative Council funding.
The blueprint recognises that there is great public distrust in dealing with the waste problem. It also recognises that citizen involvement in addressing waste reduction and recycling at source is fundamental. Mobilising the community is first on the to-do list, while the need for multiple concurrent actions is second.
There is amazing knowledge in the community on waste management issues, on technical and professional levels, and from general environmental awareness.
The government is now getting public support urging it to do something. In October, the Integrated Waste Management Action Group (IWMAG) submitted an application to the Town Planning Board to zone four sites for modern waste management facilities.
