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Promotion campaign of Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste launched in Tuen Mun today
The Deputy Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Michael Chiu Tak-lun, and a number of Tuen Mun District Council members today (May 5) began the launching ceremony for the promotion of the Source Separation of Domestic Waste Programme in Tuen Mun.
Dr Chiu thanked the Tuen Mun District Council for giving support to enhance participation in the programme at district level. He also commended the positive response from the Tuen Mun residents and their remarkable achievements. More than 30 housing estates in the district have joined the programme.
"We are now facing an imminent problem of municipal solid waste. Six million tonnes of waste were disposed of in 2006. Based on the estimate last year, the three existing landfills will be running out of space in the early 2010's. In December, 2005, the government published "A Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste in Hong Kong (2005-2014)" which sets out comprehensive strategies and measures to address the waste problem. People are encouraged to avoid waste, recycle more and throw away less," Dr Chiu said.
The Environmental Protection Department launched the Source Separation of Domestic Waste Programme in January, 2005. By encouraging and assisting property management companies to provide waste separation facilities on each building floor to facilitate residents to separate waste at source, and by broadening the types of recyclables to be recovered, the programme aims to increase the recovery rate of domestic waste and reduce waste, and to maximise the usable life of the landfills. So far more than 560 housing estates have signed up to the programme, covering 740,000 households and a population of 2.2 million.
"We have set a broad target that 80% of people in Hong Kong will participate in the programme by 2010. It is expected that through this programme and other measures proposed under the policy framework, the recovery rate of domestic waste will increase from 16% in 2005 to 26% in 2012," he said.
Dr Chiu also appointed aristes Lau Ching-wan and Amy Kwok as the Ambassadors of the Source Separation of Domestic Waste Programme to help further promote the programme in the community and call on the public to give active support.
"Active participation by the public is indispensable in waste separation and recycling. The Environmental Protection Department will carry out a series of activities to promote the Source Separation of Domestic Waste Programme. In addition to today's ceremony in Tuen Mun, we will hold various promotional activities in Tseung Kwan O, North District, Kwai Tsing and other districts."
People are welcome to visit EPD's website (www.epd.gov.hk) for details of the Source Separation of Domestic Waste Programme.
Ends/Saturday, May 5, 2007
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