The Contractor is responsible for waste control within the construction site, removal of the waste material produced from the site and to implement any mitigation measures to minimise waste or redress problems arising from the waste from the site. The waste material is which will be generated during construction phase of the development include the following :
· Excavated materials;
· Construction and demolition (C&D) materials (e.g. wood, scrap metal, concrete);
· Chemical wastes generated by general site practices (e.g. vehicle and plant maintenance/servicing); and
· General refuse.
When handling the waste material, the following measures shall be undertaken :
Storage, Collection and Transport of Waste
Permitted waste hauliers should be used to collect and transport waste to the appropriate disposal points. The following measures to minimise adverse impacts should be instigated:
·
Handle
and store waste in a manner which ensures that it is held securely without loss
or leakage, thereby minimising the potential for pollution;
·
Use
waste hauliers authorised or licensed to collect specific categories of waste;
·
Remove
waste in a timely manner;
·
Maintain
and clean waste storage areas regularly;
·
Minimise
windblown litter and dust during transportation by either covering trucks or
transporting waste in enclosed containers;
·
Obtain
the necessary waste disposal permits from the appropriate authorities, if they
are required, in accordance with the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap 354), Waste
Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation (Cap 354), the Land
(Miscellaneous Provision) Ordinance (Cap 28);
·
Dispose
of waste at licensed waste disposal facilities;
·
Develop
procedures such as a ticketing system to facilitate tracking of loads,
particularly for chemical waste, and to ensure that illegal disposal of waste
does not occur; and
·
Maintain
records of the quantities of waste generated, recycled and disposed.
Construction and Demolition Material
In order to minimise waste arisings and to keep environmental impacts within acceptable levels, the environmental control measures described below should be adopted:
·
Careful
design, planning and good site management can minimise over-ordering and
generation of waste materials such as concrete, mortar and cement grouts. The
design of formwork should maximise the use of standard wooden panels so that
high reuse levels can be achieved. Alternatives such as steel formwork or
plastic facing should be considered to increase the potential for reuse.
·
The
contractor should recycle as much of the C&D material as possible on-site.
Proper segregation of waste types on site will increase the feasibility of
certain components of the waste stream by recycling contractors. For example,
concrete and masonry can be used as general fill and reinforcement can be taken
to steel mills. Different areas of the worksite should be designated for such segregation
and storage wherever site conditions permit.
·
The
handling and disposal of bentonite slurries, if any, should be undertaken in
accordance with ProPECC PN 1/94 on construction site drainage.
·
To
maximise landfill life, Government policy discourages the disposal of C&D
wastes with more than 30% inert material (by weight) at landfills. Inert C&D materials are directed to
reclamation areas, where they have the added benefit of offsetting the need for
removal of materials from borrow areas for reclamation purposes.
· Chemical waste that is produced, as defined by Schedule 1 of the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation, should be handled in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Packaging.
· Containers used for the storage of chemical waste should be suitable for the substance they are holding, resistant to corrosion, maintained in good condition, and securely closed;
· Containers should have a capacity of less than 450 litres unless the specifications have been approved by the EPD; and display a label in English and Chinese in accordance with instructions prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Regulations.
Ÿ The storage area for chemical waste should:
Ÿ
Be
clearly labelled and used solely for the storage of chemical waste;
Ÿ
Be
enclosed on at least 3 sides;
Ÿ
Have
an impermeable floor and bunding, of capacity to accommodate 110% of the volume
of the largest container or 20% by volume of the chemical waste stored in that area,
whichever is the greatest;
Ÿ
Have
adequate ventilation;
Ÿ
Be
covered to prevent rainfall entering (water collected within the bund must be
tested and disposed as chemical waste if necessary); and
Ÿ
Be
arranged so that incompatible materials are adequately separated.
Ÿ
Disposal
of chemical waste should:
Ÿ
Be
via a licensed waste collector; and
Ÿ
Be
a facility licensed to receive chemical waste, such as the Chemical Waste
Treatment Facility which also offers a chemical waste collection service and
can supply the necessary storage containers; or
Ÿ
Be
to a re-user of the waste, under approval from the EPD.
· General refuse should be stored in enclosed bins or compaction units separate from C&D material and chemical wastes.
· A reputable waste collector should be employed by the contractor to remove general refuse from the site, separately from C&D material and chemical wastes, on a daily or every second day basis to minimise odour, pest and litter impacts.
· The burning of refuse on construction sites is prohibited.
Operation Phase of the Development
· Municipal wastes should be stored in suitable containers, within a designated storage area which is kept clean an tidy;
· Regular, daily collections are required by an approved waste collector; and
· Sludge material from the CEPT requiring landfill disposal must satisfy specific criteria with respect to percentage solid content (in general 70% moisture content are acceptable at Hong Kong’s strategic landfill sites).
In addition, the Contractor should ensure that the mitigation measures for the on-site concrete batching plant in Appendix C4 are properly implemented throughout the construction and operation period.
The Contractor is required to apply for permits/licences or follow instructions in handling and disposal of wastes generated from the site under Hong Kong’s Ordinances. The followings are the general guidelines for application of permits or licences under various ordinances and government documents :
· Chemical Waste Permit or licences under the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap 354);
· Public Dumpling Licence under the Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap 28);
· Marine Dumping Permit under the Dumping at Sea Ordinance (Cap 466);
· Effluent Discharge Licence under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (Cap 358);
· Storage, handling and disposal of chemical waste refer to the Code of Practice on the Package, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes published by EPD
During the site inspections and the document review procedures as mentioned in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of this manual, the ET shall pay special attention to the issues relating to waste management, and check whether the Contractor has followed the relevant contract specifications and the procedures specified under the laws of Hong Kong.