Ready Mixed Concrete (H.K.)
Limited (RMC) has proposed to install a concrete batching plant with a maximum
hourly production of 300m3 concrete. Location of the proposed
batching plant is shown in Figure 1.
The siting of the concrete batching plant has been
carefully examined. The present location is considered the best in terms of
environmental and visual impacts. It is
quite far away from Baguio Villa and is anticipated that the existing earth
mound and the future commercial buildings would partially screen the plant at this location from the
sensitive receivers, and hence the potential visual impact can be much reduced.
For other locations further south along the seawall, the earth mound and the
future commercial buildings can only screen a small portion of the proposed concrete
batching plant, the advantage of using earth mound and buildings to reduce the
visual impact may not be guaranteedRMC has considered various locations for siting the
plant. The proposed location is
considered to be the best since a jetty has been formed for the anchorage of
barges. Any barging points are unsuitable since a new jetty will have to be
formed with consequential marine water quality impact.
As the operation of a
concrete batching plant with the silo capacity exceeding 50 tonnes is a specified
process (S.P.) under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO), application
for a S.P. license is required in order to conduct the works.
The actual
operation of the plant will be subject to the issuance date of the
Environmental Permit and the S.P. License. The plan is for the concrete
batching plant to operate until November 2001 when the land lease for the plant
expires; thereafter the need for such a concrete batching plant will be
re-visited.
The proposed concrete batching
plant will be divided into two stages. For stage 1 concrete batching plant, it
is a mobile plant of cement silo capacity of 45 tonnes. For stage 2 concrete
batching plant, the total cement silo capacity is of 800 tonnes. When the Stage
2 plant is in operation, the mobile batching
plant Mob 60 would be used as a standby and will not be operated concurrently
with the Stage 2 plant.
Therefore, the major environmental impact is coming from stage 2.
In Stage 2, cement is directly pumped from the
barge to the cement silos by conveyors. There are totally six cement silos – two are 200
tonnes and four are 100 tonnes. The two 200 tonnes silos are interconnected
while the other four silos are also connected. Two dust collectors would serve
each group of silos and one dust collector would serve the two mixers.
Therefore, totally five dust collectors would be employed in the Stage 2 plant.During the operation of the
Stage 2 plant, cement is directly pumped from the barge to the cement silos.
There are totally six cement silos – two are 200 tonnes and four are 100
tonnes. The two 200 tonnes silos are interconnected while the other four silos
are also connected. Two dust collectors would serve each group of silos, and
one dust collector would serve two mixers. Therefore, totally five dust
collectors would be employed in the plant. The general layout plan
of the concrete batching plant is shown in Fig.2.
Aggregates would be transferred from a barge to the
sea front receiving hopper by conveyor. Afterwards, the aggregates would be transported
to a group of five 200 tonnes aggregate storage bins by enclosed belt
conveyors. Moreover, each mixer is equipped with an overhead storage bin
composing of four compartments. Each compartment can hold 40 tonnes of
aggregates.Aggregates
would be transferred from barges to a sea front receiving hopper. Afterwards,
the aggregates would be transported to a group of five 200 tonnes aggregate
storage bins by belt conveyors. Each mixer is equipped with an overhead storage
bin, each composing of four compartments. Each compartment can hold 40 tonnes
of aggregates.
Three sets of generators
would be used in the plant - two sets for the batching plant and the other for
maintenance workshop.
The activities between the
commencement and completion of on-site concrete production (i.e. December 2000
to December 2001) will comprise: (a) main construction works for the Telegraph
Bay Development; and (b) construction and operation of the concrete batching
plant.
The main construction
works include construction of the Cyberport Phase C1, C2, C3 and R1, Sewage
Treatment Plant, Southern Access Road, Northern Access Road, Road D1, D2 and
L1.