Status Report on Sand Dredging and Mud Disposal in Hong Kong
(ACE Paper 7/2001)
For information
Purpose
Further to our information paper in September 2000, we would like to update members on sand dredging and mud disposal, including contaminated mud disposal.
Marine Sand Resources, Mud Disposal Areas and Major Reclamation Areas
2. Attachment A shows the locations of sand resources, mud disposal areas and major reclamation areas in Hong Kong. A list of projects together with their fill and mud disposal requirements and amounts of surplus excavated materials is available at http://www.info.gov.hk/ced/fm.htm. Attachment B gives an indication of the sand supply and mud disposal for two major active projects namely Penny's Bay Reclamation Stage 1 and Container Terminal 9.
Penny's Bay Reclamation Project Stage 1
Marine Fill
3. Marine sand dredging commenced in December 2000 at East Lamma Channel Marine Borrow Area (ELCMBA). This allocation at ELCMBA will meet part of the total fill requirement of 66Mm3 for the project. A comprehensive environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) programme is in place and being supervised by an Independent Environmental Checker (IEC). So far there is no indication of unacceptable adverse impact on the nearby sensitive receivers.
4. Due to the uncertainty in the supply of fill from the Mainland, the West Po Toi Marine Borrow Area was recently allocated to the project as a supplementary sand source. Although this borrow area has been used on two previous occasions, its use for Penny's Bay is dependent on the successful completion of a focused water quality impact assessment. This assessment is to determine whether there will be any adverse cumulative water quality impacts due to the sand dredging and other concurrent projects in the area.
Disposal of Uncontaminated mud
5. Commencing in June 2000, the dredged uncontaminated mud from the reclamation site is being disposed of in the allocated mud disposal areas shown in Attachment B. Up to the end of 2000, about 22Mm3 uncontaminated mud (50% of the total) had been disposed of. So far there is no indication of unacceptable adverse impact on the nearby environment.
Disposal of Contaminated Mud
6. By November 2000, all the contaminated mud from the reclamation site (about 0.065Mm3) had been disposed of in the disposal facility at East Sha Chau. The comprehensive monitoring programme at East Sha Chau shows no adverse trends.
Container Terminal 9
Marine Fill
7. Marine sand dredging commenced in November 2000 at the South Tsing Yi Marine Borrow Area which, together with the West Sulphur Channel Marine Borrow Area, will provide the required 34Mm3 fill for the project (see Attachment B). The monitoring of environmental impacts is being supervised by an IEC. So far there is no indication of unacceptable adverse impact on the nearby sensitive receivers
Disposal of Uncontaminated Mud
8. Disposal of uncontaminated mud commenced in October 2000. Up to the end of December 2000, about 2Mm3 of dredged uncontaminated mud had been disposed of into the old sand borrow pit at south of Tsing Yi. So far there is no indication of unacceptable adverse impact on the nearby sensitive receivers.
9. Disposals at other allocated disposal areas at east of Ninepins and south of Cheung Chau have not commenced.
Disposal of Contaminated Mud
10. Disposal of contaminated mud of the project commenced in August 2000 at the Erzhou disposal site in Mainland waters. Since October 2000, disposal of contaminated mud has only been at East Sha Chau. Up to the end of 2000, just over 1Mm3 of dredged contaminated mud had been disposed of there. Adequate capacity is available at East Sha Chau for disposal of the remaining contaminated mud from this project.
Long Term Strategy for dealing with Contaminated Mud
11. At the ACE meeting held in September 2000, Members asked to be kept updated on the progress of the study examining long term options for dealing with contaminated mud.
12. With the current rate of disposal, including Container Terminal 9, it is anticipated that capacity at East Sha Chau will be exhausted by early 2007. The report from the consultancy study on options for dealing with contaminated mud is being finalized. Details of the study and its recommendations will be provided to ACE in May 2001.
Attachments
Attachment A: Drawing No. MFC-001/A - Marine fill resources, mud disposal areas and major reclamations
Attachment B: Drawing No. MFC-005/A - Main fill resources and mud disposal areas for Penny's Bay Reclamation Stage 1 and Container Terminal 9
Marine Fill Committee Secretariat
Geotechnical Engineering Office
Civil Engineering Department
February 2001
