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Written by: Lao Minyi's Golden Chess
2021-04-05 00:00
Last update date: 2021-04-05 00:00
The Environment Bureau's new environmental blueprint has set a "zero waste landfill" vision for 2035. However, the "achievements" of the old blueprint are far from satisfactory. It is questioned whether the waste reduction goal will once again become a "blank check".
In an interview with "Hong Kong 01", Director Huang Jinxing stated that many "good seeds" have been sown in the past and will naturally blossom and bear fruit when appropriate. However, he admits that it is challenging to reach the mid-term goal and reiterated that if garbage charges cannot be passed early, even if there are With good facilities, waste reduction will only get half the result with half the effort.
The new blueprint has added more space to talk about "turning waste into energy". In addition to the opening of the Shigu Chau incinerator in 2025, the government is also studying the construction of another incinerator.
Huang believes that it is necessary to appropriately incinerate the recycled materials that cannot be processed, to turn them into resources, and to reduce the direct disposal of landfills. Compared with other advanced regions, Hong Kong has started slowly.
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The Environment Bureau issued a new blueprint for environmental protection. The Secretary-General Huang Jinxing admitted that it is challenging to achieve the medium-term goal.
(Photo by Zhang Haowei)
In the "Hong Kong Resource Recycling Blueprint 2035" (hereinafter referred to as the New Blueprint) published by the Environment Bureau in early February this year, the medium-term goal is to gradually reduce the per capita disposal volume of municipal solid waste by 40% to 45% through garbage charging; at the same time, increase the recycling rate. To about 55%; in the long run, through adequate "waste-to-energy" facilities, we can get rid of relying on landfills for direct disposal of waste.
On the day when the blueprint was released, Huang Jinxing urged the public to "look forward". However, the "Hong Kong Resource Recycling Blueprint" (hereinafter referred to as the old blueprint) launched in May 2013 included a number of waste reduction targets. The new blueprint will be able to Whether it can achieve "zero waste landfill" is marked with a question mark.
Huang Jinxing admitted in the interview that it is challenging to increase the recycling rate from about 30% to more than half. Among them, "food waste" and "waste plastic" are the key points.
The amount of food waste disposal in Hong Kong ranks first among all kinds of waste, but the recovery rate is less than 4%. Huang said that it requires a multi-pronged approach and the use of technology to deal with it, such as the development of food waste plants and the “food waste” treatment in sewage treatment plants. Co-anaerobic digestion with sludge can speed up the recovery process, and the process can also generate renewable energy. In addition, multiple facilities are used at one site, eliminating the need to find another land. "It can make the benefit of 1+1 greater than 2."
He added that if the amount of food waste recovered is successfully increased by half (that is, about 1,800 metric tons are processed per day), it is believed that it will be enough to increase the overall recovery rate to about 45%.
In terms of household food waste recycling, he revealed that there are initially more than 20 private housing estates that are interested in participating in the food waste collection pilot program launched this year to transport food waste to Hong Kong's first food waste factory (O. PARK1) to turn it into electricity.
The new blueprint did not mention the third, fourth, and fifth phases of food waste plants. He said that the increase in food waste processing capacity from 200 metric tons to more than 1,000 metric tons is a "several doubling process," so no facilities will be abandoned.
▼The daily recycling volume of the Xiaohaowan Food Waste Factory falls behind the target by nearly half▼
Huang: The most important thing for recycling is not the final goal, starting with the amount of disposal per capita
"Don't just do seven or eight, just add zero and one to straightforwardness," Huang Jinxing earlier described the measures taken under the old blueprint.
During the interview, he pointed out that "(the old blueprints) are good seeds for us to move forward, and they will blossom and bear fruit at an appropriate time to speed up the process of waste reduction."
However, he believes that recycling is not the ultimate goal. Take waste paper as an example. "If less paper is used, and less paper is produced, the paper recycling rate may be affected." The most important thing is to start with the amount of discarded per capita, "per capita ( It is not easy to reduce the amount of disposal by 40%. The goal is to set quantifiable indicators, timetables, and roadmaps. You can watch and do it...Even if there is a gap, you can measure the progress of the society."
Draw a new blueprint while reviewing past challenges. "Pay-as-you-go is an important basic disk and locomotive. After the establishment of other supporting facilities, you can get twice the result with half the effort. If not, many will be twice the result with half the effort." In addition, the global recycling industry has been facing upside-down in the past few years Changes also affect the performance of recycling. In this way, he summarized why the vision of the old blueprint failed.
Strive for the current Legislative Council to pass garbage charges
The bill for garbage charges, which has been under consideration for many years and has been dealt with by the four governments, is still under the deliberation of the Legislative Council. Whether it can be passed smoothly, it is necessary to grasp the remaining few months of this session, otherwise the legislative process will have to go through again.
In recent months, the Environment Bureau has held informal meetings with councillors to "canvass votes." Huang Jinxing pointed out that councillors tend to have a longer preparation period and distribute special garbage bags to the public free of charge at the beginning of the implementation. If reasonable, they will try their best to cooperate and strive for approval in the current Legislative Council .
Huang Jinxing said that the biggest challenge currently facing the recycling industry is insufficient recycling. It is necessary to encourage the public to recycle through garbage charging, so that recycling companies that are already ready can receive a sufficient amount of waste to "turn waste into materials."
Taking the "central rubber collection" implemented in the three districts with public funds as an example, he described the response as half and a half, but he believes that if the garbage is charged according to the amount, the public will ask the property company and the property committee to participate in the plan to reduce waste disposal expenses.
Huang Jinxing believes that the biggest challenge facing the recycling industry is insufficient recycling. It is necessary to encourage the public to recycle through garbage charging, so that recycling companies that are already ready to recycle enough "turn waste into materials".
(Photo by Zhang Haowei)
Use incineration to treat non-recyclable materials to reduce landfill pressure
Another concern of the new blueprint is that Hong Kong will build a second waste incinerator.
Huang Jinxing said that compared with Japan, Singapore and Europe, the two-track hardware and policy of "turning waste into energy" are parallel, and Hong Kong has a slower start than the next.
In the face of opposition to rebuilding an incinerator, he said, "Japan is representative of environmental protection. You have to understand what people do (that is, to build an incinerator)."
Huang explained that in the face of materials that cannot be recycled, they will be treated by incineration in major advanced areas to make them resources. In the future, Hong Kong will parallelize multiple tracks to reduce the pressure on landfills to directly dispose of garbage. "Our blueprint is actually a good way to go. ".
The government's goal is "zero waste landfill", but recently it is applying for funding from the Legislative Council for the expansion of the New Territories West Landfill, which will be saturated in 2026. It is estimated that after the expansion of 100 hectares, it will be enough to be used for more than 30 years.
Huang Jinxing explained that tens of thousands of metric tons of waste are generated every day, and it takes time for waste reduction transformation. For example, it takes about 10 years for the “turning waste into energy” of food waste to reach a higher proportion. "Waste-to-energy" materials, such as ashes and inert waste materials, are considered to be in need of landfills, and the proposed expansion area is already a "fairer estimate".
The road map set during the tenure depends on the government to continue to advance
Huang Jinxing, who is an architect, has served as Director of the Environment Bureau since July 2012.
When asked if he would have a chance to do another term, Huang Jinxing did not respond positively. He pointed out that during his term, he hopes to establish a road map for Hong Kong's environmental protection and strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The next few governments will be needed in the future. Continue to advance, and review the experience every 5 years. "It’s not a bad thing to do well. Sometimes it’s more aggressive to use innovative technology. There must be ups and downs in the trial process. The most important thing is to end the experience and help us move forward. Going smoother and better. In the future, the next government will be based on the foundation and do better."
He said with a smile that even as a citizen, he can watch the government push forward and implement the blueprint.
Huang Jinxing did not respond positively to whether he would seek re-election as the Secretary for the Environment, saying that he would try his best to establish a road map for Hong Kong's environmental protection and strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
(Photo by Zhang Haowei)
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