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July 10th, 2013:

Shenzhen residents visit Hong Kong to protest Tuen Mun landfill plan

Jul 10th, 2013
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http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1279465/shenzhen-residents-visit-hong-kong-protest-tuen-mun-landfill-plan

News›Hong Kong

Shenzhen residents visit Hong Kong to protest Tuen Mun landfill plan

Wednesday, 10 July, 2013 [Updated: 1:37PM]

Chris Luo chris.luo@scmp.com

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The landfill in Tuen Mun is Hong Kong’s biggest dump. Photo: Martin Chan

The Hong Kong government’s controversial Tuen Mun landfill extension plan has not only elicited strong objections from locals, but it appears to have also provoked residents across the border.

Two residents of Nanshan district in Shenzhen, just across Shenzhen Bay, paid a visit to Tuen Mun district councillor Chan Wan-sang on Tuesday to lodge a complaint about the unpopular plan, Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Wednesday.

“The Tuen Mun landfill has been built for almost 20 years. Facing this vast area of waste every day is difficult for Nanshan residents to accept,” the paper said, quoting Ao Jiannan, secretary of the Shenzhen People’s Congress. The landfill site is less than six kilometres from Nanshan’s coast.

Chen Nansheng, three-time deputy of the Shenzhen People’s Congress, added: “As a highly developed city, there is no need for Hong Kong to further invest in a backwards method such as a landfill to process waste.”

“Hong Kong should build waste incineration plants. Endless landfill extensions will only lead to a dead end,” said Chen, whose solution was inspired after a visit to waste incineration plants in Japan, according to the paper.

The officials’ visit to Tuen Mun come as the Hong Kong government struggles to push forward a plan to expand the landfill in the New Territories. The proposal aims to ease the city’s increasing waste problem. The extension plan will be scrutinised in the Legislative Council on Friday and is expected to be met with strong resistance from lawmakers and local residents.

Shenzhen’s Ao also urged governments on both shores to enhance dialogue in the future.

“Shenzhen and Hong Kong in a sense can be seen as a whole. The two governments should co-operate when it comes to major planning and construction regarding their people’s livelihood,” he said.

Tuen Mun lawmaker Chan, who also opposes the plan, has promised to present feedback from Shenzhen residents to Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in a meeting on Thursday, the paper said.

In response to Shenzhen residents’ complaint, Hong Kong’s Environmental Protection Department told the Daily that its evaluation of the plan’s environmental impact does not look at affected areas outside Hong Kong.

Tuen Mun accounts for about 7 per cent of the area and population in Hong Kong, but its landfill is responsible for processing nearly half of all waste the city produces every day.

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam in bid to save Tuen Mun landfill plan

Jul 10th, 2013
by Editor.
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SCMP online Comment

www.legco.gov.hk/yr12-13/english/panels/ea/papers/ea0527cb1-1079-2-e.pdf

” 15. The Panel held another special meeting on 20 April 2012 to continue discussion on the funding proposals. Noting that many measures pertaining to the Policy Framework HAD YET TO BE IMPLEMENTED, members were OPPOSED TO THE RELIANCE ON LANDFILLS for waste disposal in view of the associated environmental nuisances, as well as the long lead time and cost incurred from restoration of landfills. They stressed the need for a HOLISTIC PACKAGE of waste management measures (including WASTE REDUCTION SEPARATION + RECYCLING) with WASTE INCINERATION AS A LAST RESORT + better communication between the two terms of Government on environmental policies, IN PARTICULAR on the NEED FOR incineration. They also urged the Administration to identify other suitable outlying islands for IWMF and PROMOTE the local recycling industry. In view of the foregoing, members did not support the submission of the funding proposals to the Public Works Subcommittee for consideration.”

Q1- WHAT ENB POLICY HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST LEGCO REJECTION DURING EDWARD YAU’S FAILED MINISTERIAL TERM ?

Q2-HAS THE GOVT CHANGED ITS BLINKERED MINDSET (EXPAND LANDFILL- BUILD INCINERATOR-BURN TRASH-DUMP RESULTANT ASH IN LANDFILL)?

Q3-HAS MANDATORY SOURCE SEPARATION +RECYCLING +WASTE CHARGING LEGISLATION BEEN PUT BEFORE LEGCO? DOES GOVT COLLECT SEPARATED WASTE FROM PRIVATE ESTATES FOR RECYCLING?

A1- NOTHING

A2- NO

A3- NO.NO.

South China Morning Post

Published on South China Morning Post (http://www.scmp.com)

Home > Chief Secretary Carrie Lam in bid to save Tuen Mun landfill plan


Chief Secretary Carrie Lam in bid to save Tuen Mun landfill plan

Wednesday, 10 July, 2013, 12:00am

News›Hong Kong

ENVIRONMENT

Chief secretary to attend tomorrow’s district council meeting to rally support for extension, but Heung Yee Kuk calls for plan’s withdrawal

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will attend a Tuen Mun District Council meeting tomorrow to rally support for the government’s unpopular plan to expand a landfill in the area.

https://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486w/public/2013/07/10/n1.gif?itok=yOa-CV1QThe extension row deepened yesterday as the Heung Yee Kuk published a statement calling for the withdrawal of the proposal, while the American Chamber of Commerce appealed to lawmakers to support it.

Lam’s decision came after kuk chairman Lau Wong-fat, usually a government supporter, vowed to oppose the plan in the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee on Friday. He said he was unhappy that the government had not consulted the district council properly. Lau also said about 100 residents would begin a hunger strike tomorrow in protest.

Lam, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and the undersecretary for the environment, Christine Loh Kung-wai, spoke on the issue yesterday but environment minister Wong Kam-sing was nowhere to be seen. The Environment Bureau said it was unlikely Wong would attend tomorrow’s council meeting because a Legco debate he would attend today might drag on into tomorrow. Lam said she recognised the government did not have enough votes to pass the motion and admitted past consultation could have been better. She said she would oversee works to improve the environment in the district.

“I will bear the responsibility if the future works go wrong,” she said. “I hope I can convince the district councillors that the motion is only about consultation and surveying fees.”

The government is seeking HK$35 million for a feasibility study to expand the landfill by 200 hectares.

Lau said he welcomed Lam’s decision to attend the meeting. He said he said he saw Lam yesterday but found their views were very different.

I will bear the responsibility if the future works go wrong. I hope I can convince the district councillors that the motion is only about consultation and surveying fees

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor

“The government should postpone the plan,” he said.

Lawmakers Abraham Razack and Lo Wai-kwok, members with Lau of the Business and Professionals Alliance, said the group’s six members would oppose the proposal. The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said it would continue to support it.

The kuk’s statement said the government’s decision to shelve a plan for extending the Tseung Kwan O tip “had complicated the issue” and “shaken the stance of government supporters”.

AmCham president Richard Vuylsteke said in another statement that it was “highly concerned” about the extensions. “If necessary environmental measures are not taken, it would harm the quality of life in Hong Kong which ultimately affects the business environment of Hong Kong,” he said, calling for lawmakers to vote for the plan.

Leung said the government would discuss with residents and district councillors how to improve the district’s environment in research to be conducted after the funding was approved.

Loh said the bureau had spoken to various parties in consultation. She recognised that the government had not consulted councillors in the current term.

Topics:

Tuen Mun landfill


Links:
[1] http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1279013/tough-new-rules-creating-mountain-plastic-recyclers

Lam faces off with landfill opponents

Jul 10th, 2013
by Editor.
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Administration chief Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will attend a special meeting of the Tuen Mun District Council tomorrow to face opponents of the proposed landfill expansion.

Kelly Ip and Ashley Wu

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Administration chief Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will attend a special meeting of the Tuen Mun District Council tomorrow to face opponents of the proposed landfill expansion.

The meeting was proposed by council chairman and Heung Yee Kuk lawmaker Lau Wong-fat, who has vowed to fight the proposal to be tabled before the Finance Committee on Friday.

But the chief secretary noted that the proposal only seeks funding for a feasibility study, as she admitted the HK$35 million sought may not be sanctioned.

She said the proposal for funding the expansion will be made only in 2015, and the government will have to bring around Tuen Mun residents by then.

“I am not confident the proposal will be passed this Friday, but I will continue our effort to persuade lawmakers in the time remaining,” Lam said.

Committee chairman Tommy Cheung Yu-yan has accepted a government request to open three other sessions next Wednesday and Friday to continue discussing the HK$35 million proposal if it fails to pass this week.

This comes after a Tseung Kwan O landfill expansion funding proposal was withdrawn amid strong opposition. “[That] landfill is relatively closer to residences. It is more controversial,” Lam said. “We will propose the [Tseung Kwan O] plan to the Legislative Council again after making amendments.”

Lau warned of hundreds of Tuen Mun residents going on hunger strike outside Government House tomorrow night.

“The government should withdraw all landfill expansion plans instead of just the Tseung Kwan O plan,” he said. “We should be treated equally.”

But Chief Executive Leung Chun- ying stressed the importance of the proposed feasibility study in Tuen Mun.

“Consultations would continue at a community level, even if the funding is approved,” Leung said. “We will study how to reduce adverse effects of the landfill on Tuen Mun residents.”

Environment undersecretary Christine Loh Kung-wai said bureau officials will speak to lawmakers and Tuen Mun residents ahead of the committee meeting, stressing that the government will not give up on expanding the three landfills, the third being at Ta Kwu Ling.

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker Gary Chan Hak-kan said the party has always supported funding for initial research on the Tuen Mun expansion.

“The funding is only for initial research,” he clarified. “We will actively monitor the government before deciding whether to support the expansion later.”

New People’s Party lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun called for the funding proposal to be withdrawn, while the Civic Party led a protest march to Government House yesterday.

Carrie Lam in bid to save Tuen Mun landfill plan

Jul 10th, 2013
by Editor.
No comments yet

Wednesday, 10 July, 2013, 12:00am

News› Hong Kong

ENVIRONMENT

Chief secretary to attend tomorrow’s district council meeting to rally support for extension, but Heung Yee Kuk calls for plan’s withdrawal

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will attend a Tuen Mun District Council meeting tomorrow to rally support for the government’s unpopular plan to expand a landfill in the area.

https://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486w/public/2013/07/10/n1.gif?itok=yOa-CV1QThe extension row deepened yesterday as the Heung Yee Kuk published a statement calling for the withdrawal of the proposal, while the American Chamber of Commerce appealed to lawmakers to support it.

Lam’s decision came after kuk chairman Lau Wong-fat, usually a government supporter, vowed to oppose the plan in the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee on Friday. He said he was unhappy that the government had not consulted the district council properly. Lau also said about 100 residents would begin a hunger strike tomorrow in protest.

Lam, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and the undersecretary for the environment, Christine Loh Kung-wai, spoke on the issue yesterday but environment minister Wong Kam-sing was nowhere to be seen. The Environment Bureau said it was unlikely Wong would attend tomorrow’s council meeting because a Legco debate he would attend today might drag on into tomorrow. Lam said she recognised the government did not have enough votes to pass the motion and admitted past consultation could have been better. She said she would oversee works to improve the environment in the district.

“I will bear the responsibility if the future works go wrong,” she said. “I hope I can convince the district councillors that the motion is only about consultation and surveying fees.”

The government is seeking HK$35 million for a feasibility study to expand the landfill by 200 hectares.

Lau said he welcomed Lam’s decision to attend the meeting. He said he said he saw Lam yesterday but found their views were very different.

I will bear the responsibility if the future works go wrong. I hope I can convince the district councillors that the motion is only about consultation and surveying fees

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor

“The government should postpone the plan,” he said.

Lawmakers Abraham Razack and Lo Wai-kwok, members with Lau of the Business and Professionals Alliance, said the group’s six members would oppose the proposal. The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said it would continue to support it.

The kuk’s statement said the government’s decision to shelve a plan for extending the Tseung Kwan O tip “had complicated the issue” and “shaken the stance of government supporters”.

AmCham president Richard Vuylsteke said in another statement that it was “highly concerned” about the extensions. “If necessary environmental measures are not taken, it would harm the quality of life in Hong Kong which ultimately affects the business environment of Hong Kong,” he said, calling for lawmakers to vote for the plan.

Leung said the government would discuss with residents and district councillors how to improve the district’s environment in research to be conducted after the funding was approved.

Loh said the bureau had spoken to various parties in consultation. She recognised that the government had not consulted councillors in the current term.


Links:
[1] http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1279013/tough-new-rules-creating-mountain-plastic-recyclers