It is a bad plan that cannot be altered” – Publilius Syrus
Hong Kong officials are adamant about pressing ahead with the Shek Kwu Chau incinerator as the future for the city’s municipal solid waste treatment. After readers of the SCMP sent in suggestions to avert such a course, a representative from the Environmental Protection Department, Elvis W.K. Au, sent in a discombobulating response. It reads:
I wish to respond to the letters by Mary Melville on the disposal of food waste (“Environment-friendly fix makes molehill of food waste mountain [1]”, October 12) and Frank Lee on thermal waste treatment technologies (“Officials stick with outdated technology [2]”, October 24).
We have already examined the use of a food waste grinder. It merely transfers the food waste from the solid waste disposal system to the liquid waste disposal system without any enhanced treatment.
It would also increase both sewage pollution loads and the amount of sewage, with adverse impact on the existing sewerage network and sewage treatment works. The higher solid contents will lead to the need for higher sewer maintenance frequency and costs, as well as higher risks of sewer blockage.