December 16th, 2015:
Email Exchange between CTA and EPD on Municipal Solid Waste
date: Tue, Dec 15, 2015 at 2:46 PM
subject: Fw: E(15/3607) per capita MSW to landfills
Dear Ronald,
Thank you for clarifying what we though was the situation, anyway
The current ENB/EPD method of announcing waste per capita stats is (deliberately ?) flawed
They seemingly divide the total MSW by 7.24 million which is the population of Hong Kong in 2014 to produce the alleged per capita waste per day figure of 1.35 kgs
However this method ignores the waste generated by 61 million tourists (Q1) the cruise and container / other OGV ships (Q2) and at least the transit/transfer pax passing through Chep Lap Kok and adjacent ferry terminal
Adding these additional numbers to divide into the total MSW would obviously reduce the 1.35 kgs per capita per day alleged by ENB/EPD.
Given that there is no source separation of waste legislation, a vast amount of local MSW is tainted by food waste which comprises 3600 tonnes per day.
This ultra wet taint of course prevents the recycling of materials once tainted by that food waste .
The per capita waste numbers would be far different if the food waste were separated allowing recyclables’ collection. Sadly the Government does not collect recyclables outside of housing estates
yet proposes in future to charge for waste collection under a polluter pays system, when the basics are not in place for separation and recycling in the first place.
And this is ‘Policy’ ?
Kind regards,
James Middleton
Chairman
www.cleartheair.org.hk
Sent: 15 December, 2015 01:58 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: E(15/3607) per capita MSW to landfills
Dear Mr. Middleton,
Thank you for your interest in the coverage of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in Hong Kong.
At present, this Department compiles statistics on disposal of solid wastes at landfills based on weighbridge data and other relevant information recorded at entrances of landfills. The MSW are classified into three categories, namely, domestic, commercial and industrial wastes. Please refer to Appendix 1 of the report on ‘Monitoring of Solid Waste in Hong Kong’ at the link provided below for more details. Statistics on various categories of solid wastes disposed of at landfills are shown in Plate 2.1 of the report.
https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en/assistancewizard/waste_red_sat.htm
On the specific questions you raised, our consolidated reply is given below.
Q1. Why is no allowance apparently made for the 61 million visitors who would contribute to the daily said MSW disposal rates to landfill here ?
Q2. What about the MSW taken off visiting container ships and other Ocean Going Vessels berthing here?
Q3. What consideration is given to MSW deposited / food waste from transit passengers at Chep Lap Kok ?
A1-3: Statistics on wastes generated locally out of economic activities including local consumption by those visitors mentioned in your above questions will be captured when the wastes generated by them are collected and transported to local landfills for disposal. These wastes will be recorded as part of the commercial waste received at landfills and be captured in our solid waste disposal statistics.
Yours faithfully,
Ronald Mak,
Statistician
Environmental Protection Department
Sent: 09/12/2015 12:32
Subject: E(15/3607) per capita MSW to landfills
Dear Sir,
We have seen in the press that Hong Kong per capita MSW to landfills is 1.35 kgs per capita in 2014
Why is no allowance apparently made for the 61 million visitors who would contribute to the daily said MSW disposal rates to landfill here ?
What about the MSW taken off visiting container ships and other Ocean Going Vessels berthing here?
What consideration is given to MSW deposited / food waste from transit passengers at Chep Lap Kok ?
Kind Regards,
James Middleton
Chairman
www.cleartheair.org.hk
http://www.tourism.gov.hk/english/statistics/statistics_perform.html
Overnight arrivals 27 770 459
Same-day arrivals 33 068 377
Average hotel occupancy rate 90%
Average length of stay of overnight visitors 3.3 nights ( ie is that 4 days?)
Overnight arrivals 27, 770, 459 x 3.3 = 91,642,514 equiv days
Same-day arrivals = 33, 068, 377 days
‘Laziest’ Hong Kong lawmaker last session? A duo of Pan-dem ‘super seats’
No amendments put forward by both for entire 2014-15, watchdog reports
Two pan-democrat “super seat” lawmakers have been listed, along with the usual suspects from the pro-establishment camp, as the laziest members of the last legislative session.
The research, conducted annually by a watchdog group Catholic Monitors on Legislative Councillors, showed that James To Kun-sun and Albert Ho Chun-yan, both from the Democratic Party, did not move any motion or put forward amendments to others’ motions for the entire 2014-15 session.
Others who shared the dubious distinction of not bothering to move any motion or amendment included a regular – Lau Wong-fat of the Business and Professionals Alliance – who was described as the worst offender for not moving even one motion since the research started in 1991.
There were three from the Liberal Party – James Tien Pei-chun, Felix Chung Kwok-pan, and Tommy Cheung Yu-yan.
A spokesman for the watchdog, Francis Hui Wai-bun, said: “These legislators might be too busy with other affairs. But we believe it is their duty to put forward motions so as to urge for improvement of governance or other people’s livelihood affairs.”
Ho, in defending his poor track record, blamed filibustering by some of his pan-democrat colleagues for taking up most of the time.
Ho and To are so-called “super seat” legislators. They were returned from the district council (second) constituency of the Legislative Council. There are five such “super seats”. Four of the incumbents, including To and Ho, took part in this year’s district level elections. To was re-elected, while Ho lost.
The research also found that To and two of his fellow pan-democrats, Dennis Kwok and Ronny Tong Ka-wah, had not shown up or abstained on more than half the occasions when they were required to vote.
A total of seven lawmakers, including Lau, were found to have done so.
The watchdog group criticised them for not making their stances known. “They deserve to be openly criticised,” said Hui. “As a legislator, he or she has the responsibility of telling the public their position on a social issue.”
Hui acknowledged that Lau had been in poor health but said: “If he feels he cannot manage to serve the public well, he should resign.”
The group’s research also found that 36 of the 109 motions put forward by legislators in the last session would otherwise have been approved, but they failed because of the so-called “split voting” system that requires endorsement by a majority of lawmakers from both geographical and functional constituencies.
On overall attendance, the group identified Lau, non-affiliated Dr Leung Ka-lau, and Cheung Kwok-che of the Labour Party as the three worst offenders.
Source URL: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1891726/laziest-hong-kong-lawmaker-last-session-duo-pan-dem-super