Martin Williams
Christine Loh Kung-wai, undersecretary for the environment, writes that she and her colleagues see no conflicts between plans to build a “waste-to-energy project”, that is, a massive trash incinerator, and Hong Kong’s contribution to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (“Vital project for waste management”, February 18).
Well, perhaps I can add to the explanation of Paul Melsom in his letter (“Environmental officers should seek to protect, not ruin”, February 4). I anticipate that while invisible to Ms Loh, the conflicts will be crystal clear to most people.
Essentially, the conflicts arise from waters just west of Shek Kwu Chau being a key habitat for finless porpoise, which the International Union for the Conservation of Nature classes as globally vulnerable to extinction, so should merit strong government protection efforts; yet this is the very site where the government plans to build an artificial island for one of the world’s largest waste incinerators.
As any conservationist would tell you, the best way to protect an endangered species is to safeguard its habitat. Yet the government plans to destroy a key place for the porpoise, and make a currently tranquil area busy with boat traffic plus round-the-clock work on feeding the incinerator.
Ms Loh writes of mitigation measures, such as designating nearby waters as marine park, and releasing fish fry. These may appeal to bureaucrats and engineers seeking to railroad the incinerator project through, but fail to impress conservationists such as Mr Melsom. The increasingly dire situation of the Chinese white dolphin shows that such efforts cannot compensate for the devastating effects of reclamation schemes.
Then, along with producing fumes too poisonous for it to be sited in the city, the incinerator will create highly toxic ash, and there are notions for dumping this in a landfill island to be built south of nearby Cheung Chau. So as well as severely impacting porpoises, the incinerator island will harm other wildlife and threaten human health.
Of course, Hong Kong does need to tackle its waste crisis, but should also protect biodiversity. Though officials are blinkered, there are more options than the government’s burn or bury strategy. From reducing ridiculous packaging, through increased reuse and recycling, to adopting less harmful and more advanced treatment technologies, it is possible to wage war on waste without killing porpoises.
Dr Martin Williams, director, Hong Kong Outdoors
Source URL (modified on Mar 2nd 2015, 12:01am): http://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1724969/it-possible-wage-war-waste-without-killing-porpoises