“The government is clearly not serious about cleaning up the environment in Hong Kong.” Lydia Chan (2) Cindy Fong (7)

Objective Objective  To find out Hong Kong government’s seriousness in cleaning up Hong Kong’s environment.

Do you think Hong Kong is clean enough? Major pollution problems in Hong Kong: Air pollution Water pollution Land pollution

Types of Solid Waste Disposed of at Landfills in 2005 Domestic waste carries the largest percentage of solid waste disposed of at landfills in However, this trend has been started since twenty years ago. Current situation: How serious the problem of solid waste is Summary of the major types of solid waste disposed of at waste facilities (from EPD)

According to figures from Friends of the Earth. Every day, the community of Hong Kong disposes about 17,900 tonnes of solid wastes which 7,500 tonnes are domestic waste. Domestic waste are wastes produced by household, daily activities in institutional premises and refuse collected from public cleansing services

Number of landfills in Hong Kong: 3 Total capacity of these three landfills:135 million cubic metres If population increases, per capita level of domestic waste increases… The remaining landfill space will cater for 6 to years only if the situation continues South East New TerritoriesWest New TerritoriesNorth East New Territories Per Capita Disposal Rates of Municipal Solid Waste and Domestic Waste in

FindingsFindings

Government’s policy 1: Source Separation of Domestic Waste Waste Recycling Campaign in Housing Estates

A. Series of policies made by the Hong Kong government_1 Name: Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) (A trial scheme)Name: Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) (A trial scheme) Duration: Three monthsDuration: Three months Content:Content: –Residents will use designated bags for disposing non-recyclable domestic waste and will use “food waste bags” to separate domestic waste from food waste Comments:Comments: –The wastes collected in the programme were sent to landfills also –The process before seemed to be meaningless and this trial program seemed not well-planned

Government’s policy 2: Supporting the No Plastic Bag Day

A. Series of policies made by the Hong Kong government_2 Name: No Plastic Bag Day (supported by the government financially)Name: No Plastic Bag Day (supported by the government financially) Duration: The first Tuesday of each monthDuration: The first Tuesday of each month Content:Content: –Consumers are encouraged to bring their own shopping bags or to donate $0.5 for each plastic bag they ask for on that day Comments:Comments: –Encouraged citizens to bring their own bags and reduce the number of plastic bags. –It increased the awareness of using less plastic bag as to protect the environment. –Idea of No Plastic Bag Day should be expanded so that the number of plastic bags disposed in landfills can be further reduced.

Government’s policy 3: Fixed penalty of $1500 for Littering

A. Series of policies made by the Hong Kong government_3 Name: A fixed penalty of $1500 for LitteringName: A fixed penalty of $1500 for Littering Duration: Started from 24th June 2003Duration: Started from 24th June 2003 Content:Content: –Anyone who commits such offers as littering, spitting, unauthorized display of bills and posters, or fouling of streets by dog faeces in public places in Hong Kong shall be liable to a fixed penalty of HK$1,500. –Seven departments of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government are responsible for enforcing this fixed penalty system. Comments:Comments: – An average of 2000 fixed penalty notices is given to citizens each month. In certain extent, this policy is effective in deterrent citizens not to throw rubbish on the streets. –the amount of rubbish on streets is still in a great number – citizens would repeat in committing the policy, indicating the enforcement was not enough. –some citizens are uncooperative with the enforcement officers. – the government may employ more enforcement officers to enhance the effectiveness of this policy.

B. Cooperation between internal departments of the Environmental Protection Department Even though policies are made and facilities are developed, without education, desirable results cannot be achievedEven though policies are made and facilities are developed, without education, desirable results cannot be achieved Use education as a means to arouse citizens’ awareness of environmental protectionUse education as a means to arouse citizens’ awareness of environmental protection Citizens would not have the initiative to cooperate with government’s policies without knowing the reason for protecting the environment.Citizens would not have the initiative to cooperate with government’s policies without knowing the reason for protecting the environment.

C. Successful measures carried out by the overseas governments 1/ Taiwan Make use of kitchen wastes in compost or change them into organic soil to be resold laterMake use of kitchen wastes in compost or change them into organic soil to be resold later -> similar measures will be suitable in Hong Kong The Taipei government requires all households to separate wastes into different plastic bags every dayThe Taipei government requires all households to separate wastes into different plastic bags every day ->those who produce more waste have to buy larger plastic bag of higher price to encourages citizens to produce less waste.

C. Successful measures carried out by the overseas governments 2/ Singapore “National Recycling Programme”“National Recycling Programme” -> To provide residents in HDB flats and landed estates with recycling services -> Recycling rate reached a new high of 51% in 2006, up from 40% in > Waste disposed off in Singapore has decreased from a peak of 7,600 tons per day in 2000 to 7,000 tons per day in 2006.

RecommendationsRecommendations

1.Better education A long term solution to help increasing the awareness of pubicA long term solution to help increasing the awareness of pubic To teach public and the younger generation about the appropriate attitude in consuming resources and changes their perceptionsTo teach public and the younger generation about the appropriate attitude in consuming resources and changes their perceptions To promote the needs and advantages in keeping Hong Kong cleanTo promote the needs and advantages in keeping Hong Kong clean

2. Better cooperation between government departments To increase effectiveness and effeminacy in carrying out policies or organizing campaigns.To increase effectiveness and effeminacy in carrying out policies or organizing campaigns.

3. Better cooperation between the government and green groups To share their points of view towards policies and include different opinionsTo share their points of view towards policies and include different opinions  the policies can be more comprehensive and fulfill the human- oriented principle To organize activities or campaigns together (e.g. No Plastic Bag Day )To organize activities or campaigns together (e.g. No Plastic Bag Day )  achieve the purpose of raising the awareness of the public in cleaning Hong Kong

4. Legislation To improve situation in short term  Citizens change behaviours to avoid being punished  Effective in lessening the impact of pollution on the environment Easier for the government to carry out more strategies related to environmental protection  Necessary for the citizens to contribute their supports and efforts  Impossible to protect the environment just with the policies carried out by the government.

Conclusion Hong Kong government is passive and conservative in carrying measures to solve the problem of land pollution in Hong Kong.Hong Kong government is passive and conservative in carrying measures to solve the problem of land pollution in Hong Kong.  not active in promoting the idea of environmental protection among citizens ->Advertisements are not frequent and lead to failure of campaigns.  hesitant to have measures that have great influence on the current situation because of the pressure that it may be blamed or criticized by citizens ->not willing to take the lead and make great changes.

Conclusion  willing to make Hong Kong a better place to live in and is willing to clean it up, ->but, policies or campaigns are not as effective as expected due to problems in cooperation between internal departments of the Environmental Protection Department, (e.g., the trial Municipal Solid Waste program )  government can take the successful measures which are carried out by other countries as a reference -> can improve the situation and alleviate the problems by putting more efforts and resources in carrying out measures and promoting the proper attitude about treating waste among the public.

DiscussionDiscussion

Discussion Questions 1.What can the students do to help to keep Hong Kong clean? 2.If the Municipal Solid Waste Scheme is carried out in Hong Kong, do you think that it is an effective way? Please explain. 3.Suggest reasons why environmental problems exist in Hong Kong. 4.Why is it necessary to protect our environment? 5.Apart from land pollution, how do you feel about the other pollution problems in Hong Kong? 1.What can the students do to help to keep Hong Kong clean? 2.If the Municipal Solid Waste Scheme is carried out in Hong Kong, do you think that it is an effective way? Please explain. 3.Suggest reasons why environmental problems exist in Hong Kong. 4.Why is it necessary to protect our environment? 5.Apart from land pollution, how do you feel about the other pollution problems in Hong Kong?