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Minutes of the 3rd Meeting of the HKSAR Fourth Term of Wong Tai Sin District Council (Summary Translation) Date: 13 March 2012 (Tuesday) Time: 2:30 p.m. Venue: Conference Room, Wong Tai Sin District Council, 6/F, Lung Cheung Office Block, 138 Lung Cheung Road, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon Present: Chairman: Mr. LI Tak-hong, MH, JP Vice-chairman: Dr. WONG Kam-chiu, MH Wong Tai Sin District Council Members: Ms. CHAN Man-ki, Maggie Mr. CHAN On-tai Mr. CHAN Wai-kwan, Andie Mr. CHAN Yim-kwong, Joe Ms. CHAN Yuen-han, SBS, JP Mr. HO Hon-man Mr. HO Yin-fai Mr. HUI Kam-shing Mr. KAN Chi-ho, BBS, MH Ms. KWOK Sau-ying Mr. LAI Wing-ho, Joe Mr. LEE Tat-yan, MH Mr. MOK Chung-fai, Rex, MH Mr. MOK Kin-wing Mr. MOK Ying-fan Mr. SHUM Wan-wa [4](1)20120502-4_DC[M3](13.3.12)-e.doc 1 Mr. SO Sik-kin Ms. TAM Heung-man Ms. TAM Mei-po Mr. TING Chi-wai, Roy Mr. WONG Kam-chi, MH, JP Mr. WONG Kit-hin Mr. WONG Kwok-tung Mr. WONG Kwok-yan Mr. WONG Yat-yuk Mr. WU Chi-wai, MH Mr. Yuen Kwok-keung, Stephen In Attendance: Mr. LAI Yiu-kei, Samson Assistant Director EPD ) For item (Waste Management Policy) ) III(i) Miss CHENG Ching-mon, Senior Administrative Officer EPD ) Libera (Waste Management Policy Division) ) Mr. CHAN Kai-wah, Tommy Senior Environmental Protection EPD ) Officer (Regional E)2 ) Mr. WONG Chi-sing, Janson Chief Engineer (Kln) CEDD ) For item Mr. TUNG Hiu-kwong Senior Engineer (Kln) CEDD ) III(ii) Mr. LAM Chun-cheuk Senior Engineer Ove Arup & ) Partners ) Hong Kong ) Ltd. ) Dr. Victor WONG Senior Engineer Ove Arup & ) Partners ) Hong Kong ) Ltd. ) Mrs. HO LOK So-fun, Rosa Chief Architect 3 HD ) For item Mr. CHOI Cheong-fai, Senior Architect 15 HD ) III(iii) Michael Ms. NG Yuk-hing, Serena Senior Planning Officer 5 HD ) Mr. NG Pak-sheung Architect 50 HD ) Ms. LI Shuk-ming, Selina Senior Executive Officer (Planning)6 LCSD ) Ms. WONG Yim-hung, Aubrey Executive Officer (Planning)6 LCSD ) [4](1)20120502-4_DC[M3](13.3.12)-e.doc 2 Mrs. Sorais LEE Head (Kai Tak Office) CEDD ) For item Ms. YING Fun-fong Chief Engineer/Kln 3 (Kln) CEDD ) III(iv) Ms. LAI Man-foon, Vivian Senior Town Planner, Pre-Kowloon PlanD ) East Development Office ) Mr. W. L. HO Director AECOM ) Mr. SHIU Wai-cheun, William, JP District Officer (Wong Tai Sin) WTSDO Ms. NG Wing-yin, Clara District Commander (Wong Tai Sin) (Ag.) HKPF Ms. Lily NG District Social Welfare Officer SWD (Wong Tai Sin/Sai Kung) Mrs. SUNG CHEUNG Chief Housing Manager HD Mun-chi (Wong Tai Sin, Tsing Yi, Tsuen Wan and Islands) Mr. LO Kam-yan, Anthony Chief Engineer CEDD Mr. AU Siu-fung, Kelvin Senior Transport Officer / Wong Tai Sin TD Mr. WONG Wai-wan, MH District Environmental Hygiene FEHD Superintendent (Wong Tai Sin) Mr. LAM Hok-hay, George District Leisure Manager LCSD (Wong Tai Sin) Mr. CHIK Yu-fai, Freddy Assistant District Officer WTSDO (Wong Tai Sin) Mr. CHUNG Chan-yau, Senior Executive Officer WTSDO Patrick (District Management) Mr. TING Tin-sang Senior Liaison Officer 1 WTSDO Ms. PANG Suk-wah, Phyllis Senior Liaison Officer 2 WTSDO Ms. TANG Wai-lan, Cecilia Executive Officer I (District Council) WTSDO Secretary: Ms. LAM Pui-fun, Maggie Senior Executive Officer WTSDO (District Council) Opening Remark by the Chairman The Chairman welcomed all to the 3rd meeting of the Wong Tai Sin District Council (WTSDC), in particular the Environmental Protection Department (EPD)’s AD (WMP) Mr. Samson LAI, SAO(WMPD) Miss Libera CHENG and SEPO Mr. Tommy CHAN who attended the meeting for agenda item III(i). 2. The Chairman welcomed the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF)’s District [4](1)20120502-4_DC[M3](13.3.12)-e.doc 3 Commander (WTS)(Ag.) Ms. Clara NG, and the Transport Department (TD)’s STO/WTS Mr. Kelvin AU who stood in for Mr. Vincent FAN. 3. The Chairman informed Members that the agenda had to be revised to accommodate an additional item, “Three-day Duty Visit to Eastern Guangdong by Wong Tai Sin District Council”. The revised agenda had been sent to Members by fax. 4. The Chairman told Members that a list of proposed discussion time for agenda items of the 3rd meeting was tabled for Members’ reference and Members raised no objection to the list. I. Confirmation of the Minutes of the 1st and 2nd Meetings of the Wong Tai Sin District Council held on 3 January 2012 and 17 January 2012 5. Minutes of the 1st and 2nd meetings of WTSDC held on 3 January 2012 and 17 January 2012 respectively were confirmed without amendment. II. Progress Report on Matters Arising from the 1st and 2nd Meetings of the Wong Tai Sin District Council (WTSDC Paper 20/2012) 6. Members noted the paper. III(i). Public Consultation on Municipal Solid Waste Charging (WTSDC Paper 21/2012) 7. The Chairman invited EPD’s AD (WMP) Mr. Samson LAI to introduce the paper. 8. Mr. Samson LAI said he was glad to attend the WTSDC meeting. He pointed out that all waste generated in Hong Kong was dumped into the three soon-to-be-full landfills. Hong Kong had adopted a multi-pronged waste management approach, with the objective to create a sustainable waste management system. One of the major tasks in this connection was to promote recycling of waste, so as to reduce the waste that required disposal at, and our reliance on the landfills. Advanced waste treatment facilities were also required to turn waste into useful resources. EPD had made good progress on the above tasks and, with the wide public support, achieved a very decent municipal solid waste (MSW) recovery rate of 52% in 2010. In early January, EPD had launched a consultation exercise on the proposed introduction of [4](1)20120502-4_DC[M3](13.3.12)-e.doc 4 MSW charging into Hong Kong as an economic means to reduce the generation of, and to encourage the recycling of waste. He played a short movie on the paper, and emphasised that MSW charging was by no means a revenue-generating initiative. Instead, it was intended to be an economic incentive that might change behaviour and lead people to cut down on waste. Different cities across the world had their own MSW charging systems, which involved different supporting measures and varied complexity. Generally speaking, a quantity-based charging system could create greater economic incentives and was thus more effective in fostering the behavioural changes. However, it would lead to a more complex system that required broad public involvement. Therefore, discussion about the need for introducing MSW charging in Hong Kong should cover factors unique to Hong Kong, such as the operational needs of the existing waste collection system, efficiency of municipal services, environmental hygiene, and whether the economic incentives would drive behavioural change towards waste reduction. EPD would decide the way forward and implementation details on the basis of community consensus. 9. The Chairman said ten DC members of the DAB Wong Tai Sin Branch had made a submission (Annex I) before the meeting. These members included Mr. KAN Chi-ho, BBS, MH, Mr. LI Tak-hong, MH, JP, Mr. HO Yin-fai, Ms. Maggie CHAN, Mr. Joe LAI, Mr. HO Hon-man, Mr. Stephen YUEN, Mr. MOK Kin-wing, Mr. WONG Kwok-yan and Ms. TAM Mei-po. He invited Mr. Stephen YUEN to introduce the submission. (Ms Maggie CHAN and Ms. TAM Heung-man arrived at the meeting at 2:50 p.m.) 10. Mr. Stephen YUEN thanked EPD for launching the public consultation exercise on “Sustainable Waste Management – Strengthening Waste Reduction: Is Waste Charging an Option?” Regarding the introduction of MSW charging as an MSW reduction measures, the DAB Wong Tai Sin Branch would like to raise seven concerns on the four approaches of MSW charging set out in the consultation paper, namely quantity-based system, proxy system, fixed charge and partial charging: (i) Although waste charging had been introduced in many countries and jurisdictions with proven effectiveness in waste reduction, it was all new to Hong Kong. Hence, the Government should not decide on the introduction of waste charging solely on the basis of the outcome of the three-month consultation. Instead, sufficient time should be given so that consensus in the community could be built through thorough discussion; (ii) Supporting measures were indispensable to sustainable and effective [4](1)20120502-4_DC[M3](13.3.12)-e.doc 5 waste disposal. Consensus in the community should be reached before the introduction of waste charging. Also, a transparent and objective charge determination mechanism should be in place so that the charge was affordable to the general public. Moreover, consideration should be made to exempt financially vulnerable elderly people and CSSA households from waste charging. A reasonably long transition period should be provided too; (iii) Not only economic means (e.g. waste charging) could reduce the amount and control the generation of waste. In fact, the Government’s data reveal that its waste recovery initiatives, in particular separation of domestic waste, were very effective. This showcased that the public has fallen into a habit to separate and recover waste. Many people even pointed out that the recovery scheme could be further extended to cover glass, food waste, batteries, etc.; (iv) A complete waste recovery mechanism should be in place. Waste charging, even if introduced, could do little to reduce the generation of waste; (v) Apart from encouraging people to recovery waste, the Government had to do more to promote the development of green industries in Hong Kong, including recovery and recycle industries; (vi) International experiences revealed that advanced facilities might be used to process waste.

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