• A temporary sorting facility is in operation in the South East New Territory Landfill (SENT) until 2001 to recover inert material from C&DM received before the waste is disposed in the landfill. We plan to establish two C&DM sorting facilities, one each at Tseung Kwan O and Chai Wan by mid 2000 and 2002 respectively. These facilities will be able to handle about 2000 tonnes of mixed C&D waste per day. This would separate the C&D waste from inert material before disposal at landfills. Sites for more sorting facilities to provide reasonable access across the territory are being sought.
  
  
• We are reviewing the programme of planned reclamation and site formation projects to identify opportunities for early commencement so as to maximise the reuse of public fill.
  
  
• We have and will continue to stockpile public fill, where it is practicable, on newly reclaimed land as temporary buffer storage. We are considering the economic viability of setting up a 'fill bank' and searching for possible sites for this.
  
  
• WB will shortly issue a guideline on construction site waste management. Existing material specifications are being reviewed for opportunities for wider use of recycled C&DM.
  
  
• Annex C provides further information on major existing measures and other longer terms proposals to encourage the reuse and recycling of C&DM.

• To minimise the disposal of C&DM at landfills the Waste Reduction Framework Plan recommends the introduction of landfill and C&DM sorting facilities charges. Charging will provide the necessary economic incentive to promote separation and recycling businesses.
  
  
• Adequate advance notice would be given on the introduction of charges to allow the industry to take them into account in tenders and contracts.
  
  
• We intend to extend the public works contracts' "Trip Ticket System ² " to all construction sites to better manage the disposal of C&DM to landfills, public filling areas and other legal outlets. The Housing Authority started phasing in a similar trip ticket system on 1 July 1999.

• The existing legislative controls and the responsibilities for managing C&DM are spread across a wide range departments and bureaux. Annex D sets out the existing institutional arrangement for C&DM management and lists the legislation administered by each bureau and department. It is intended that, upon the establishment of the Environment and Food Bureau on 1 January 2000, responsibilities for C&DM management and landfill management will be consolidated under a single bureau. This will provide a structure to formulate and implement comprehensive measures to reduce C&DM, and reduce C&D waste.

Annex C

Recycling and Reuse of C&D Material

• In all public works contracts, it is specified that earthwork materials that are suitable for use in the permanent work should be re-used in the permanent work ¹ .
  
  
• In March 1998 ² , Works Bureau promulgated a policy that all reclamation and earth filling projects that have imported filling requirement more than 300,000m ³ are required to use public fill (the inert portion of the C&D materials) unless exemption is sought from the relevant authority . This is intended to ensure that designers of reclamations and other earth filling projects give priority to re-use C&DM and hence increase the capacity for re-using such material in other projects.
  
  
• The following measures have been taken to encourage re-use of the inert portion of C&DM in public filling areas :
  
  
  • relaxing the acceptance criteria of public fill to include oversized rocks and a small amount of timber;
    
    
  • requiring the contractors managing public filling operations to accept wet soil;
    
    
  • operating public filling barging points at strategic locations; and
    
    
  • liaising closely with the construction industry to encourage contractors to deliver the inert portion of C&DM to public filling areas
  
  
• From 1 April 1998 ⁴ , all public works projects comprising 100% demolition works have been required to carry out on-site sorting of all C&DM so as to separate the materials into different groups for re-use in public filling areas, for recycling or for disposal at landfills.
  
  
• Since 1 July 1999, all public works contracts have adopted a trip-ticket system for the proper disposal of C&DM. When the landfill charging scheme is implemented, this system will provide an added incentive to encourage contractors to reduce, re-use and recycle C&DM generated from their construction activities.

• Works Bureau proposes to prohibit the use of timber in site hoardings for all public works contracts starting from year 2000. Contractors will be required to use other re-usable materials such as steel, aluminum etc. for hoardings. This practice has been adopted by Housing Department since 1994
  
  
• Works Bureau is preparing to issue guidelines on construction site waste management in public works contracts to promote the reduction, re-use and recycling C&DM in early 2000.
  
  
• Works Bureau is consulting the industry on the feasibility of wider use of recycled C&DM in the industry.
  
  
• The current material specifications for public works are being reviewed to explore the possibility of allowing wider use of recycled C&DM.
  
  
• Project designers will be encouraged to explore the use of re-usable materials in their design and construction method to enable the use of re-usable formworks. Housing Department has been using large panel formwork in building contracts since late 1980's. There are now a number of proprietary systems in the market.
  
  
• The programmes of some reclamation and earth filling projects are being reviewed to see if their programmes can be advanced in order to provide more pubic filling capacity.

Annex D

• Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau (PELB) has policy responsibility for the management of C&DM. Its main objective is to ensure that C&DM does not unnecessarily fill the expensive and rapidly depleting landfill space.
  
  
• Works Bureau (WB) is responsible for
  
  --setting standards and requirements for public works contracts regarding the sorting of C&DM into public fill and C&D waste;
  
  --exploring opportunities to recycle public fill in public works projects; and
  
  --setting guidelines for minimising the generation of C&DM for public works projects.
  
  
• Civil Engineering Department's (CED) involvement includes -
  
  --the Fill Management Committee (FMC), chaired by Director of Civil Engineering, manages the use of fill resources in Hong Kong and the disposal of dredged mud in Hong Kong's waters.
  
  --the Public Filling Sub-committee (PFSC) of the FMC, chaired by Deputy Director (Civil) of Civil Engineering Department, is responsible for co-ordinating the use of public fill for reclamation and site formation and for overseeing the implementation of public filling facilities and outlets.
  
  --the Port Works Division of the Civil Engineering Office implements and operates the public filling facilities and some of the public filling areas.
  
  --the Fill Management Division of the Geotechnical Engineering Office monitors the use of fill resources and manages the disposal of dredged sediments.
  
  
• Territory Development Department (TDD) manages some Public Filling Areas as part of its reclamation projects.
  
  
• Environmental Protection Department (EPD) manages the landfills that receive C&D waste (as well as municipal solid waste), and operates a temporary sorting facility at the South East New Territories (SENT) Landfill (the facility separates inert material for use in the landfill operation such as cover material).

• The authority to issue licences for public filling is in the Lands (Miscellaneous Provision) Ordinance, delegated to Chief Engineer/Port Works, CED. The Ordinance provides that a licence is required to dump material on unleased land. There is no charge for the licence. This does not control dumping on private land.
  
  
• The Town Planning Ordinance provides for the preparation and approval of plans for areas within which permission is required for development. The Planning Department takes enforcement actions against authorised development works including illegal dumping of C&DM on private land.
  
  
• The Country and Marine Parks Ordinance controls dumping activities in country parks and special reserve areas and is enforced by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department.
  
  
• The Waste Disposal Ordinance controls the disposal of waste including C&D waste and is enforced by the Environmental Protection Department
  
  
• The Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance provides general authority to control littering and dumping of waste and is enforced by the USD and RSD.

Annex E

• To promote public and private sector action to reduce waste, recover and reuse resources in accordance with the policies set out in the Waste Reduction Framework Plan and as subsequently directed by the Secretary for Planning, Envrionment and Lands;
  
  
• To co-ordinate the work of the waste reduction task force;
  
  
• To monitor local and international developments in waste reduction, and material recovery and reuse, and advise the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands on appropriate responses; and
  
  
• To provide an annual report to the Advisory Council on the Environment on progress towards achieving waste reduction targets.

• To provide a forum for discussion within the construction industry on C&D waste reduction and initiatives;
  
  
• To consider C&D waste reduction objectives and programme for the construction industry;
  
  
• To set targets for C&D waste reduction;
  
  
• To form working groups under the Task Force on specific issues; and
  
  
• To monitor and evaluate the progress of C&D waste reduction measures and report to the Waste Reduction Committee on a regular basis.