Abstract
As Hong Kong’s landfills are expected to reach saturated conditions by 2020, the city can no longer rely on landfilling alone as the sole solution for waste treatment in the long term. Drawing on five months of archival research at the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Public Records Office (PRO) in 2016 as well as 17 months of fieldwork conducted between 2012, 2013 and 2016, this article provides a much-needed overview of why sustainable waste management has always been such a challenge for Hong Kong. Focusing on the city’s dependence on landfills and its failure to integrate alternative waste management technologies, namely incineration, into its current waste management regime, we explicate Hong Kong’s waste management predicaments from the 1950s to the present day. Through a historical lens, we argue that Hong Kong’s waste problems have a historical root and that they are unlikely to be resolved unless the government is willing to learn from its past mistakes and adopt a much more proactive approach in the near future.
Highlights
The Historical Roots of Hong Kong’s Landfill Dependence From organic waste to dirty waste As industrial production skyrocketed in the post-war years (Schenk 2001: 14; 1994), Hong Kong was confronted with an unprecedented amount of solid waste pollution
Annual household waste production rose from 322,000 tonnes in 1952 to 877,400 tonnes in 1972 (Urban Council 1952, 1973), almost tripling within only 20 years
What they did not realize, was that this figure only accounted for one third of the total Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) currently received at landfills in Hong Kong (Environmental Protection Department 2014)
Summary
The Historical Roots of Hong Kong’s Landfill Dependence From organic waste to dirty waste As industrial production skyrocketed in the post-war years (Schenk 2001: 14; 1994), Hong Kong was confronted with an unprecedented amount of solid waste pollution. Considering the limitation of landfills, in 2008, the Hong Kong SAR government proposed to construct an Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) on an artificial island near Shek Kwu Chau to alleviate pressure on landfilling.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
