Shek Kwu Chau IncineratorWe took a trip to Soko Islands and Shek Kwu Chau Incinerator Site

The Incinerator? The Hong Kong Government has planned to build an Integrated Waste Management Facilities on Shek Kwu Chau. It would be expected to be completed by 2018 if the Legislative Council's finance committee had approved the funding. The incinerator is hoped to be able to burn about 3,000 tonnes of waste per day. It has been given approval by Legco to be built off the coast of Lantau Island as shown on the next slide.We saw finless porpoises near the site of incinerationThey are one of the six porpoise species. Genetic studies indicate that they are the most basal living member of the porpoise family, although there is a degree of taxonomic uncertainty about them.

Sight of the incineratorThe project is to construct and operate a modern Integrated Waste Management Facilities (IWMF) for managing municipal solid waste (MSW) under a design-build-operate contract agreement. Along with the incinerator they plan on having a mechanical sorting and recycling plant with design capacity of 200 tpd.

What is the rationale for the incineratorThe rubbish in Hong Kong needs somewhere to go, we cant keep filling up our landfills. Hong Kong needs an immediate solution to handle its rubbish situation and the incinerator seems to be the only method. The incinerator can also partially provide Hong Kong with energy. Advantages - Environmental Alternative solution, minimise the use of land/landfills.reduces amount of solid waste (landfill sites can be sustained for a longer time)reduces amount of organic waste by 95%

Advantages - SocialEliminates our wasteGenerates electricitySaves money and carbon footprint on transport of waste to landfills Disadvantage: Environmental Air pollutants/smoke - CO2/CO - Acidification - plants and animals die off food chains or bioaccumulative toxicsCarbonation Boat trafficPush certain animals to extinction Dredging and reclamation = Kill finless porpoises + damage one of the best areas for Hong Kong Fisheries

Disadvantages: Social