Replies to Questions from Finance Committee Members

Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2003-04 Reply Serial No.
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO
INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION
ETWB(E)046
Head : 44 Environmental Protection Department Subhead(No. &
title):
Programme : (1) Waste Facilities
Controlling Officer : Director of Environmental Protection
Director of Bureau : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works
Question Serial No.
Question : Would the Government inform this Council:
Please list out the usage and the locations of the landfills that have been restored and
developed for beneficial uses. What is the annual expenditure and staffing for the
monitoring and management of respective landfills? Please provide the breakdown by
post.
Asked by : Hon. CHOY So-yuk
Reply : The details for the old landfills where the main restoration works have been completed are
provided below. Please note that even when the main restoration works have been
completed, the landfills will continue to generate landfill gas and leachate for a very long
time as degradation of waste proceeds for many years. It should be noted that restoration is
an on-going process and resources are required to operate and maintain the restoration works
to ensure that the sites would not pose any hazard to the adjacent environment.
Gototop
0052
The main restoration works for the Shuen Wan Landfill in Tai Po were completed in December
1997. The estimated expenditure in 2003-04 for the operation and maintenance of these works
is $4.8 million and 0.5 Environmental Protection Officer (EPO), 1 Senior Environmental
Protection Inspector (SEPI) and 2 Environmental Protection Inspectors (EPI) are provided for
the monitoring and management of this landfill. While the restoration process will be
ongoing for many years, the site has been developed for a beneficial interim after use and has
been used as a golf driving range since April 1999.
The main restoration works for the Sai Tso Wan Landfill in Kwun Tong were completed in
May 1998. The construction of a multi-purpose grass pitch for football and baseball at the
landfill has just commenced. The estimated expenditure in 2003-04 for the operation and
maintenance of the restoration works is $2.1 million. This will be increased to $6.1 million per
annum when the grass pitch is open to the public in March 2004 but the staffing for the
monitoring and management of this landfill will remain as 0.2 EPO, 0.2 SEPI and 0.6 EPI.
Signature
Name in block letters ROBERT J. S. LAW
Post Title Director of Environmental Protection
Date 20 March 2003