Alternatives Report Waste Management in Sai Kung

1. Alternatives Report Waste Management in Sai Kung Amy Wakeford Cynthia Siu Lok Liru Wang Huadong Song

2. Problems raised in the baseline studies • Management - waste management is controlled centrally and not locally. • Policy - lack of policies and market-based measures to enforce waste reduction (Eg. waste disposal charges and collection fees). • Public education - lack of education on the importance of waste reduction. 4.Community Initiatives - lack of community initiatives and involvement.

3. Upstream effects of waste - poor awareness and policies controlling the upstream production and effects of products (manufacturers, producers, retailers). • Facilities - Lack of reuse, recycling and recovery facilities in Sai Kung and Hong Kong. • Perception - waste is looked at as a useless by- product, rather than a resource.

4. Concerns of Stakeholders Residents: • They feel there are not enough recycling facilities in SK and are located in inconvenient places. • Feel that they can’t do much because the government hasn’t provided the facilities or they unaware of what already exists. Restaurants: • They are concerned about the hygiene impact from food waste. • They want the most cost-effective and efficient waste management system.

5. Local pickers: • They are concerned about getting as much recyclable waste as possible to make money. • Would like more support from the government in what they are doing. NGOs: • Their main concern is the government isn’t doing anything. • People should take their own initiative to reduce the amount of waste they produce. For example, Composting Government (District councilor): • He thinks that there are not enough waste collection and recycling facilities in Sai Kung. • He would like to see the government do more about waste reduction.

6. Gap analysis University of British Columbia Southeast False Creek Small town within a big city, surrounded by ocean and parks Community composition – Hi-rise residences, houses, businesses, restaurants, offices, university buildings Official community plan – incorporates sustainable development Small community within a big city Community composition – Mid-rise residences and a few businesses Official community plan – based on sustainable development (acts as a model)

7. Benchmarking

8. Alternatives - Government • Policy Measures (HK government’s new policy framework) Waste charging, producer responsibility scheme, and landfill disposal bans 2. Public education EPD, NGO’s and local council should provide workshops, posters, pamphlets and letters on the 4 R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle and recover) and how the community can get involved. • Facilities The government should provide more waste recycling facilities in various locations. • Markets The government should provide more incentives and subsidies to promote local recycling and recovery industries. 5. Provide Funding – to promote community initiatives and waste reduction programmes.

9. Community Plan – Community composting and urban agriculture Villages Schools Composting garden with public allotments Community Composting and environmental education garden Community composting, public allotments& public education garden Product- compost (Fertilizer) Town centre Bio-diesel Markets

10. Community Initiative: Action Plan: • To promote decentralization of waste management by the local council and increase community involvement. • To develop a community-based circular economy through urban agriculture and composting. • To improve the social development of SK by employing local pickers and the unemployed as food waste collectors. • To reduce the level of organic matter going to the landfill.

11. Town centre • Aim: • To manage the food waste from restaurants and residential units. • To develop a local urban agriculture system. • To educate the public on waste reduction and composting practices. Plan: Create a community-based organic waste collection service and composting garden. Provide public allotments for locals who want to grow organic vegetables and develop a weekly farmer’s market. Develop an education centre related to composting and green technologies. Type of facility: In-vessel composting facility Farmer’s Market Public allotments Education Centre Bio-diesel

12. Villages Aim: • To manage the food waste from residential units. • To provide public allotments for locals to grow vegetables. Plan: To create an organic waste collection service and community composting gardens within the villages. The compost bins will be managed by the locals in payment for an allotment. Type of facility: Small gardens centrally located within villages. Use of drum composting bins.

13. Schools Aim: • To educate our next generation about waste reduction Plan: To create a small scale composting garden for educational purposes. Initiate class composting Type of facility: Small scale composting garden (Rooftop composting garden if land is limited) Different types of composting bins e.g. worm bin, drum barrel

14. Circular economy Local residents sell organic produce and compost at a Farmer’s Market held at the community garden. Locals who want to a piece of land to grow food can have it for free if they volunteer to manage the composting bins. Local residents buy local food and dispose of food waste in the designated collection bins. Public education and community involvement Waste is collected by local pickers or unemployed with VVs powered by bio-diesel. Waste is taken to a community composting garden and composted.

15. Bio-diesel • Clean burning alternative fuel produced from domestic renewable resources. • Contain no petroleum, can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel. • No major modification on the conventional engines is needed. • Compare with petroleum diesel, it can reduce 78% CO2, 47% particulate matter and 48% CO. Aim: To manage used animal fat and cooking oil from restaurants and residential units. To provide a “clean” source of fuel for the food waste collection trucks. Plan: Collect the used animal fat and cooking oil from restaurants to be used to make biofuel. To create a small bio-diesel production site at the town centre composting garden. To fill the collection trucks with bio-diesel.

16. Markets for compost • Town centre community garden: • Public allotments • AFCD – forest fertilization • Gardening centers • Local buyers • Villages: • Public allotments • Schools: • School garden

17. Benefits • Environmental: • Divert waste from landfill • Extending the life of the landfill • Minimize the methane production at landfill • Reduce pollution (transportation) • Enhance local biodiversity • Improve food security • Social: • Provide education to the younger generation • Improve the local hygiene • Increase awareness on waste reduction, composting and green technologies. • Provide jobs for local pickers • Foster a sense of community • Promote a healthy and organic diet. • Economic: • Production of local produce • Production of compost • Generating job opportunities for the unemployed. • Extending the life of the landfill • Political: • Devolution of power • to the local council.

18. Indicators and targets for the composting and urban agriculture scheme

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