Support for waste facilities Poll: public favour landfill expansion and incinerator

MORE than half of those who took part in a survey support the expansion of three landfills as well as the building of an incinerator on Shek Kwu Chau (石鼓洲).

Nearly 1,000 people took part in the September poll conducted by the City University of Hong Kong (香港城市大學). It was commissioned by the World Green Organization (世界綠色組織).

Around 53 percent of respondents backed expansion of the landfills. Only 11 percent opposed it. Support for an incinerator in Shek Kwu Chau was even higher at nearly 70 percent. Again, 11 percent opposed it.

The organisation believes there is stronger support for building an incinerator because the facility is far from urban areas. Many believe the impact on people would be lowest.

But it found there is room for more public education. Only 21 percent know the landfills will reach their capacity by 2015. Forty-two percent do not know when they will be full.

Also, only 6 percent know that it takes seven to nine years to build an incinerator.

The group urged lawmakers and district council members to support the landfill expansion and incinerator plans. It said that if the facilities are not approved, Hong Kong will have no waste management facilities by 2019.