Green Island Cement Company Limited has been given the green light to operate a pilot co-combustion plant in Tap Shek Kok, Tuen Mun, to collect data in a joint research project with the HK University of Science & Technology.

The cement company has been granted a special processs licence, to operate the pilot plant for no more than 16 weeks. It is allowed to incinerate no more than a daily average of 40 tonnes of municipal solid waste.

The Environmental Protection Department said after studying all the relevant information, including the company's air-pollution control plans and the views of the public, it believed the pilot plant will have no significant effect on meeting the Hong Kong's Air Quality Objectives.

No adverse effect on public health expected

Any pilot-plant emissions can be controlled so that they will be unlikely to have any adverse effect on public health.

The company will monitor the emissions itself, but its data will be transmitted to the department on a real-time basis for surveillance.

The company will also set up an environmental monitoring committee, with members from the Tuen Mun District Council, university academics and company staff, to keep a close watch on the plant's performance throughout the trial.

More details are available at the department's website.