The Government aims to implement a scheme in 2005 that will impose charges on the disposal of construction waste at landfills, sorting facilities and public fill reception facilities.

The move comes after legislators today passed the Waste Disposal (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2003. Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Works Dr Sarah Liao said the scheme will be an essential component of Hong Kong's waste-management strategy.

"It is in line with the polluter-pays principle, and provides an economic incentive for waste producers to reduce waste and carry out sorting to facilitate reuse/recycling," she said.

"I understand the implementation of the charging scheme will have an impact on the trade. We have therefore been in close liaison with the trade in drawing up the details of the charging scheme and have revised some of the key features of the scheme to address the trade's concerns."

Dr Liao said the Waste Disposal Ordinance has already provided for sanctions against illegal disposal, but the scheme's introduction may aggravate the problem.

"To deter people from avoiding the charges, we consider it necessary to strengthen the legal provisions against illegal disposal," she said.

Key features

The bill amends the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap. 354) to provide a statutory basis for the implementation of a construction waste disposal charging scheme, and strengthen control against illegal disposal.

Its key features are:

* to set the disposal charge at $125 per tonne at landfills, $100 per tonne at sorting facilities and $27 per tonne at public fill reception facilities. The proposed charges represent full cost recovery of the waste facilities;

* to establish a direct settlement system requiring major waste producers, mainly major construction contractors with contracts of $1 million or above in value, who produce about 70% to 80% of construction waste, to open billing accounts with and pay waste disposal charges to the Government directly;

* to remove on-site payment arrangements and require all charges to be paid through billing accounts for the remaining construction waste arising mostly from renovation works; and,

* to exempt all construction contracts that are awarded before the commencement of the charging scheme.