Minutes of the 9th Meeting of
Food, Environment, Hygiene & Works Committee (2016-2017)
Central and Western District Council
Date / : /25 May 2017
Time / : / 2:38 pmVenue / : / Conference Room
14/F, Harbour Building
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong
Present:
Vice-chairman
Mr YEUNG Hok-ming*
Members
Mr CHAN Chit-kwai, Stephen, BBS, JP*Mr CHAN Choi-hi, MH*
Mr CHAN Ho-lim, Joseph / (Beginning of the meeting- 4:30 pm)
Mr CHAN Hok-fung, MH*
Ms CHENG Lai-king*
Mr CHEUNG Kwok-kwan, JP / (2:56 pm –3:58 pm)
Mr HUI Chi-fung / (2:40 pm - 4:13 pm)
Mr KAM Nai-wai, MH*
Mr LEE Chi-hang, Sidney, MH / (Beginning of the meeting- 3:44 pm, 5:15 pm - end of the
meeting)
Miss LO Yee-hang*
Mr NG Siu-hong*
Mr YEUNG Hoi-wing*
MrYIP Wing-shing, BBS, MH, JP / (Beginning of the meeting- 4:15 pm)
Co-opted Members
Mr CHENG Chi-shing, David*
Mr HO Chi-wong / (5:29 pm–end of the meeting)
Mr LEE Wai-keung / (Beginning of the meeting- 4:47 pm)
Mr WONG Sai-kit / (Beginning of the meeting- 6:26 pm)
Remarks: *Members who attended the whole meeting
( )Time of attendance of Members
Guests
Item 5
Ms WU King-yan, Theresa / Environmental Protection Department / Senior Environmental Protection Officer(Food Waste Management)1Dr Stephen LAM / Environmental Protection Department / Project Officer
Mr Steven CHOI / Green Council / Senior Project Manager
Item 6
Mrs MA CHOW Pui-fun, Dorothy / Environment Bureau / Principal Assistant Secretary for the Environment (Energy)Item 7
Mr CHAN Chak-wing, Esmond / Highways Department / District Engineer/WestMr CHEUNG Chun-kee / Lands Department / Senior Estate Surveyor/West (District Lands Office, Hong Kong West and South)
Mr LEE Tze-wah / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department / District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent (Central/Western)
Item 8
Ms YEUNG Yu-shan, Alice / Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department / Senior Field Officer (Avian Influenza)Mr LEE Tze-wah / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department / District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent (Central/Western)
Item 9
Mr LEE Tze-wah / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department / District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent (Central/Western)Item 10
Mr LEE Tze-wah / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department / District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent (Central/Western)Item 11
Mr LEE Tze-wah / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department / District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent (Central/Western)Item 12
Mr CHAN Chak-wing, Esmond / Highways Department / District Engineer/WestItem 13
MrCHEUNG Shing-hsi, Lawrence / Environmental Protection Department / Principal Environmental Protection Officer (Community Relations)Mr YUEN Po-hung / Environmental Protection Department / Senior Environmental Protection Officer(Waste Reduction & Recycling)1
Mr CHEN Kin-wun, Edwin / Environmental Protection Department / Environmental Protection Officer(Special Duties) 31
Mr LEE Tze-wah / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department / District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent (Central/Western)
Item 14
Ms CHAN Miu-ling / Leisure and Cultural Services Department / Deputy District Leisure Manager (Central and Western) 2Mr CHEUNG Chun-kee / Lands Department / Senior Estate Surveyor/West (District Lands Office, Hong Kong West and South)
Miss CHAN Kwan-lee, Silvia / Planning Department / Town Planner / Hong Kong 12
Ms LAU Yee-yan, Dorothy / MTR Corporation Limited / Assistant Public Relations Manager – External Affairs
In Attendance
Mrs WONG Ho Wing-sze, Susanne, JP / Central and Western District Office / District Officer(Central and Western)
Ms YEUNG Wing-shan, Grace / Central and Western District Office / Senior Executive Officer (District Council)
Mr MOK Chi-kin, Jiv / Central and Western District Office / Senior Executive Officer (District Management)
Ms WONG Kam-ling, Candy / Buildings Department / Building Surveyor/A3-SD
Mr CHAN Chak-wing, Esmond / Highways Department / District Engineer/West
MrNG Cheuk-man / Hong Kong Police Force / Assistant Police Community Relations Officer (Central District)
Mr CHAN Chun-ping / Hong Kong Police Force / Neighborhood Police Co-ordinator(Central District)
Mr FAN Ka-yin / Hong Kong Police Force / Neighbourhood Police Co-ordinator (Western District)
Mr LEE Tze-wah / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department / District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent (Central/Western)
Ms CHAN Miu-ling / Leisure and Cultural Services Department / Deputy District Leisure Manager (Central and Western) 2
Mr LAM Wai-chuen, Eddie / Civil Engineering and Development Department / Senior Engineer 7 (Hong Kong Island Division 1)
Mr LAW See-hon, Sean / Environmental Protection Department / Senior Environmental Protection Officer (Regional South) 1
Mr CHEUNG Chun-kee / Lands Department / Senior Estate Surveyor/West (District Lands Office, Hong Kong West and South)
Secretary
Miss TAM Lok-Yin, Jovita / Central and Western District Office / Executive Officer (District Council) 3
Absent with Apologies:
Ms SIU Ka-yiMr LAU Kam-sing, Dickie
Opening remarks
The Vice-chairman conveyed that the Chairlady was unable to attend this meeting and the Vice-chairman would chair the meeting on her behalf.
2. The Vice-chairman welcomed Members andrepresentatives of government departments to the 9thmeeting of the Food, Environment, Hygiene & Works Committee (FEHWC) (2016/17).
3. On behalf of FEHWC, the Vice-chairman extended his welcome to Mr CHEUNG Chun-kee, Senior Estate Surveyor/West (District Lands Office, Hong Kong West and South) of the Lands Department (LandsD), who was replacing Mrs MAK LEUNG Suet-mui; Ms CHAN Miu-ling, Deputy District Manager (Central and Western) 2 of theLeisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), who was replacing Mr CHOI Yiu-kwok; and Mr MOK Chi-kin, Senior Executive Officer (District Management) of the Central and Western District Office, who was replacing Miss YU Yan-yan.
Item 1 - Adoption of the agenda
(2:38pm)
4.Members had no comments on the agenda, and the agenda was adopted.
Item 2 - Confirmation of the minutes of the eighth meeting of FEHWC on 23 March 2017
(2:38pm – 2:39pm)
5. The Vice-chairman said that no proposed amendments to the draft minutes of the 8th meeting had been received before the meeting. Members had no proposed amendments to the relevant draft minutes of meeting. The Vice-chairman announced that the minutes of the meeting were confirmed.
Item 3 – Action checklist on matters arising from the last meeting
(C&W FEHWC Paper No. 38/2017)
(2:39pm – 2:40pm)
6. The Vice-chairman invited Members to note the contents of the paper.
Item 4 – Vice-chairman’s report and working group reports
(2:40pm – 2:42pm)
7. The Vice-chairman said that the Secretariat had already circulated the following information papers to Members for perusal earlier on:
No. / Title of Paper / Circulation Date
25/2017 / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Anti-mosquito Campaign 2017 (Phase II) in Central & Western District / 18 April 2017
26/2017 / Funding application– Anti-rodent & Anti-mosquito Campaign 2017 / 2 May 2017
37/2017 / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department –Strategies and Work for Improvement of Environmental Hygiene in Hong Kong / 15 May 2017
8. The Vice-chairman said that the working groups got nothing to report so far.
Item 5 – Food Waste Reduction Activities
(C&W FEHWC Paper No. 34/2017)
(2:42pm – 3:33pm)
9. Ms WU King-yan, Senior Environmental Protection Officer (Food Waste Management)1of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), commented that the Central and Western District was the eleventh district to launch the Food Waste Reduction Activities. The Activities mainly involved inviting the commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors to join and train front-line staff in food waste separation for recycling. It would also arrange for the transportation of food waste to the Kowloon Bay Pilot Composting Plant (KBPCP) for recycling to produce compost for use in local farms, schools and community nurseries.
10. Mr Steven CHOI, Senior Project Manager of the Green Council, briefed the Committee on the objectives and details of the “Food Waste Reduction Activities – Central and Western District”, explaining that the Activities covered five areas, such as the Food Waste Recycling Partnership Scheme launched in collaboration with the C&I sectors, Food Waste Reduction Exhibition, promotional activities and visit to KBPCP, with the aim of educating the public to cherish food and gathering relevant experience for application to the food waste plant at the Organic Resources Recovery Centre (ORRC) Phase 1 in Siu Ho Wan. He said that the “Food Waste Reduction Activities – Central and Western District” would last for a period of six months and its kick-off ceremony would be held in a major shopping mall in the district in early July this year. Members would be invited to attend the ceremony.
11. The Vice-chairman invited Members to express their views and raise questions on the issue. The main points of Members’ comments were as follows:
(a) / Mr CHANChit-kwai supported the reduction of food waste. He asked about the effectiveness of the scheme in the East District and the Wan Chai District where the Activities had already been conducted and the response of the shops. He also wished to know the efficacy and handling capacity of KBPCP and the long-term plan for food waste reduction.
(b) / Mr CHAN Choi-hi said that the ultimate goal of the Activities was to achieve zero food waste and suggested to step up publicity work. He hoped to know the specific indicators used to measure the success of the Activities and suggested the department to consider setting up food waste recycling machines in government facilities like the markets of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and EPD’s recycling centres in each district, so that market operators and members of the public could also participate in food waste recycling.
(c) / Ms CHENG Lai-king hoped that the department would target at the suppliers and reduce the amount of food waste at source, such as giving away food not sold by business operators to those in need so as to achieve zero food waste. She also hoped that the public would have the opportunity to participate directly in food waste recycling.
(d) / Mr LEEChi-hang suggested the department to make reference to practices in places like Taiwan, such as using food waste collection vehicle to collect food waste from the community at a fixed time. He believed the public would be willing to cooperate.
(e) / Mr CHANHo-lim supported the promotion of food waste reduction, but believed the details of the scheme could be improved in two aspects. In addition to targeting at restaurants within the district, he also proposed to collect domestic food waste of nearby residents at shopping malls concurrently as residents of the Mid-levels and the Peak areas also greatly supported food waste recycling. In addition, he understood that the ultimate goal was to achieve zero food waste, so he hoped that collection of domestic food waste could be included in the long-term policy so as to effectively raise awareness of the public and domestic helpers on food waste reduction.
(f) / Mr YEUNG Hoi-wing said the Activities was only a short-term scheme and hoped that the department would formulate a long-term and general policy on food waste handling. He asked how the department would encourage individual business operators to participate in the Activities and urge them to reduce food waste. He also hoped that the Government would consider providing additional ancillary facilities for domestic food waste recycling to tie in with the waste charging scheme.
(g) / Mr NG Siu-hong hoped that besides publicity and promotion, the Government could also set up food waste collection points at government premises and consider the use of mobile recycling vehicles.
(h) / Mr HUI Chi-fung agreed to the organisation of publicity and education activities and pointed out that ongoing public education was necessary. However, the target of this Activities was only the C&I sectors, direct participation by the public was excluded. To him, this was a reflection of the Government’s lack of determination in promoting community recycling. He considered that modification of refuse collection points and provision of food waste machines at private housing estates were feasible approaches. In the long run, the Government should consider ways in which the public could directly participate in food waste recycling.
(i) / Mr CHENGChi-shing said that there was only one shopping mall within the district participating in the Activities, and such representation was not enough. He asked whether the department had approached other units to pitch in the Activities and was it that KBPCP could not handle a larger amount of food waste. He also wished to know the respective treatment capacities of KBPCP and the food waste plant in Siu Ho Wan.
(j) / Mr LEE Wai-keung proposed that the department might consider launching the pilot scheme in local areas where food premises clustered. He believed the future waste charging scheme could also draw reference from the experience. He also pointed out that the department should focus on educating junior staff in food establishments and monitoring the proper recycling of food waste in restaurants.
(k) / Mr YIP Wing-shing said the habit of recycling food waste should be developed from an early age. In addition, apart from donating unsold food to non-government organizations, the Government should also formulate a long-term and comprehensive environmental protection policy. For example, it should specify on the deed during land sales that developers were required to set up food waste recycling machines in private housing estates.
(l) / Mr CHAN Hok-fung pointed out that departments should focus publicity and public education work on waste reduction at places like Chinese restaurants. He also considered that the issue of food waste recycling should be sustained by policy and planning. He hoped that the compost made from recycled food waste could be used for community nurseries in the area to boost community participation.
(m) / Mr CHEUNG Kwok-kwan said that if food waste recycling was promoted in shopping malls and restaurants, the public could also participate because they were consumers patronizing at shopping malls and restaurants. And the public’s mindsets and daily habits had a direct implication on the production of food waste. He also pointed out that the cost-effectiveness of promoting food waste recycling at shopping malls and restaurants was higher than that of community and household levels.
12. The Vice-chairman supported the Food Waste Reduction Activities and said he understood that the department had vigorously promoted food waste recycling at schools. However, some schools had geographical constraints and were not able to use compost for planting at school. He hoped that the department could help the schools concerned to make use of the food waste at community nurseries within the area so that all schools could participate in food waste recycling.
13. Ms WU King-yan of EPD responded that the treatment capacity of KBPCP was 1.5 tonnes. The purpose of its construction was to test the feasibility of converting food waste into compost in Hong Kong. However, the department also hoped to make full use of the facility, that’s why this Activities scheme was launched to tie in with the facility for educational and publicity purpose. She said the Activities was a pilot scheme with a view to encourage the C&I sectors to try out food waste separation, and the first target was food waste recycling. Since Hong Kong produced about 3300 tonnes of disposable food waste every day, of which about 1000 tonnes were coming from the C&I sectors,she believed that it was more cost-effective to start the scheme with the C&I sectors. At the same time, as shopping malls were managed by property management companies, eateries only needed to collect the food waste and hand them to the property management companies at the shopping mall. The procedure would be relatively simple. The department hoped to establish a habit of food waste recycling and a recycling network through the pilot scheme, before extending it to other areas like the domestic sector step by step.
14. She said that the purpose of this scheme was to educate and encourage the C&I sectors to take the lead in food waste recycling. As the situation in each shopping mall was also different, therefore no measurable targets was set to gauge its success.
15. She also pointed out that in order to cope with the problem of food waste in Hong Kong, the Government had taken a multi-pronged approach by aiming at avoiding and reducing the production of food waste at source. Besides, a number of strategies related to tacklingfood waste were formulated, including the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign, food donation scheme and the establishment of ORRC to tie in with food waste collection. For food waste recycling from the domestic sector, due to the higher cost of transporting food waste, the burden on the general public was greater. Therefore, the department hoped to develop a recycling network in the C&I sectors first and then use it to cover collection of domestic food waste. It was proposed in the 2017 Policy Address that in order to encourage food waste recycling, the Government would implement a pilot project to source separate food waste from wet markets and cooked food centres managed by FEHD, wet markets and shopping malls managed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority as well as wholesale markets of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) for delivery to the upcoming ORRC for treatment.