hong kong environmental problems

HK environmental problems​

By Yiu (1009)

​1. Air Pollution

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 4.2 million people around the world die from outdoor air pollution every year.​

​

Based on Hong Kong Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) records, street-level air pollution in densely populated areas including Causeway Bay, Central and Mong Kok often exceed WHO guidelines, reflecting a sizeable number of Hong Kong residents breathing in air that contains high levels of pollutants every day.  ​

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the major source of air pollution in Hong Kong?

• fossil fuel motor vehicles

• emission from power plants

• regional smog caused by industrial power plants from Mainland China

• industrial sources

Multiple Select

What are the health risks arising from air pollution?

• obesity

• chronic respiratory infections and diseases

• increased risk of cancer

• gene mutation

Multiple Choice

The Environmental Protection Department releases hourly Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) to inform the public of the short-term health risk of air pollution in Hong Kong and helps the public take precautionary measures to protect their health. When AQHI hits _____, children, the elderly and people with heart or respiratory illnesses should reduce outdoor physical exertion.

• 5

• 6

• 7

• 8

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is not a strategy used by the Hong Kong and Guangdong governments to tackle regional air pollution in the Greater Bay Area?

• retrofitting power plants with emission reduction devices

• phasing out highly polluting industrial plants

• introducing cleaner motor vehicle fuels and motor vehicles

• subsidizing purchases of electronic cars

​2. Landfill waste

One of the most glaring environmental issues Hong Kong currently faces is landfill waste. Every year, about 4.17 million tonnes of solid waste make its way to our landfills.

​

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the biggest source of Hong Kong solid waste?

• clincial waste

• construction waste

• food waste

• e-waste

Multiple Choice

True or false: Landfill waste will worsen global warming.

• True

• False

​Landfill and global warming

Landfill gases, which are emissions from landfills decompose organic waste, will continue to surge as a result and contribute towards global warming, especially when you consider 40-60% of landfill emissions are methane gases, and have 10 times the warming potential than carbon dioxide. ​

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Poll

In your opinion, which of the following is the most effecive way to tackle the landfill waste problem?

• Revitalizing local recycling industry

• Building incinerators

• Constructing special waste management facilities e.g. food waste treatment centre

• Direct economic disincentive e.g. waste charging scheme/ bag tax

​3. Plastic Pollution

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Hong Kong generate about 3.9 billion disposable food and drink containers every year.

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

Which of the following would worsen the problem of plastic pollution?

• biodegradable and compostable takeaway packaging utensils

• "bring your own container" campaign

• styrofoam

• "no straw day"

Multiple Choice

True or false: The lack of an efficient recycling infrastructure is a major contributing factor in the plastic crisis in Hong Kong.

• True

• False

​Mainland China's policy

In 2019, less than 20% of plastic packaging waste was recycled due to the fact that a majority of the Hong Kong public distrust the efficacy of the city’s recycling schemes.

​

Prior to China’s Green Fence, where the country placed a ban on importing unprocessed materials, Hong Kong used to offload the city’s rubbish to the mainland for recycling. Since the policy implementation, Hong Kong has yet developed enough recycling plants to compensate. ​

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Poll

In your opinion, which of the following is the most effective in tackling the plastic pollution issue in Hong Kong?

• bag tax

• a ban of disposable food packaging

• inventing alternatives to replace plastic e.g. water-solluble plastic

• promoting public education by setting up EcoPark

​4. Food Waste

Food waste in Hong Kong accounts for about 31% of municipal solid waste that goes straight to landfills. In 2019, a recorded 1,067 tonnes of food waste were produced from commercial and industrial sources such as restaurants, hotels and wet markets. The amount of food waste has also been on the rise especially in the F&B industry where it grew from 800 tonnes per day in 2012 to 1,000 tonnes of waste generated per day in 2019.

​

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

​4. Food Waste

The current practice of disposing of biodegradable food waste at landfills is not sustainable and is environmentally undesirable as it depletes the limited landfill space, creates odour nuisance, generates leachate and landfill gases that require further mitigation measures to deal with, and squanders the useful organic contents.

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Select

Food Wastes can be turned into...

• composting

• bioplastics

• dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals

• liquid biofuels

Poll

In your opinion, which of the following strategies in tackling the HK food waste problem are you the most familiar with?

• Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign

• Food Donation coordinated by NGOs

• setting up on-site composters for food waste treatment in housing estates

• Recycling at the organic resource recovery centres