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Following is a question by the Hon Leung Ka-lau and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, at the Legislative Council meeting today (July 6):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the quantities of various kinds of asbestos materials and asbestos-containing materials re-exported from Hong Kong in 2008 and 2009;
(b) the usage of various kinds of asbestos materials and asbestos-containing materials imported into Hong Kong in the past five years from 2006 to 2010; and
(c) the quantities of asbestos products or asbestos-containing waste disposed of in Hong Kong in each of the past five years from 2006 to 2010?
Reply:
President,
According to the interpretation of the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (the Ordinance), "asbestos" includes the minerals, and substances containing amosite, crocidolite, chrysotile, fibrous actinolite, fibrous anthophyllite and fibrous tremolite. The import and sale of amosite and crocidolite have been banned in Hong Kong since the commencement of the Ordinance in 1996. In addition, to comply with requirements under relevant international conventions, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has been enforcing the Hazardous Chemicals Control Ordinance since 2008 through a permit system to step up controls on the import, export, manufacture and use of the raw materials of asbestos (except chrysotile*). The use of asbestos and asbestos containing materials in the construction and other industries has been largely replaced by asbestos-free products. The quantity of import has substantially decreased as compared with the time before the Ordinance became effective. At present, only low risk materials containing chrysotile are imported into and exported from Hong Kong.
* The relevant international conventions have not yet banned the import, export, manufacture and use of chrysotile
My reply to the three parts of the question is as follows:
(a) As no asbestos is produced locally, the quantities of export are the same as the quantities of re-export from Hong Kong. According to the Census and Statistics Department's records, the quantities of re-export for various kinds of asbestos and asbestos containing materials over the past five years are shown in Annex.
(b) Over the past five years, asbestos and asbestos containing materials imported into Hong Kong were mainly used for heat insulation, noise insulation, fire resistance and friction braking purposes. As the use of these materials has been largely replaced by asbestos-free products, we have drawn up a proposal to ban the import, sale and use (including manufacture) of any asbestos and asbestos containing materials to further reduce their impacts on the public. Consultation with the industry on the proposal has been completed and we are now reviewing the comments received in detail in order to finalise the proposal.
(c) The table below shows the quantities of asbestos products or asbestos containing waste disposed of in Hong Kong in the past five years:
Year Quantities of asbestos containing waste
(tonnes)
2006 1 560
2007 1 570
2008 1 940
2009 2 620
2010 2 010
The asbestos containing waste being disposed of mainly included asbestos cement water pipes, corrugated cement sheets, fibre materials for heat insulation, noise insulation or fire resistance purposes, friction materials and vinyl floor tiles. Asbestos waste is classified as chemical waste, its generation, collection and disposal have to comply with the regulatory requirements of the Waste Disposal Ordinance in order to protect the environment and public health.
Ends/Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:37
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