Root Of Landfill Problem
不正本清源 堆填區風波難息
文章日期:2010年11月26日

雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】TO DEAL WITH the waste problem, the government intends to extend the Tseung Kwan O landfill by five hectares. Many Legislative Council (Legco) members are against it. Yesterday Legco President Tsang Yok-sing allowed a legislator to table a motion to repeal the Chief Executive's order for that purpose. It is to be put to the vote tomorrow. That has triggered an exceptional executive-legislature conflict. Whether the government will give in or bring the issue to court, we will only have a temporary solution. The root of the problem will remain. Hong Kong is an advanced city, but its municipal solid waste (MSW) management is quite backward. Unless we thoroughly mend our ways and formulate a long-term policy on MSW reduction, other places will be marred even if Clear Water Bay Country Park is not.

英語

政府為了解決垃圾問題,要把將軍澳垃圾堆填區擴建5公頃,遭到立法會議員反對,昨日立法會主席曾鈺成批准議員提出議案,明日表決,觸發罕見的行政立法衝突,最終不論是政府讓步,還是交由司法機關裁決,都只是治標而已,問題根源依然故我。香港是先進的國際城市,但香港處理都市垃圾的做法相當落伍;除非我們痛改前非,全面制訂減少都市垃圾的長遠政策,不然的話,即使清水灣郊野公園可以避過一劫,其他地區也會面對同樣問題。

普通話

The conflict involves intricate points of law not readily comprehensive to the general public. However, Legco President Tsang Yok-sing deserves praise for the decision he made yesterday. It is not rare for the executive and the legislature of a place to have different interpretations about their constitutional positions. Such issues often have to be determined in court. The Basic Law provides for Legco's powers and functions. The power to enact, amend or repeal laws is among those Article 73 of the Basic Law expressly confers on Legco, which must not be deprived of it. If most Legco members consider it against the public interest to extend the landfill but Legco has no power to repeal the order in question, its power to supervise the government will certainly be weakened. Tsang's decision, which would help maintain Legco's dignity and status, is worth support. It is worth it even if the controversial issue will eventually have to be taken to court, for the court can clarify it and dispel doubts.

英語

今次衝突涉及複雜的法律理據,公眾不易理解,但立法會主席曾鈺成昨日裁決,批准議員提出議案,卻值得肯定。行政與立法機關就各自的憲制地位有不同詮釋並要交法院裁決,在世界各地並不罕見。《基本法》確立了立法會的地位及職權,其中「修改和廢除法律」是《基本法》第73條訂明的職權,不應被褫奪;若然大部分議員都認為擴建堆填區違反公眾利益,但立法會仍然無權否決法令,勢將削弱立法會監察政府的權力,曾鈺成這次裁決,有助維護立法會的尊嚴及地位,值得支持,即使最終要交由法院審議,也是值得的,因為可以由法院澄清這個具爭議的問題,消除疑惑。

普通話

The executive-legislature conflict is only a manifestation of the MSW problem. The Tseung Kwan O landfill will be saturated in 2013. It will last only six more years even if it is extended. The landfills in Tuen Mun and Ta Kwu Ling will be saturated in ten years. The root of the problem is that Hong Kong's policy on MSW management lags more than ten years behind advanced foreign cities'. That by no means becomes Hong Kong's status as a world city.

英語

這次行政立法之爭,只是問題的表象。將軍澳的堆填區到2013年便飽和,即使成功擴建,也只能延長6年;位於屯門及打鼓嶺的堆填區,亦將於未來10年陸續飽和。問題的根源,在於香港處理都市垃圾的政策,較先進的外國城市落後10多年,與香港的國際都會地位完全不相稱。

普通話

According to a piece of research by Friends of the Earth, a green group, advanced countries like some European Union members introduced producer responsibility schemes towards the end of the 1990s. The idea is to reduce over-packaging and encourage recycling by legislation or imposing levies. The purpose of doing so is to reduce waste at source.

英語

環保組織「地球之友」的研究指出,歐盟等先進國家早已在1990年代末,陸續實行產品生產者責任制,理念是先以立法禁止、徵費等方式,減少過量包裝,鼓勵回收,從源頭入手減少製造垃圾。

普通話

It is wrong to say the SAR government has done nothing about this problem. In 2005, it released A Policy Framework on the Management of Municipal Solid Waste. It did intend to take policy measures to reduce MSD and encourage recycling. The plastic bag levy was imposed in mid-2009. However, it has yet to decide when to implement measures to encourage full recycling and disposal of food waste, reduce product packaging or impose a weight-based waste disposal charge. It has therefore often been criticised by green groups.

英語

特區政府在這問題上並非毫無準備,2005年已提出《都市固體廢物管理政策大綱》,推動減少廢物、加強回收等政策,膠袋稅已在2009年中實施,但環保團體經常批評,全面回收及處理廚餘、限制貨品包裝、垃圾按量收費等政策何時才能落實,至今仍未有定案。

普通話

Society must not be content with stopgaps. Citizens must not think the Cheung Kwan O issue is none of their business. Society should seize the opportunity of the Tseung Kwan O landfill controversy to consider seriously how Hong Kong can promptly introduce policies designed to reduce MSD. Hong Kong should try to reduce waste at source, follow the "user pays" principle and put in place statutory regulatory schemes. This is a responsibility all citizens must share.

英語

社會不能抱着「頭痛醫頭」的心態,以為將軍澳的問題事不關己。社會應藉將軍澳堆填區爭議,認真研究在香港盡快落實減少製造垃圾的政策──從源頭開始減廢,用者自付,立法規管,這是社會必須共同承擔的責任。

普通話

明報社評 2010.10.12

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Wience Lai, Lecturer, Hong Kong Community College

http://www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/index.php?lang=eng&cms=928

袁振華博士,香港理工大學中文及雙語系講師

http://www.cbs.polyu.edu.hk/staffs/Yuen-David.php

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