Events: “Challenges and Solutions to Plastic Recycling in Hong Kong” organized by FoE (HK) on 25 Jul 2013

活動名稱:	塑膠回收討論會
開始日期:	2013/07/25	開始時間:	18:30
結束日期:	2013/07/25	結束時間:	20:00
地點:	Friends of the Earth (HK) Office

近日，有關廢物棄罝之問題在社會引起激烈討論，有見及此，地球之友將

於2013年7月25日下午6時30分於本會會址就有關塑膠回收及廢物議題進行討論。

當日討論議程如下：

6:30 pm    背景簡介

6:45 pm    塑膠回收所面對的挑戰 (講者：楠豐國際有限公司林贇睿小姐)

7:30 pm    討論/問答環節

8:00 pm    討論會結束

(**討論會將以英語進行)

地址：香港北角屈臣道2號海景大廈A座13樓1301-02室

有與趣參加的朋友請電郵至foehk@foe.org.hk留位；名額有限，先到先得。

是次活動主要是提供一個平台予地球之友的會員、員工及其他有興趣人仕進行討論，並了解更多有關廢物管理相關的議題；活動講者所提供的資料並不代表香港地球之友的立場。請自備水杯或水瓶以享用我們提供的熱茶或熱水。

香港地球之友

*有關討論會及講者的詳細資料，請參閱電郵下半部份 (只有英文)

Come and hear Ms Stephanie Lam share her personal thoughts on the topic of “Challenges and Solutions to Plastic Recycling in Hong Kong”. 

One of the most controversial topics in Hong Kong today is WASTE DISPOSAL.  Spending $HK35m on a study by people that have not found a solution in the past 20 years is not a solution.  Throwing money at a problem does not achieve anything other than creating another report, which will join the dusty archives of previous reports.  This problem cannot be resolved by people with limited experience in this industry.  Do you know how other major countries deal with the problem of waste disposal and in particular the scrap plastic waste disposal?  A major part of the solution is recycling, via technology, marketing, logistics, management and common sense.  Can it be done?,  100% Yes!  Can we come up with a solution for HK? 

Stephanie Lam, BBA, HKU (Accounting & Finance) is the Managing Director of the global broking trading house for plastic recyclables, UNM International Ltd.  To ensure success Stephanie inspects all suppliers and customer operations personally, prior to entering into business transactions and has inspected more than 100 of these operations around the world.  It often includes walking among piles of smelly plastic scrap, but knowing that the product can be recycled and made into a renewable product and not discarded into landfill or incinerated to add more carbon into the atmosphere, Stephanie finds it rewarding and fulfilling.  She has thus dedicated her business career to achieve waste reduction..

For more information: http://www.foe.org.hk/c/event/event_page.asp?event_id=141#.Uev0H9KbdiI

Read More

Vietnamese Updates: Recycling plastic bags into fuel oil - A new direction for waste management (10 Jun 2013)

Recycling plastic bags into fuel oil - A new direction for waste management 
Thứ hai, ngày 10 tháng 06 năm 2013 cập nhật lúc 05:54

According to the latest statistics recently announced by the Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, there is 7,000 tons of garbage collected every day in Ho Chi Minh City, among which 70-80 tons are plastic waste. This means that on average, the city dwellers use 5-9 million plastic bags each day. Notably, only 40% of the total amount of collected garbage is recycled into compost, while the rest is buried. This is a very difficult problem to Ho Chi Minh City as land is one the most important assets of the city. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has requested the government for permission to impose high tariffs on plastic bags, from 150% to 200%, to discourage consumers to use plastic bags. However, the facilities producing these products have yet to be put under strict control, both in quality and quantity.

Mr. Ho Tuan Kiet, Head of the Business Department of Saigon Cultural Material Company (Vafaco) - one of the first companies certified by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to produce biodegradable plastic bags, said that the production of biodegradable plastic bag have been started for almost 2 years, yet its current market share is very small. Mostly used in supermarkets and other major commercial centers, its usage is hardly seen in traditional markets. The reason is partly the cost of biodegradable plastic bag, which is about 15% higher than normal one. The small traders in traditional markets still prefer to use poor-quality bags, which cost only around VND 16,000-25,000/kg. In addition, the convenient psychology also makes people tend to ignore the environmental-friendly products available on the market.

While the authorities were stuck with the people’s habit of using plastic bags, Ho Chi Minh City Urban Environment One Member Limited Company has invested in a project on recycling plastic bags into fuel oil. This is an essential task, as recycling plastic bags into fuel oil not only helps generate environmental-friendly oils but also helps reduce waste and increase waste decomposition efficiency.

It is worth mentioning that this production process is quite simple. Raw nylon does not need to be cleaned after the collecting and sorting procedures. It can be transferred directly to the incineration and pyrolysis procedures to become fuel oil. Currently, the company is using waste of raw nylon (the amount of nylon collected every day) for the production.

Mr. Huynh Minh Nhut, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Urban Environment One Member Limited Company, said that the company has bought two incinerators to recycle polymer-derived plastic bags, with a total capacity of 15 tons/day. The initial productivity was positive, about 6,000 liters of fuel oil. This oil can be used as fuel for production plants. From now until the end of the year, another 10 incinerators will be purchased to increase the incinerating capacity to 75 tons/day. By then, apart from using raw nylon as production material, the company will ask the city for permission to reopen the closed landfills such as Go Cat and Dong Thanh to collect plastic.

The successful production of fuel oil from nylon has opened a new direction for waste management. In the long run, it will help improve the environment of the areas surrounding landfills which is facing serious pollution caused by extended garbage dumping operation of the city. In the immediate future, the amount of waste being recycled into environmental-friendly products will increase, along with a reduction of landfill waste.

Mai Chi

Source: http://www.monre.gov.vn/v35/default.aspx?tabid=675&CateID=58&ID=127635&Code=M0SN127635

Read More

Indian Updates: Country generates over 15000 tonne plastic waster per day (7 Jun 2013)

Country generates over 15000 tonne plastic waster per day

Manjiri Damle, TNN | Jun 7, 2013, 10.51 PM IST


PUNE: The total quantum of plastic waste generated in the country is estimated to be about 15,342.46 tonne per day. The total plastic waste, which is collected and recycled in the country, is estimated to be about 9205 tonne per day and about 6137 tonne per day of plastic waste remains uncollected.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has carried out a study through Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET), Ahmadabad on "Assessment and Quantification of Plastic Waste in 60 Cities".

According to the study plastic waste has also resulted in other problems like choking of drains by plastic carry bags which may lead to unhygienic environment and water borne diseases. Plastic waste can cause illness and possible death of animals that may feed on plastics from garbage bins. Non-biodegradable and impervious nature of plastics disposed on soil may arrest recharge of ground water aquifers. The study adds that presence of additives and plasticizers, fillers, flame retardants and pigments used in the plastic products which have potential to cause adverse health impact and ground water pollution.

The ministry of environment and forests has notified the Plastic (Waste Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. These rules, interalia, specify that plastic carry bags should have a minimum thickness of 40 microns; food stuffs cannot be packed in recycled plastics or compostable plastics; no carry bags shall be made available free of cost to consumers; and plastic material, in any form shall not be used in any package for packing gutkha, pan masala and tobacco in all forms.

Source: 
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Country-generates-over-15000-tonne-plastic-waster-per-day/articleshow/20483329.cms

Read More

Indian Updates: National green tribunal bans burning of plastic, tyres in Delhi's scrap market (8 May 2013)

National green tribunal bans burning of plastic, tyres in Delhi's scrap market

PTI | May 8, 2013, 10.22 PM IST

NEW DELHI: To prevent serious injury from being caused to environment and humans,national green tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday banned burning of plastics, tyres, wires or any such materials in the scrap market of Mayapurihere.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also directed that no one inthe scrap market will store any e-waste or other materials, which is likely to generate radioactivity and pose hazard to life and environment.

It also directed Delhi Police commissioner to ensure that the order is carried out without demur and delay.

"We hereby prohibit any person in any manner whatsoever from burning plastics, tyres, wires or any such live materials in and outside the shops in Mayapuri. No person shall use any gas or electronic cutters in dismantling of heavy machineries like generators, tankers and transformers etc.

"No person shall store any e-waste or other materials which are likely to generate radio activity and pose other hazards to life in particular and environment generally," the bench said and sought a report from the Delhi government regarding compliance of its order by next date of hearing on July 12.

The bench also directed municipal corporation of Delhi to "take appropriate steps to ensure that such materials are not stored at public places like roads, open grounds, etc."

The NGT also directed the ministry of environment and forests(MoEF), delhi development authority (DDA) and atomic energy regulatory commission to "install scanners in Mayapuri which will ensure that no material which has radio activity is permitted to be stored except in accordance with law".

The Tribunal was hearing a plea, filed by one S C Jain, claiming that despite a radiation leak in April 2010, the authorities have been unable to present any effective steps taken to prevent such an incident from happening again.

In the April 2010 incident, one person had died and seven other were injured after they were exposed to radiation when they cut open a Cobalt-60 irradiator at the scrap market.

The NGT also directed that a team each from DDA, Delhi government, MCD and others shall regularly inspect, even at odd hours, the area to ensure that the tribunal's directions are being obeyed.

The bench passed the direction after observing that burning of non-biodegradable wastes, sudden occurrence of radioactivity due to handling of radio-active materials, dismantling of heavy machines like transformers by electric or gas cutters and burning of oils is bound to cause cancer and other diseases, besides being injurious to the environment.

"In order to prevent such serious injury being caused to the environment and to the human beings, it is necessary that the Tribunal should pass appropriate directions at this stage itself and ensure its implementation," it said.

The tribunal also observed that scrap materials, waste metals, junk collected and traded in Mayapuri can contain radio activity which is very injurious and can adversely affect workers who are working without any protective gear and measures.

The NGT noted while a panel appointed by it had visited Mayapuri and found that the radio activity was within the permissible limits and no other burning activity was seen at that time, the committee had also found that e-waste was lying stored and waste material and scrap were lying unauthorisedly outside the shops.

The bench noted that according to the applicant, the inspection of the committee was known to everybody in Mayapuri beforehand and, therefore, the area was absolutely clean and burning incinerators were kept away from the panel's notice.

It also took note of photographs, placed before it by Jain, showing dismantling and cutting of huge generator sets and transformers and collection of metallic wastes as well as burning of plastic material, tyres, tankers etc.

Meanwhile, counsel appearing for MCD submitted that large number of traders involved in different commercial activities in Mayapuri did not have trading licenses or the civic agency's permission to carry on such activities.

Source: 
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/National-green-tribunal-bans-burning-of-plastic-tyres-in-Delhis-scrap-market/articleshow/19955789.cms

Read More

Chinese Updates: Will 'white pollution' reappear in China? (1 May 2013)

The undated photo shows the disposable foam plastic tableware sold in a store of Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu province. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

Will 'white pollution' reappear in China?

CRI, May 1, 2013

China is lifting a ban on the use of disposable foam plastic tableware (DFPT) on May 1, after forbidding the production and use of the products in the country for more than 14 years, Chinanews.com reports.

The move has triggered public controversy over concerns that "white pollution" will reappear and the change will raise additional food safety issues. Environmentalists say that questions surrounding the safety of the use of foam plates and the damage it may cause to the environment remain a concern.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said it was lifting the ban because the standard of DFPT met the national food-packaging standard, and the recycling system and common use of foam tableware in other countries justified its continued use. The NDRC also said using DFPT could conserve oil resources.

In 1999, the use of DFPT was banned after it caused heavy "white pollution" throughout China. The relative national authorities at that time pointed out that the production and use of DFPT could harm both the environment and people's health, and was a difficult material to dispose of.

In 2010, China Central Television reported that some companies producing DFPT had added harmful materials to their products, including industrial calcium carbonate, talcum powder and a fluorescent brightening agent banned for use in food packaging material. However, the NDRC said after an inspection it found that DFPT was in accordance with the national standard.

Peng Chao, Secretary General of the Fuzhou Plastic Association, said foam tableware would be safe and not release harmful or toxic substances when it was not heated.

In light of the controversy, experts said the government should establish a scientific regulation and mechanism to supervise the use and recycling of DFPT.

Even during the ban, the product was still available in China. In the final analysis, the public will decide how popular DFPT will be.

Source: http://www.china.org.cn/environment/2013-05/01/content_28703635.htm

Read More