Muna Tuet (Y10 Trust)

To what extent are incinerators a better solution

for Hong Kong's waste than landfills?

The biggest problem Hong Kong currently facing is the relative increase of waste that seems to be
an unsolved issue. The government is forced to deal with the problem of waste at this stage.
Therefore, incinerators are planned to build in order to burn down the trash and solid waste into
ashes until nothing was left. This can solve the increase in volume of waste that affects both
environment and human living nearby. The incinerator is generated by the recovery of energy,
which is currently considered as the best method of waste management.

Firstly, incinerators are believed to save the cost and time that is needed for transportation of waste
to landfills. During this time consuming transportation, the cost of engine gas of the trucks and
lorries is needed and the time spent to transport the large amount of trash in such a limited space in
the trucks indicates the number of times the trucks and lorries have to come back and transport
another pile for many times. The incinerators can save the time and money needed for the
transportation of waste to landfills. However, it is questioned that less amount of trucks are needed
after the construction of incinerators will reduce the number of jobs for driver that is responsible for
transporting the waste. In addition, it is believed that these jobs also affect the health of the drivers
as the smell of waste and landfills may affect the respiratory system when they often visit landfills.

Secondly, incinerators can control the pollution of the toxic chemicals that leak out from landfills to
the underground water. There are many bacterias, germs and viruses or even pests in the landfills
because of the rubbish, which affect the hygiene of the environment and areas nearby. Not only the
environment, the landfills often affect the citizens that live near because the disgusting smell is too
terrible that they close the windows and doors just to prevent the smell even its a very hot summer
day. This increases the energy consumed in the particular area because air conditioner or fan is often
switched on indoor. The incinerators are produced to control the environmental hygienic problem
and the smell that affect the daily life of citizens near the landfills.

Thirdly, the landfills are occupying the spaces of the lands that can be a big shopping mall or a
amusement park that can give a positive impact to the economy. The incinerators are built to reduce
the number of spaces occupied so that it can be used for the landmarks and get invested.

Despite heavy costs of construction of incinerators, it can give a positive impact to both the
environment and human lives. This solves the problems of increase in the volume of wastes and
also improve no only the lives of citizens living nearby but also the Hong Kong people everywhere.
It makes everything more efficient and environmentally friendly. Therefore, building incinerators is
a better solution of Hong Kongs waste than landfills.