Greens press case on demolition waste
Green groups are angry that two property developers have still not declared how they would dispose of construction waste if they proceed with plans to demolish Hunghom Peninsula estate.
Members of Friends of the Earth yesterday protested outside Sun Hung Kai Properties' office in Wan Chai, saying they would nominate the developer and NWS Holdings for the Public Eye 'award' if they demolished the estate.
The international award is given in recognition of those 'in contravention of the spirit of environmental protection and social responsibility'. Nominations are being accepted now and the 'winners' will be announced in Switzerland in January.
'We've still received no promise from the two developers on how they would properly treat the construction waste,' Friends of the Earth spokesman Chu Hon-keung said.
The housing estate is likely to be demolished to make way for a luxury residential site. Surveyors have estimated the profit to be made from redevelopment could be four times as much as that from renovation - or an extra $4 billion.
Hunghom Peninsula was developed under the Home Ownership Scheme but was left unsold to stabilise property prices. It was sold early this year to the developers.
'We hope the land developers will at least recycle some materials, such as the doors and the metal gates. I think at least 60 to 70 per cent of the materials can be reused,' Green Power chief executive Man Chi-shum said.
Cheung Lai-ping, executive director of the Conservancy Association, said the buildings should not be destroyed even if the developers disposed of the waste properly.
Sun Hung Kai yesterday denied reports that it had conclusively decided to demolish the estate. 'The developers would like to state that they are still considering different solutions and have not come to any conclusion yet,' a spokesman said.
