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Letters

Waste plans limited to incineration
I refer to the letter by Elvis W. K. Au, assistant director of environmental protection ("Government serious about tackling waste", August 18) replying to my letter ("Sustainable disposal solution needed to tackle mounting waste", July 26).
He used well-worn bureaucratese talking about "blueprints" and "initiatives" to manage Hong Kong's waste "in the coming decade".
He says nothing about what is being done now to encourage territory-wide waste separation and recycling. Where is the public education campaign on sorting waste at source? Why is only 0.02 per cent per year of Hong Kong's rubbish collected in the so-called recycling bins? Why are most of the recyclables collected in the 26,000 bins still dumped in landfills? Why does Au have no accurate figures on the amount of waste recycled? Where is the cooperation among the Environmental Protection, Food and Environmental Hygiene and Housing departments to collect and sort domestic waste? To refute my "unsubstantiated assertions", he fails to substantiate his own with statistics.
Instead, Au proclaims "strategies, targets and plans" for comprehensive waste management in the future. Similar "strategies, targets and plans", declared by a previous environment secretary, have yet to be implemented.
Au trumpets the "Blueprint on sustainable use of resources 2013-2022". It's largely a rehash of a blueprint issued in 2005, "A policy framework for the management of municipal solid waste 2005-2014", with strategies and targets for community-wide reuse, recovery and recycling of waste. Nine years later, we're still waiting.
The Environment Bureau's only major plan is the mega-incinerator on Shek Kwu Chau, from which toxic ash residue must be shipped across the busy harbour to be dumped in expanded landfills. The bureau has pro-incinerator roadshows and TV ads, instead of a media campaign to educate people on how to properly sort their refuse.
Since 2010, Au has championed this incinerator, paying lip service to waste separation and recycling. The "green community stations" are more window dressing.
After nearly a decade of failure to push anything other than incineration, how can we believe Au's current "strategies, targets and plans" will lead to comprehensive waste management, especially if the incinerator gets funding? All our waste will then go into this plant, and there will be no incentive to reduce or recycle.
Throw refuse in black plastic bags, dump it in the incinerator and landfills; build more incinerators and expand landfills as needed. That is the bureau's real waste-management plan, past, present and future.
Kim Chai, Lantau
 
No mention of loving China in Basic Law
Chief executive Leung Chun-ying argues that since the Basic Law contains no mention of elections in Hong Kong having to meet international standards, then it is not necessary for them to do so.
I believe this is a misreading of Article 39, but let us follow the logic of his argument.
Since the Basic Law does not specify anywhere that a chief executive candidate must love Hong Kong and love China, then, by his own logic, would Leung not also agree that this requirement is unnecessary?
Rod Parkes, Tai Po 
 
ALS needs a better way to get funds
The Ice Bucket Challenge, which has grabbed world attention, is aimed at raising funds for research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
It seems to be serving a cause worthy of support. The activity has led to huge donations, suggesting hope for more effective treatment for the disease through greater research. However, it has been criticised. I see this as nothing more than a viral phenomenon and would like to see it banned as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, with the act of dumping iced water on someone, the focus is on fun.
There are many who take the challenge and pass it on, quite ignorant of its original purpose. Some see it as the in thing to do and share videos on Facebook. This may lead to a lack of understanding of this disease.
Also, huge amounts of water and energy are wasted. When so much has been said and done to avoid wastage, the idea of in effect pouring away all this water is not acceptable. Energy is wasted freezing the water for ice cubes.
We should think about those drought-stricken parts of the world, for example, in areas of China, where people have to walk long distances to get a bucket of water that they will use and reuse.
I am not heedless of the need for ALS research. I would like to see medical advances in this field more than anything else.
Having someone with ALS in my family, I understand all too well what kind of suffering the disease can bring.
What I am asking for is a better fund-raising activity than the Ice Bucket Challenge.
Angela Chong, Macau 
 
Challenge has raised disease awareness
The Ice Bucket Challenge has become a global craze.
Nominated people have 24 hours to take up the challenge. If they do so, they are expected to give US$10 to fund research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. If they fail to do so, they are supposed to donate US$100.
It has been taken up by celebrities, including US President Barack Obama [who gave US$100 but declined the bucket of water]. Critics say it would be better for people to make donations directly to ALS research rather than wasting water.
I understand people's concern about a waste of resources and the accusation that it has become a form of entertainment. But there can be no denying the benefits derived to help medical research into this disease.
Thanks to this challenge, many more people now know about ALS and want to help.
Tina Zheng, Lam Tin
 
Keep focus on research, not water stunts
The Ice Bucket Challenge, which started in the US, has finally come to Hong Kong.
It is meant to raise awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also referred to as motor neurone disease.
However, in Hong Kong I feel that some people are doing it just to show off and to prove that they have the courage to pour a bucket of iced water over themselves.
It is time to spread the right message and for people to start thinking about the real purposes of this challenge.
Nadia Lam, Tsim Sha Tsui
 
New medical watchdog will protect public
The chairman of the Hong Kong Medical Council, Professor Joseph Lau Wan-yee, has called for a central complaints committee to investigate suspected doctors' misconduct in both the public and private systems.
The proposal to strip the Hospital Authority of the power to probe doctors' errors has been made because of concerns that "many cases of gross negligence, misconduct or incompetence may have been swept under the carpet" by the authority ("Lau demands new misconduct body", August 12).
A number of medical blunders have raised public awareness and concern about problems with our public hospitals.
There are fears that, sometimes, the authority has turned a blind eye to some allegations. I agree with Professor Lau that a central complaints committee should be established.
The priority should be to safeguard the public.
At present, all complaints must be referred to the authority for further investigation. It only refers what it deems "appropriate cases" to the council.
This leads to the perception that cases are being held back.
This lack of transparency could lead to the public losing faith in the authority and believing that it is being overprotective towards doctors in public hospitals.
The government needs to ensure that there is a more comprehensive and open way to deal with these complaints against medics.
Being more transparent is also more fair to private and public doctors and indeed to all stakeholders.
A central complaints committee is essential to deal with all complaints. As I said, it safeguards the public interest and can ensure a better service is provided at private and public hospitals.
Serena Leung Shun-kwan, Ma On Shan
 
Zoo closure would benefit animals' health
I believe that Hong Kong zoo should be shut down for the sake of the animals, given the poor environment they have to live in.
Space is too limited and the cages are small compared to the normal habitats these animals would experience in the wild. Also, they must endure Hong Kong's serious air and noise pollution.
The noise pollution must surely disturb some of the more sensitive creatures. The city already has a bad reputation worldwide for its abominable air quality.
These animals need, at the very least, a tranquil and rural environment.
No matter what improvements are made, the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens is not the right location to keep animals.
Rex Ho, Sha Tin


Letters to the Editor, August 30, 2014

Pouring cold water on Ice Bucket Challenge. Photo: AP

Letters to the Editor, August 18, 2014

The bag levy will be extended in 2015. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong needs a sustainable disposal solution to tackle mounting waste

A landfill in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: Bloomberg

Medical Council demands new misconduct body amid fears errors swept under the carpet

Senior United Christian Hospital staff bow in apology after it emerged 17 patients were wrongly treated. There are complaints cases of alleged misconduct are not referred to the Medical Council. Photo: Nora Tam

Harry's view

Opinion

I refer to the letter by Elvis W. K. Au, assistant director of environmental protection ("Government serious about tackling waste", August 18) replying to my letter ("Sustainable disposal solution needed to tackle mounting waste", July 26).
