What to do with stockpile of seized ivory remains a dilemma for government

More than six months after the government scrapped plans to incinerate its ever-growing stockpile of illicit ivory, conservation officials are still struggling to deal with the estimated 16 tonnes of elephant tusks seized since 2008.

New figures show that 500kg of ivory has been given to schools for educational purposes since the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department decided donations would be a good way to dispose of the contraband.

But with just 3 per cent of the inventory leaving government hands this way, questions have been raised over whether school donations are the best answer as more ivory is seized, placing further pressure on the storage and security of the tusks.

Last year, members of the Endangered Species Advisory Committee rejected incineration and in February, the government agreed - even though this went against its own finding that incineration was an effective way to get rid of the ivory.

Committee chairman Paul Shin Kam-shing said he would be happy to return to the issue if the department pushed for it.

"I can't recall an urgent sentiment among members on the matter and I don't feel there's an urgency to look into the issue again," Shin said.

The group met a fortnight ago and discussed the most recent seizure on August 7 of more than 1,000 tusks, the fourth shipment of ivory intercepted this year.