Following the report headlined 'Soviet armour a weighty problem for Customs' (South China Morning Post, April 20), I would like to make a suggestion. Why not convert the armoured personnel carriers into an artificial reef?
There looks to be a fair case for this. Artificial reefs are now widely accepted as providing a haven for sea life and it strikes me that Hong Kong's sea life can do with all the help it can get. Interesting artificial reefs not only attract marine life, but also divers, who support the local economy.
Hong Kong already has an established precedent for such an initiative. I believe that both the wreck of a plane that crashed off the runway at Kai Tak and several barges, or lighters, have already been successfully used in this manner in the last few years.
Internationally, ex-military vessels and other hardware are increasingly 'recycled' as reefs. In both Australia and the US, for example, this has generated positive press. The costs of dismantling the armoured personnel carriers would apparently be $600,000. This budget may cover the costs of 'cleaning' the vehicles of any toxins (for example, oil and plastic) and relocating them several metres under the waves. I, and I am sure many other people, would gladly help with this task.
We regularly read stories in the Post about the fact that our landfill sites are nearing bursting point. Why add 45 tonnes of metal to this problem? I would be interested to hear the views of the Customs and Excise and Environmental Protection departments, and that of local environmental groups, about whether or not this idea is a viable compromise.
DAVID PERRY
