Updated at 5.29pm: Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen on Thursday urged people to express their views on the future use of landfills, energy sources and urban living space. Mr Tsang, chairman of the Council for Sustainable Development, was responding to the council's first consultation paper: 'Invitation and Response'. 'We will listen carefully to all your feedback and we will implement the choices that you make,' he told a launch ceremony at the City University of Hong Kong. The paper concentrates on sustainable development, solid waste management, alternative energy sources and urban living space. The document seeks people's views on charging consumers directly for waste disposal on a 'polluter pays' principle. This would encourage households and businesses to reduce waste disposal. The paper states: 'Most of our solid waste is disposed in landfills. This is a convenient way of dealing with our refuse, even though it requires us to give up large amounts of land in rural areas and costs the taxpayer some $1.5 billion annually. 'However, within the next decade, our landfills are almost certain to reach full capacity.' The consultation paper asks whether landfills should continue to be used for waste disposal. The document also seeks views on alternative energy sources. It said burning fossil fuels resulted in air pollution. 'Many governments have decided that there is a need to begin using renewable sources of energy that will provide a sustainable long-term supply.' It suggested wind and solar power, and energy generated by treatment of solid wastes could be alternative energy sources. The document discusses whether people should pay more for electricity in the short-term to develop renewable energy sources. It also discusses revitalising older urban areas for more living space. A forum on these issues will be held on Saturday from 9.45am to noon at the Hong Kong Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui. Those interested can register by contacting, tel: (852) 3150 8190 or email: info@susdev.gov.hk . The document can be obtained at www.susdev.org.hk . Deadline for the submission of views is November 12.
