Matthew Murchie, 15, St Joseph's College Public concern over environmental protection has never been greater. Recently, the spotlight has been on waste disposal and, in desperation, some people have turned to incinerators as a solution. I think incineration is harmful to our health and there are better alternatives. Incineration involves the combustion of organic substances in waste materials. It is aimed at reducing the size of the rubbish before it is sent to landfills. However, it comes with potential health hazards. These include the release of toxic substances which can damage our nervous system. Besides, building incinerators could have an adverse impact on our economy. Surveys have shown that property values near incinerators tend to be much lower than in other areas. Because of these reasons, many people are opposed to the building of incinerators in their neighbourhood. There are other solutions that do not pose any health threats or affect the local economy. For example, plasma arc technology gets rid of waste and at the same time generates electricity. Instead of spending a huge amount to build and maintain incinerators, the government could promote recycling, which is a far more effective and safer method of reducing waste. Far from being beneficial, the building of incinerators would be a backward step for Hong Kong because there are much better ways to reduce the volumes of waste being sent to landfill sites. Elise Choi, 16, Sai Kung Sung Tsun Catholic School The three main landfills in Hong Kong will be full in a few years. Extending landfills is not the best solution because it cannot go on, especially in a place like Hong Kong where there is a shortage of land. Meanwhile, the rubbish keeps piling up. The government needs to figure out a permanent solution to handle waste, which is the building of incinerators. The city generates around 9,000 tonnes of solid waste each day. Incinerators can burn this waste into ash, so there's no need to extend landfills, taking up valuable space. Hong Kong needs land to build new infrastructure and public housing. The heat from the incinerators could be used to generate electricity, and save the planet's natural resources. Then power stations would burn less coal and petroleum, helping to ease climate change. In addition, there would be less air pollution and people would be healthier. Critics may say burning waste pollutes the air, and that's why the incinerator in Lai Chi Kok was closed years ago. But times have changed. The advancement in technology can reduce the impact of pollutants from incineration. There should also be regular inspections to ensure the plants meet the required safety standards. In conclusion, I think we need to build incinerators to dispose of the mountains of rubbish that we produce every day. Time is running out so we need to act fast.