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■政府放棄擴建將軍澳堆填區有一定合理性，因現時大部分垃圾集中於將軍澳堆填區處理，若再擴建將令失衡問題更嚴重。 資料圖片
Judicial review not the best move, long term strategy needed to tackle waste management
立法會廢除擴建將軍澳堆填區修訂令近三個月後，政府決定不提司法覆核，理由包括維持良好的行政立法關係，爭議不涉及憲制基本分歧，以及政府已決定不徵用清水灣郊野公園5公頃土地擴建堆填區。的確，司法覆核非萬應靈丹，行政和立法當局對簿公堂，不僅對行政立法關係造成衝擊，而且會對社會有負面影響，因此必須慎之又慎。司法覆核可以放棄，但廢物處理不能不管。
政府放棄擴建將軍澳堆填區有一定合理性，因現時大部分垃圾集中於將軍澳堆填區處理，將軍澳區居民一直飽受堆填區發出的惡臭滋擾，將軍澳堆填區每日接收廢物量遠超另外兩個堆填區，若擴建將軍澳堆填區，將令失衡問題更為嚴重。平衡地區與地區、局部與全港的利益，放棄擴建將軍澳堆填區和擴建新界兩個堆填區，是合理的選擇，政府應向社會講清這個道理。
政府表示，會從回收、減廢及引入現代化垃圾處理設施，尋求處理廢物問題長遠徹底的解決方法，並包括研究都市固體廢物徵費，以及加快推行第二期膠袋徵費。相對於其他先進城市，本港處理廢物已經落後，要長遠徹底解決本港廢物問題，包括興建新式焚化爐、鼓勵分類回收及垃圾徵費在內的三種方法都需實行。政府應盡快採取措施，跟上先進城市處理廢物的方法。
Nearly three months after the Legislative Council repealed the Tseung Kwan O landfill extension order, the government decided not to seek judicial review. The decision was based on various reasons; it was first for the sake of maintaining a good relationship between the executive and the legislature, and second on the grounds that the dispute did not involve fundamental constitutional differences, and third due to the fact that the government had decided not to appropriate the 5 hectares of land in the Clearwater Bay Country Park for use as landfill extension. Indeed, judicial review is not a panacea. If the executive and the legislature are to engage in litigation, not only will the relationship between the two be impaired, but also negative effects will be brought to society. Therefore, the case must be handled with absolute care. Judicial review can be dropped but the waste problem cannot be left unresolved.
The government's decision to drop the Tseung Kwan O landfill extension plan is quite justifiable. Currently, refuse is mostly dumped and processed in Tseung Kwan O, so the residents in the region have been continually annoyed by the odour nuisance caused by the landfill. The daily waste intake of the Tseung Kwan O landfill far exceeds those of the two other landfills; therefore the expansion of the Tseung Kwan O landfill will simply worsen the problem of unbalanced waste management. To balance the interests among different districts and to align the interests of local communities with that of the territory at large, to quit the Tseung Kwan O extension plan and to expand the other two landfills in the New Territories is a reasonable choice. The government should clearly communicate this rationale to the public.
The government has indicated that it will seek long – term and comprehensive solutions to deal with the waste management problem. It is going to adopt such measures as recycling, waste reduction and the introduction of modern refuse treatment facilities. In addition, it will study the possibility of an urban solid waste levy and bring forward the second phase of the plastic bag levy. Lagging behind some other advanced cities in terms of waste management, Hong Kong has to consider a long-term and comprehensive strategy for the problem. It is necessary for Hong Kong to carry out different methods including the construction of modern incinerators, the encouragement of waste separation and recycling, and also the introduction of refuse levy. The government should act as soon as possible in order to catch up with the other advanced cities in managing waste.
■Translation by 開明
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