政壇：睇社論學英文：推動環保寸步難 只因港府無承擔

推動環保寸步難 只因港府無承擔

港府擴建屯門及打鼓嶺兩個堆填區，獲立法會工務小組通過撥款申請，稍後將提交財委會表決，就算撥款在建制派大舉護航之下過關，也只是暫時延後這兩個堆填區爆滿。當局獨沽一味擴建堆填區，治標不治本。

事實上，港府過去一年的環保「政績」，就是發表改善空氣質素及減廢兩份藍圖，建議以十年時間達到空氣清新新指標，以及減少四成固體廢物，願景不可謂不美觀，卻避談如何落實。處理垃圾問題除了建議擴建堆填區，其他如興建焚化爐，源頭分類和回收再造等減廢舉措，至今仍是一事無成，當局推動環保避重就輕，垃圾堆填是最懶惰的做法，毋須勞師動眾教育市民配合種種減廢措施，自然是工作做得愈少愈好的官僚首選。

眾所周知，源頭減廢，轉廢為能才是解決垃圾問題的治本之道，而回收業能否蓬勃發展，取決於是否有利可圖，當局計劃提供誘因扶助回收業發展，以政策帶動需求，但資助是否足夠，監管是否到位，無法令人放心。

歸根究柢，地區強烈反對擴建堆填區，除了難以忍受臭氣滋擾，不滿港府多年來環保不作為，既無承擔又無規劃，才是真正原因。

The difficulty in promoting environmental protection is a result of the Government's lack of commitment.

Having been approved by the Public Works Subcommittee of the Legislative Council, the Government's plan to extend the landfills in Tuen Mun and Ta Kwu Ling will later be submitted to the Finance Committee for funding. Even if the proposal were given a green light under the escort of the pro-establishment camp, it can only temporarily postpone the saturation of these two landfills. The Government's sole initiative of extending landfills is nothing but a stopgap measure that fails to address the problem at root.

In fact, the Government's “achievement” in environmental protection last year was just the publication of two blueprints on improving air quality and reducing waste. It stated that new Air Quality Objectives will be attained and solid waste will be reduced by 40% in 10 years. The vision is admirable but not a word about implementation was given. Other than proposing to extend landfills, nothing has been accomplished in terms of building incinerators, source separation of waste, recycling and reuse. When it comes to promoting environmental protection, the Government has been avoiding the important and dwelling on the trivial. Dumping waste at landfills is the laziest way out. As there is no need to drag in lots of people to teach the public how to reduce waste, landfill naturally becomes the first choice of bureaucrats who believe in the beauty of doing less work.

As is known to all, reducing waste at source and turning waste to energy are the ultimate solutions for the waste problem. Whether the recycling industry can prosper or not hinges on profitability. The Government is planning to provide incentives to assist the development of the recycling industry and implement policies to increase the demand. However, one cannot rest assured that the Government's assistance or monitoring will be adequate.

In the final analysis, the unbearable malodour is not the only reason why the districts involved object so strongly to the landfill extension. It is also because the residents are dissatisfied with the Government's perennial lack of action, commitment and planning for environmental protection.

重要生字

under the escort of：護航

reduce waste at source：源頭減廢

turn waste to energy：轉廢為能