Fire at Hong Kong’s first incinerator prompts calls to rethink waste strategy

The abrupt suspension of Hong Kong’s first waste incinerator after a fire is a stark warning against relying too heavily on the HK$31.3 billion (US$4 billion) plant, environmentalists have said, as a former lawmaker urges the government to keep its landfill-free timetable on track.

Monday’s blaze broke out on the roof of the third incineration module at the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 1, or I·PARK1, on an artificial island off Shek Kwu Chau. More than 900 people were evacuated and one staff member was taken to hospital after feeling unwell.

The government has instructed the contractor to submit a report within seven days while the investigation continues.