The Green Forum, main activity during the Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition 2016 (2016MIECF), has brought together more than 40 experts, scholars and business leaders from over 40 countries and regions, who provided their unique insights and shared with the audience their knowledge and experience on the environmental issues affecting the world nowadays.
The Green Forum is the most important activity in each edition of the MIECF. The current edition consists of six sessions and one special session, with the participation of 46 pioneers, leading multinational companies and regional policy makers in environmental protection from Mainland China, Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Portugal, Singapore, Switzerland, Sweden, Hong Kong and Macao. Topics discussed included the business strategy of the manufacturing and waste management industry, environmental protection measures adopted by the hospitality industry, solutions for recycling construction and demolition wastes and treating chemical solid waste and hazardous waste.
Possibility of generating RMB 1 Trillion in four years - from conversion of building waste into renewable construction materials
Sessions of the Green Forum held today (April 1) included: “From Waste to Resources and Rewards – The Roadmap towards Circular Economy”, “Building with less – sustainable Waste Solutions for Green Construction”, “Special Session with Prof. Dr. h. c. Walter R. Stahel: Enhancing Waste Management through Internet Plus”, “Green Chemical Forum – Treatment of Chemical Solid Waste and Hazardous Waste” and “Pan-Pearl River Delta Region (PPRD) Session – Solid Waste Management Policies and Technology in the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region”. According to the experts and scholars who were present at the different sessions of the Green Forum, construction waste contains up to 80% - 90% of renewable resources, so if the whole society could re-use construction waste, it would help to reduce by 5% the consumption of natural resources. In accordance with the estimates of the competent authorities, based on the current amount of emissions generated by construction waste each year, if by the year 2020, these construction wastes could be converted into renewable building materials, the created value may amount to RMB 1 Trillion.
However, renewable building materials involve organizational, technical and economic issues. In Mainland China, through the formulation of policies and regulations on the reuse of construction waste consistent with the country´s conditions, there were increased efforts in the recycling of construction waste, which contributed to the formation of integrated production and research application systems; support is strengthened to recycling companies, encouraging the substitution of natural resources by renewable resources. Also the control at source, such as reduction, as far as possible, of unnecessary buildings construction and demolition; reduction in production quotas of construction waste has been able to fuel development of renewable building materials.
Significant progress in Mainland China in solid waste disposal
Solid waste is a global problem. According to experts from Mainland China, the Central Government attaches great importance to solid waste management and, so far, significant progress has been achieved, with the continuous improvement of policies and standards, ever-accelerated construction of facilities for treatment and reuse of solid waste, thus gradually increasing the pollution control capacity. However, at present, it is still necessary to face a lot of problems, including numerous types of solid waste, large production of such waste and the solid waste treatment and recycling systems not yet perfect.
According to the experts, there is a need to completely implement laws and regulations to prevent contamination caused by solid waste and to impose strict, severe and swift punishment for offenders illegally disposing solid waste, and hazardous waste in particular, as well as take measures to deter companies from violating such laws and regulations. Furthermore, it is also necessary to implement management by category and type, establish “bundled” environmental management mechanisms, implement third-party audit of e-waste, improve economic policies, fully mobilize the role of the market, and amend the relevant legislation to promote standards for identification of hazardous waste.
An expert in Zero Waste, from Scotland, shared with the audience the waste treatment situation and reduction of greenhouse emissions in his country and pointed out that the Circular Economy could, in addition to waste recycling, significantly reduce material costs, also significantly lower carbon emissions caused by production. Therefore, enhancing the overall promotion of Circular Economy will bring about significant benefits to the environment around the world.
It is difficult to ascertain the party responsible for internet e-waste
Professor Dr. h. c. Walter R. Stahel, Pioneer in Circular Economy and Inventor of the “Cradle to cradle” and “Performance Economy” concepts, when participating in a Special Session today, held an interactive debate around the theme “Enhancing Waste Management through Internet Plus”. Professor Stahel pointed out that the internet is an integral part of Performance Economy, as far as promotion of products and services are concerned. In the traditional economy, everyone´s identity as well as the user´s identity are very clear. However, in the Performance Economy, the identities of both parties are quite vague. He added that, nowadays, part of the products is gradually integrated into our life. Who shall be held liable for the e-waste generated therefrom? And whether it is quite difficult to define such liability properly in today´s internet world, added Professor Stahel.
Professor Stahel pointed out that the internet, as a trading and exchange platform, as long as managers understand how to better use it and introduce rapid changes to the ways waste are managed, such as, finding used parts buyers on the internet, resources could be reused, so as to really get value from waste.
