Solid Waste Management in Macao

1. Introduction of Municipality

City characteristics
Macao is a small city where is located in south-east China, on the western edge of the delta formed by the
Pearl River Delta, has a population 438,000 and an area of 25.4 km2.

Guong Dong Province

Pearl River Delta

Hong Kong

MACAO

Figure 1: The geographic map of Macao

The mean population density of Macao is quite high (17,244 inhabitants/km2 in 2000). The
percentage of the population distribution by main branches of activity is illustrated in Figure 2. The
sectors incorporating the majority of the working population are Public Administration and Trade (1999).

Figure 2: distribution of working population by branch of activities in 1999, (Source: Statistic & census department 2000)
In Macao's GNP(Gross National Product), the tertiary sector is predominant - about 84% in 1999 - and it
comprises wholesale and retail trade, repairs, lodging and restaurants, Transport, storage and communications,
Financial activities, real estate, rental services and services rendered to enterprises, and Public Administration,
public, social and personal services (including gambling). The secondary sector, comprises the sectors of
Extractive Industry, Transforming Industry, Electricity, gas and water as well as Construction; in 1999, it had a
predominance of approximately 16% of the GNP.

Macao is known as the "Far East Monte Carlo" and the gambling sector represents 64% of tourism
revenue. At present, tourism is considered the pillar of Macao's economy. Macao evolved to an economy
based on services, especially tourism, a sector which, together with gambling, represents more than 40% of the
Territory's GNP. The tourism sector involves 30% of the working population of the Territory. (in official
website of the Macao Special Administrative Region, 2000).

Main features of the Municipality

b. Financial Structure
Overall income and expenditure in 2000

THOUSANDS OF PATACAS THOUSANDS OF US DOLLARS

9,079,170 1,120,885
8,764,939 1,082,091
Figure 3 : Public finance in 2000
(Source: Financial department, 2001)

Overall expenditures in different sector in 2000

THOUSANDS OF PATACAS THOUSANDS OF US

2,179,822 269,114
1,242,776 153,429
1,317,878 162,701
1,133,583 139,949
699,420 86,348
139,454 17,217
673,019 83,089
919,168 113,477
459,818 56,768
8,764,939 1,082,091
Figure 4 : Overall expenditures in different sector in 2000
(Source: Financial department, 2001)
 Waste Collection & Transportation & City Cleaning : US$12,681,777/year
Municipal Solid Waste(MSW) Incineration : US$3,851,086/year
Sanitary Landfill : US$625,000/year
Income for solid waste management : Macao government only charge a symbolic amount on the
ones who discharge the construction waste to the sanitary landfill area.
According to the basic law of Macao, Macao government has its own administrative authority
after the transition in a certain period. The tax will 100% collect to local government.
The environmental laws will be raised and set up by certain related departments in Macao.
These laws must be passed to the Legislation Council for necessary amendment.

Municipal Solid Waste Management related department in Macao

Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau
Department of Environment, Hygiene and Licensing
Operate sanitary landfill
Inspect the operation of CSR
Enforce the municipal cleaning regulations
Office for Infrastructure Development
Inspect the operation of CSR
Inspect the operation of Macao Incinerator Plant
Port Authority
Keep Macao offshore cleaning
2. Current state and management of solid waste

Municipal waste is one of the most important environmental problems world-wide. It is the result of
economic activities, industrial production processes and consumption patterns and ways of life of human
being.
Over the past few years, the amount of municipal solid waste generated and treatment in Macao
Incineration Plant (MIP) as well as the daily mean waste produced per capita has been growing as shown in
Figure5. The sources of the waste generated, according to the data in 1999, about 72% of MSW was from
household waste, 23% of MSW was from industrial and commercial, and 5% MSW from other sector.
Besides, in 1999, there was 207 tons of clinical waste collected and incinerated by MIP. In 2000, 229,444 tons
of MSW was delivered to MIP for treatment. This corresponds to 1.44 kg/ capita/ day of waste produced.
After incineration, there are only 33,414 m3 residues need to be sent to Coloane landfill for final disposal.
 Figure 5 : Municipal Solid Waste generated in Macao Vs Daily mean per capita

In the past, the Macao government neglected in setting up the refuse storage for each district in its city
planning for solid management. Therefore, the refuse storage facility in Macao is only setting up of refuse
collection points by the side of the street. Placing appropriate quantity of large refuse containers. Nowadays,
there are around 650 of that kind of refuse collection points and these are for those citizens whose living
buildings do not have the garbage storage facility. Since the containers are place by the side of the streets, all
of them equipped with a lid keep close always. The pedal controls the lid open and close of container so as to
keep away from bad smell and hygiene problems.
In order to minimize the traffic effect when collecting the rubbish within the city, the refuse collection
is mostly arranged in the midnight. The garbage being collected is then transferred to Macao Incineration
Plant for treatment. After the incineration, the residues became more stable and these will then be delivered to
Coloane Sanitary Landfill for final disposal. The solid waste flow in Macao is illustrated in Figure 6.

MSW refuse collection points

COLLECTION & TRANSPORTATION

Macao Incineration Plant

TREATMENT

Coloane Sanitary Landfill

FINAL DISPOSAL
 Figure 6: Solid waste flow in Macao

Since 1992, the collection and transportation of MSW put it out to contract to a private company, the
CSR(Companhia de Sistemas de Residuos, Limitada). Besides the collection, the company is also responsible
for the city cleaning and the maintenance of public garbage containers. The activities of the CSR are inspected
by the Department of Environment, Hygiene and Licensing of CMAB (Civic & Municipal Affairs Bureau),
OID (Office for Infrastructure and Development), This company has around 380 staff, with 25 refuse
compacted collection truck, 4 high pressure water jet vehicles, 6 sweeping vehicles. Its total expenditure per
year is around US$12,681,777.

The MSW incinerator was built and started its operation in 1992. The operation of the incinerator also
put it out to contract to a private company. The maximum treatment capacity of this incinerator is 36 tons
waste per hour, which corresponds to a yearly treatment capacity of 283,800 tons, including the periods of shut
down for maintenance and repair. The operation temperature during incineration is at above 800 C, a heat
retrieval boiler that produces about 28 tons of steam per hour for each 12 tons of burned refuse is connected to
the incinerator. The steam conducted to a condensation turbine where it can generate originating a power of
about 12 MW. The energy generated in the Plant is for its own consumption and the remaining is conducted to
the concessionary company of electricity in the local public power supply network.

Incineration Plant had a consideration for the environment, in which the combustion vapors treatment
with a vapors washer was equipped, where it is injected a solution taking lime as basis that permits their
neutralization removing the acid components (HCL, HF, SO 2 and NOx). Also, the electrostatic precipitator
applied a high tension electrical current (50,000V) was employed to remove the dust particles resulting the
combustion and salts, which results from the reaction with the lime. Under these conditions, the vapors that
exit through the chimney are practically colorless being not visible almost all year, due to the applied
treatment. From the years 1999 till 2006, its basic expenditure is US$3,851,086 per year.
Besides the household, industrial and commercial waste, there are some solid waste that is not suitable
for thermal treatment, the construction and demolition waste, animal dead body and tires will sent to Coloane
Sanitary Landfill. The construction and demolition waste used for reclaim land from between Taipa and
Coloane offshore. In 2000, there were 275,280 m3 construction and demolition waste sent to Coloane Sanitary
Landfill for reclamation.
More than 100,000 used tires was disposal site, which rose on the ground in landfill. The tires cause a
potential risk for the fire and the breeding of insects; Macao government now has to study on the tires
treatment to solve the tires accumulation problem.

3. Success, issues, and future direction

There was one issue, which we would like to mention it here. Once there was a tremendous change of
 MSW treatment in Macao, but it was not a so-called successful activity. Before 1990s, the solid waste in
Macao was treated by landfill. In facing the economic growth and city development, the Macao government
aware that there was insufficient land resources for landfill due to the increasing amount of refuse generated in
Macao, landfill was not a suitable way for municipal solid waste treatment. The municipality of Macao made a
request to other neighboring city to install a sanitary landfill for the MSW of Macao, but it was rejected.
Therefore there is constraint limiting of mobility beyond its geographic boundaries. The solution had to be
found within the map of Macao.

Due the limited geographic area, the high cost of land, the necessity of environmental protection and the
long term refuse treatment facility, new solid waste treatment facility was taking into consideration for the
above four main reasons. In general terms, the choice of the Incineration Plant for the refuse with energy
recovery presented comparative advantage against other treatment alternatives. Therefore, MSW incinerator
was chosen for solid waste treatment and was built in 1992. Compared with the sanitary landfill, it was
considered as a more adequate solution for the disposal of the municipal waste generated in Macao. It s main
functions are the incineration of solid waste, energy recovery and the pollution control of the respective
gaseous emissions. The operation of the MSW incinerator, is then solved the solid waste problem in Macao at
that moment.

Solid waste management may be a problem to many cities in China due to the rapid economic growth
and the city development. The situation of Macao as mentioned above can act as a reference for others.

Although Macao already has a quite well-equipped MSW incinerator, but the solid waste management in
Macao still encounters some problems, the problems are mainly related with the insufficient land resources for
the waste disposal which are listed as follows:

Construction waste: the construction waste is inert material, which is used for reclamation in
Macao. However, the existing reclamation area (between Taipa and Coloane) is almost being filled up.
Thus, it is very urgent to find an appropriate place for the construction and demolition waste disposal.
The Macao government is now activity seeking for the solution on that situation. Besides, the marine
mud is also the problem of solid waste management since Macao will soon have several large facilities
being built, a great amount of marine mud will then be generated. Due to the characteristics of the
marine mud, it is not suitable for reclamation and landfill. Because of that, the Macao government
seeking for appropriate solutions, such as delivering this marine mud to the defined discharge area in the
Macao sea district.

Used Tires: Hundreds of millions of used tires are removed from cars worldwide each year and pose a
particular intractable waste problem. Tires will remain intact for decades, and often rise to the surface.
This causes many problems: They occupy large area of land resources, they catch fire easily, water can
easily be remained there and has a potential of cause mosquitoes and insects bleeding. Last year, Macao
had dengue fever evolution, the used tires is a one of the potential source for the bleeding of mosquitoes.
 In existing Coloane landfill, more than 100,000 used tires were disposed there. As the landfill will
shortly be moved to other places. In solving this problem, the Macao government is now doing some
research on this which plan to cooperate with a private company in dealing with such amount of used
tires that are now disposed in sanitary landfill area. The metal and nylon material from the used tires are
being to be removed, leaving tires to be shredded into small pieces of 2-3 cm 2, and considered to be used
in the road facility or used as a soft bottom material in the entertainment area, or acting as a material for
environmental industry in future. The feasibility of this plan is now being considered, and if possible, it
will be scheduled and implemented in the beginning of next year.

Dead animal body: Macao is a tourist city and is known as the "Far East Monte Carlo", Besides the
casinos, there is also one Macao Jockey Club for entertain the tourists and citizens. During the
operation of the MJC, there are about 300-400 horse carcasses produced every year. As the landfill will
shortly be moved to other places, and owing to the high population density of Macao, new landfill
places may not be suitable for animal dead body treatment since it will produce inevitable odor and
hygiene problem. Therefore, Macao government has to find an alternative for the animal carcass
treatment. Such as considering in setting up the incineration of dead animal body facility. For example,
air burner, animal carcass incinerator is solving this problem.

Waste Recycling Campaign: Macao government started the promotion of the waste recycling campaign
in 1990s. Until now, we set up about 300 recycling points for public, private estates, government
buildings, private sectors. The recycling campaign now gradually gets some improvement than very
beginning. However, there are still some defects in the whole recycling activity, since there are a number
of constrains limiting the extent of waste recovery and recycling activities in Macao
The environmental awareness of the general public is still relatively low. Promotion of waste
recovery and recycling is necessary.
As costs for collection and disposal services are not linked directly with the quantity of wastes
generated through charging, there is no financial incentive for waste generators to reduce waste.
The built environment inhibits recycling activities from domestic waste stream. Small flat sizes
restrict source separation and storage practices.
Low values for recovered materials particularly for plastic bottle and tires.
The high land labor costs, the predominance of recycling sector and lack of market demand
discourage recovery of marginal materials and investments in waste recovery technology.

Therefore, Macao government will study on the improvement of recycling through:

Education and Publicity: The success of waste recycling relies largely on education, increase of
public awareness and peoples willingness to change their wasteful habit. Therefore, Macao
government will put more effort into these areas to increase the awareness of public and also will
consider setting up appropriate new recycling bins for public.
Land Allocation: Due to the scarce land resources in Macao, finding a suitable for recycling
 operations is very difficult. This is restricting the growth of the industry and the waste-recycling
rate. Macao will study on offer land allocation for recycling sector to encourage the development
of this business.

4. General Conclusions

Solid waste problem is not unique to Macao. Different region has different ways in waste management
and also encounters different problems. From the past until now, Macao came across many difficulties in the
waste management. The insufficient of land is the in-born disadvantage on waste treatment. Though we had
the MSW incinerator being built in the year of 1992, there is still some waste, which is not suitable for
incineration. It is difficult for the government to seek for and appropriate place in treating the above waste.

In addition, the amount of waste in Macao increased every year in the past ten years. The solid waste
management depends not only on the suitable waste treatment facility, the waste reduction should also be
considered, such as the reuse, reduce and recycle of waste. All these can help government to decrease the
pressure in treating the day-to-day increasing waste and make the limiting material can be effectively used on
earth.

The waste recycling campaign started in 1990s, although the awareness of waste recycling from the
citizens has a trend of continuous improvement when comparing in the past. However, there are still some
defects in the whole recycling activity, since there is a number of constrains limiting the extent of waste
recovery and recycling activities in Macao. For example, the environmental awareness of the general public is
still relatively low, low values for recovered materials and the high land and labor costs which contribute the
barrier to the waste recycling campaign. Base on the above factors, Macao government still have to take a
great effort for implementation of waste recycling. A study on the improvement of recycling will be made
through education and publicity, offer land allocation for the recycling, set up appropriate new recycling bins
for public.

In aiming towards to the goal of sustainable development on solid waste management, Macao
government should improve not only the current waste treatment facility, but also solve the existing problem in
solid waste treatment. And also to cope with the strategy in waste reduction. In Macao, there are still many
insufficient on solid waste management, through this conference, we hope we can learn a lot from other
different regions, and our experience in Macao can act as a reference to other countries as well.

1a. Organizational structure of local government