BSc(IEM) students visit GBA environmental management facilities
At the waste treatment facility managed by Shenzhen Energy Environment Co Ltd, students get a close look at how solid waste is handled. City waste carried by rubbish trucks is first unloaded at bays of the facility before further handling.
At the first stop of the tour, BSc(IEM) students and tour leader Dr Norman Cheung Kin-wai from SSPS, second from right, visit Shenzhen Domestic Waste Classification Science Education Museum managed by the Shenzhen Energy Environment Co Ltd.
In response to the enormous environmental pressure typical of a city cluster, the Greater Bay Area (GBA) has established a series of state-of-the-art environmental facilities and industries. To understand GBA’s experiences in environmental protection and sustainability, 36 students from the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Integrated Environmental Management (BSc(IEM)) visited several environmental management facilities in Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou of GBA between 10 and 11 May 2024. Dr Norman Cheung Kin-wai from the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies led the tour.
On the first stop of the tour, the group visited the Shenzhen Energy Environment Co Ltd (深能環保) to learn about how Shenzhen is handling its municipal waste at the company-managed facility. While Shenzhen boasts its rapid industrial and commercial developments, large amount of industrial, commercial and domestic activities also mean huge volume of solid waste is produced every day in the city. The company has developed various waste-to-energy projects that generate electricity by burning municipal solid waste. At the facility, BSc(IEM) students observed closely how municipal waste was carried by rubbish trucks and unloaded at the bays before further handling. They were also briefed by company staff on the procedures of treating municipal waste and visited the control centre overlooking the waste handling and incineration process.
Incinerators of Shenzhen Energy Environment Co Ltd. By burning municipal solid waste to produce electricity, it can reduce the volume of solid waste, hence lessen the pressure on landfills. Recovering the energy content of solid waste also provides a reliable source of electricity.
Central control panel monitoring different stages of the solid waste treatment at Shenzhen Energy Environment Co Ltd.
A staff from the company explains the municipal waste collection system by using a three-dimensional model of the Shenzhen Municipal.
In the afternoon, students visited 301 (Shenzhen) Biological Environmental Protection Company Limited (三零一環保). At the company’s facility, students saw how kitchen waste was turned into compost with a composter developed by the company. After that, they went to visit the China Construction Science and Industry Group Green Technology Company Limited (中國建築科學工業) in Dongguan. At a factory run by the company, students learnt how the company uses Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) method to manufacture Precast Concrete Components (PCCs). MiC is an innovative construction method that utilizes the concept of “factory assembly followed by on-site installation”. Rather than building the whole structure on site, PCCs, which are free-standing building components, are manufactured and then assembled to form the structure on the building site.
Students from BSc(IEM) programme visit 301 (Shenzhen) Biological Environmental Protection Co Ltd to learn food waste management. On the front row among the listeners is leader of the tour Dr Norman Cheung Kin-wai.
A staff member at 301 (Shenzhen) Biological Environmental Protection Co Ltd demonstrates how to use a food waste composter to turn food waste into useable compost.
An engineer at China Construction Science and Industry Group Green Technology Co Ltd explains how Precast Concrete Components (PCCs) are made at the company.
The Precast Concrete Components (PCCs) manufactured at the company are used to build Light Public Housing in Hong Kong.
A staff member from the Huidong Xunliao Pearl Farm demonstrates how to grow pearls in a sustainable manner.
China Construction Science and Industry Group Green Technology Company Limited is one of the contractors that provides PCCs for Light Public Housing and Transitional Housing Projects for Hong Kong. Because of controlled environment at the factory, MiC method reduces the adverse impacts of on-site construction on the environment. It also provides a higher degree of quality control, and improves construction productivity, safety, and sustainability compared to conventional methods. On the second day, the tour visited the Huidong Xunliao Pearl Farm Resort Hotel in Huizhou. Experts from the pearl cultivation farm explained how they use sustainability method to grow pearls.
This was a truly eye-opening tour to our students. Through seeing the green facilities, our students have deepened their understanding about how GBA is building itself into a sustainable economy.
Dr Norman Cheung said, “Among the visits during the tour, observing how solid waste was treated at the facility managed by Shenzhen Energy Environment Co Ltd was particularly impressive. The sheer volume of municipal waste unloaded at bays of the facility has left an impressive idea on our students about how challenging the problem is. While GBA is thriving in many aspects, it also faces a number of environmental challenges. To tackle such challenges, municipal governments of GBA have made great efforts in building green facilities and implementing sustainable measures. These governments have hence accumulated rich experiences regarding enhancing waste management, promoting the use of renewable energy, and so forth. This was a truly eye-opening tour to our students. Through seeing the green facilities, our students have deepened their understanding about how GBA is building itself into a sustainable economy.”
BSc(IEM) is a multi-disciplinary programme with courses co-taught by faculty members from the Department of Science and Environmental Studies and the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies. The programme aims to equip students with a solid foundation in both science and social science knowledge concerning environmental management. Through experiential learning activities like field trips, students understand how sustainability cause is being pursued in the real world. Click here for more information about the programme.
