Twenty years ago, Macau was a small, insignificant and rundown Portuguese colony. Progress has been swift since the city’s integration with China in 1999. Macau is the only city in China where gambling and betting are legal. Casinos are being constructed at a furious pace and, after Las Vegas, Macau now ranks as the world’s second largest gambling city. In this light, it is not surprising that the city is making major investments to improve hygiene and environmental conditions.
But this area has not always been given such high priority. When Humberto Basílio came to Macau from Lisbon in 1985 to assu-me responsibility for the colony’s waste, water and sewage systems, it was high time that something was done. Macau was filthy. It had no regulated waste collection service – people just dumped their rubbish in the streets. The sewage system was in a state of collapse and sewage water was being illegally piped off by farmers to fertilise their crops. There were no facilities for the treatment of sewage sludge in Macau. The sludge was being shipped off to China instead. “The vessels transporting the waste were often hijacked and the cargo was sold illegally as dung,” recalls Humberto Basílio.
Waste collection vehicles unable to get to the rubbish
"We were having dire problems with rats and cockroaches because there was rubbish everywhere." To get on top of the problem, the very first regulated waste collection service was introduced in 1985. Humberto Basílio recollects, "This was easier said than done however!"
The waste collection vehicles that had been ordered were too large to drive along the city streets. They were quite simply unable to get to the rubbish. The myriad of wires that hung low and illegally between the buildings posed the greatest problem. Humberto Basílio tells us how he had to walk up and down the streets, with employees from the electricity company in tow, removing these obstacles with wire cutters so that the collection vehicles could drive through.
Pioneers in waste incineration
Once the collection service was more or less in order, it was time to focus on dealing with the waste that was being collected. Since the early 1980s, the city’s refuse had been taken to a waste disposal site on the island of Taipa, south of the city centre. The waste was being dumped in a gravel pit that had been worked to build a horse-racing course on the same island. However, this site was soon full and there was nowhere else to dispose of the waste. "We discussed the problem with China and we were prepared to pay to get rid of the refuse, but the Chinese did not want our lorries crossing the border" Humberto Basílio relates. So the only other alternative was to build an incineration plant. "We vis-
ited Korea, Japan and Singapore to look at incineration plants there before making a decision."
The plant on the island of Taipa incinerates 900 tonnes a day and complies with the European emission standards. The plant is currently being extended with three additional incinerators to handle a further 900 tonnes a day. When we asked whether the locals had demonstrated against the incinerator, Humberto Basílio answered that there had been no protest from the people of Macau. However, environmentalists from Hong Kong came over and raised objections when the first incineration plant was being constructed.
Next venture: Underground waste transportation system
In addition to incineration facilities, Macau is investing in other areas too. At the 1998 Expo in Lisbon, Mr. Basílio learned about Envac’s underground waste transportation technology. But at that time we didn’t have the wherewithal to invest in the system", Humberto Basílio recollects. Back then, obtaining public funds for environmental enhancement was not an easy task.
It’s a different story altogether now that the city has a prosperous economy from its gaming operations. That’s also the reason why it has been decided to install an underground waste system in the Hac Sa Wan district of the city. This is a residential area inhabited by about 10% of Macau’s population. 5,000 metres of pipes are being dug into the streets to connect 10,000 households via outdoor inlets on the pavements. 60 tonnes of refuse will be transported through the system every day once it is fully operational in mid 2008.
Pilot facility for the whole of Macau
"We are treating this as a pilot project," Humberto Basílio says, "and we have learned a great deal so far. Installing the pipes, for instance, was more difficult than we had anticipated. Due to the lack of drawings or plans of what underground installations were already in place, there were plenty of surprises awaiting us." However, it is felt that the experience gained now will be of beneficial use in later phases. The city is planning to install underground waste transportation systems in the whole of Macau, provided the pilot project is a success.
Humberto Basílio has come a long way in Macau and he should be proud of what he has accomplished. The quality of the water in the city is as good as that in any conurbation. Refuse is no longer dumped and Macau is rapidly transforming into a role model in South East Asia when it comes to a high-quality infrastructure for waste, water and sewage.
By Jonas Törnblom, Editor-in-Chief Envac Concept