As part of their Environmental Management module, students from the Master of Environmental Science and Management programme (MESM) at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) visited the T-Park Sludge Incinerator in Teun Mun, Hong Kong. Led by Prof. Franz Gassner and Prof. Em. Shek Kiu Chan from USJ’s Institute of Science and Environment (ISE), the visit provided a firsthand experience of the cutting-edge waste-to-energy (WtE) facility. The visit was organized by Dr. Warren Man Ho Li, Director of Veolia Macau and a USJ-ISE alumnus.

The T-Park, a state-of-the-art facility designed by renowned architect Claude Vasconi and opened in 2015, offers an innovative solution for sludge disposal, a mud-like by-product of sewage treatment. With Hong Kong S.A.R. producing 1,200 tonnes of sludge daily, proper and sustainable handling is crucial. The advanced incineration technology employed at T-Park, operating at 850°C, eliminates the need for sludge landfilling. Equipped with four incineration trains, the facility can handle up to 2,000 tonnes of sludge per day. The heat generated during the incineration process is converted into electricity, supplying the facility’s energy requirements and even contributing 2 megawatts (MW) of surplus power to the local grid, benefiting approximately 4,000 households. Additionally, T-Park employs a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) for wastewater treatment and Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology for desalination, ensuring sustainable water management.

The MESM students witnessed firsthand the practical and innovative response of a municipality to a pressing environmental challenge during their visit to the T-Park facility. This experience provided valuable insights into the field of Environmental Management and showcased the potential for sustainable waste management solutions in addressing environmental concerns.