Hong Kong Population free essay sample

Hong Kong’s Population is expected to grow from just over 7 million today to nearly 9 million in the next 30 years. What problems and opportunities might this create for Hong Kong? Name: Arthur Chow Class: 8F (6) Supervisor: Mr. Richard Millham Hong Kong’s Population is expected to grow from just over 7 million today to nearly 9 million in the next 30 years. What problems and opportunities might this create for Hong Kong? Hong Kong is one of the cities that has the highest density in the world, its population is increasing rapidly through the years and is expected to grow from a rate of 7 million today to nearly 9 million in the next 30 years. There are many different problems created by the increase in population, which includes ageing problems, lack of public facilities and environmental pollution problems. But on the other hand, it also causes a few opportunities for Hong Kong, such as improving the economic growth and more people working, leading to better products in society. We will write a custom essay sample on Hong Kong Population or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hong Kong is a densely populated city and its population increase is mainly due to immigration. It is a major destination for tourists and business visitors. In 2011, passenger arrivals and departures totaled 253 Million. People around the world who possess special skills and knowledge come to Hong Kong to live, work and study here. In addition, non- Hong Kong citizens giving birth in Hong Kong is also a main factor for the population boom especially the mainlanders, they come due to the restrictions of birth in Mainland China. More people moved here for higher living standards, in terms of social security, living environment and freedom which caused the population to increase, resulting in different problems and issues. Firstly, environmental problems are one of the main challenges that Hong Kong needs to face. Municipal Solid Waste is waste that comes from domestic, commercial and industrial sources. They consist of everyday items we use and throw away, such as clothing, food packaging and furniture, these come from households, public areas, factories and businesses. According to the Government website, ‘Each year, more than 6 million tonnes of MSW is produced, and over half of which is disposed of in the three strategic landfills. ’(http://www. gov. hk/en/residents/environment/waste/wasterecycinhk. htm) However the amount of MSW produced is enormous and is putting pressure on these landfills. ‘In 2009 alone, 6. 5 million tonnes were generated, of which 49% was recycled and the rest went to landfills†¦However, these sites will be completely filled by the mid-2010s if the level of waste continues to grow at the current levels. Gas released from municipal waste will cause bad smell and affect the neighbors around the landfill sites. ‘According to the EPA, the methane produced by the rotting organic matter in unmanaged landfills is 20 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat from the sun. ’(http://greenliving. lovetoknow. com/Environmental_Problems%3A_Landfills) They also produce toxic gas which causes air pollution and can impact the air quality. These pollutants would harm public health and lower the living quality of living residents. A news report shows that the government planned to build incineration facilities as part of the expanded landfill, the new incinerator will burn the sludge generated from the landfill. But during incineration, a small amount of dioxins is expected to be released into the air. Dioxins are highly toxic substances that can cause reproductive and developmental problems. Long-term exposure can damage the immune system. (http://www. scmp. com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1202002/pollution-makes-proposed-reclamation-site-unliveable)Therefore it does not solve the problem  but creates more environmental problem. Landfill does not only have an impact on humans but they also damage other living organisms. Groundwater from landfills may contain toxic and harmful chemicals of industrial and home-cleaning chemicals which would damage plants and wildlife habitats. Landfill is a serious matter in Hong Kong, it causes many environmental problems and affects people’s life. Apart from envi ronmental problems, housing and the lack of residential areas is also a serious problem created by the growth of population. Hong Kong is a small place but with a large population. Therefore, the government has to build more houses to satisfy the population which means they have to find more land in order to build these new houses. According to the government, about 50 percent of housing is private permanent housing, but as the population increases, the demand increases at the same time. More and more people would want to buy houses therefore the cost of the housing will increase rapidly which makes it unaffordable.