Inferno Rising: The Blazing Metropolis on the Brink of Destruction

Author: Greenpeace

The movie “Burning City” was released recently, and the scene of the radiation leakage in the movie is a brownfield electronic waste recycling site that has been controversial in society. For more than two decades, the brownfield problem has not only remained unresolved, but has also been plagued by violations of laws and regulations, which continue to cause environmental pollution. Now Greenpeace is taking everyone on an “in-depth tour”, comparing the scenes of “City Burning” with past research reports, and traveling through various brownfield chaos, allowing everyone to experience a “disaster” scene that is more surreal than the movie.

Before taking a guided tour of “Brown”, do you know what a brownfield site is?

Before setting off, I would like to have a tea party with everyone to review the past and learn something new about what a “brownfield” is.

In Hong Kong, brownfield refers to agricultural land that has been abandoned or destroyed. The history of brownfields stems from the government’s defeat in the “Shengfa Case” in 1983. The court ruled that there are no restrictions on the use of agricultural land except for the construction of buildings. Since then, the amount of agricultural land transformed into open storage, subdivision yards, recycling yards and other uses has increased significantly. As of 2021, private data compiled by Greenpeace and the Indigenous Research Society show that the brownfield area in Hong Kong has expanded to 1,958 hectares.

“Brownfield Tour” Interactive Map – A direct look at the latest status of brownfield sites (detailed report)

Dark “brown” work: Do electronic waste recycling sites really exist?

Without further ado, let’s go now! However, a statement in advance: All members of the group are requested to remain alert around the clock and be aware of ambush around them. When we passed the gate and hoarding, we saw broken circuit boards at our feet. We were at a brownfield site where illegal operations were suspected.

According to our previous investigations, we found that at least 35 factories on brownfield sites in Hong Kong are suspected of illegal operations, and there are also illegal activities such as occupying government land and invading green belts. We will start the journey from the most mysterious brownfield sites and check in each attraction one by one. You may encounter people involved in the incident, so please pay attention to your safety!

The mysterious noise directly attacks heavy metal pollution and fire crisis

As we walked through many circuitous paths, the cell phone signal became weaker and weaker, and the mysterious noise became more and more obvious. Finally, we determined the location of the sound source and came to the electronic waste dismantling site at Lung Keng, Ping Che, Fanling. In this hidden factory, a group of workers are quickly using electric drills to dismantle various electronic waste such as monitors and scooters, making a “squeaking” noise. The surrounding area is also filled with “foreign garbage” such as discarded electronic parts and waste printed circuit boards, and “four electrical appliances and one computer” are disposed of illegally. After e-waste is dismantled, the valuable parts can be exported to other places where they can be “priced and marketed.” However, without proper treatment, a variety of heavy metals and other toxic chemicals will be released during the dismantling process, contaminating soil and water sources.

The crisis posed by the accumulated waste can even be “burned to death” at any time. Have you ever noticed that there are obvious signs of burning in the factory? As of the end of October, 8 fires were reported at recycling sites in the New Territories in 2024, of which 4 were Grade II fires. Many brownfield sites are only tens of meters away from residential buildings, and thick smoke will spread, affecting a wide range of areas. In fact, many factories on brownfield sites are quite hidden and it is difficult to monitor their operations, so fires occur from time to time.

What is piled up in front of you is the electronic waste in the Dinosaur Pit Electronics Dismantling Site. Fires in illegal brownfield factories happen from time to time. The distance between reality and the “Burning City” fire may be only a thin line. © Greenpeace

Get a glimpse of the “specialties” of brownfield sites and taste the unique “flavor” of garbage mountains

Before being discovered by the owner of the illegal brownfield site, all group members, please hurry up and walk to the next attraction – Jiboling Road, Xiacun. But before arriving, you may have tasted the unique “flavor” here.

In this sunny mountain field, with the breeze blowing, a burst of smoke fills the air. Who is coming?

In fact, this unique fog originates from the “famous thing” of brownfield sites – garbage mountains! Less than 300 meters away from the residential buildings, 8-meter-high rubbish mountains made of a mixture of electronic waste, hardware waste and construction waste stand in front of them. The waste in this garbage mountain contains heavy metals, and the dust it creates will spread outwards with the air, soil and rainwater, causing widespread ecological pollution and even seeping into people’s homes. It is reported that nearby residents have also been suffering from upper respiratory tract and lung diseases. It can be seen that the pollution on brownfields can cause harm to the human body at any time. Therefore, I also advise all group members to just try the “flavor” this time. Your health is in danger, run away immediately!

As an international metropolis, it is an urban spectacle to allow a garbage mountain covering an area of more than 1,000 square meters to exist on brownfield land. © Greenpeace As a cosmopolitan city, it is an urban spectacle that a mountain of garbage covering an area of more than 1,000 square meters is allowed to exist on brownfield land. © Greenpeace

Comprehensive immersion into the environmental issues surrounding the spread of “brown”

The image of the garbage mountain just now was so shocking that I couldn’t breathe. Do you want to find some quiet and quiet place to breathe fresh air? However, it is a pity that brownfields are not only “rich” with illegal factories. Over the past few decades, illegal activities such as blatant occupation of government land and changes in land uses have also continued to occur, making the chaos of brownfields not only difficult to curb, but also “increased with brownfields”. It even approaches the countryside, coast, farmland, green belts, wetland conservation or buffer zones, shrinking the ecological space.

Will one day, when we have a picnic, we can only watch the “Mediterranean” scenery that has become bald among the green forests, taste the “seasoning dishes” specially prepared with heavy metal dust, and listen carefully to the sounds of dump trucks, construction trucks, and dismantling? “Suburban Symphony” of other ensembles?

There is a way out of the “brown” chaos: Greenpeace advocates giving priority to brownfield planning

Thank you to all the group members for experiencing this “brownfield in-depth tour” that is more real than the disaster scenes in the movies. I believe you have mixed feelings and can’t help but think about it. The brownfield problem has been spreading to this day, but the brownfield policy has not been effective for many years. Where is the answer? A way out?

In fact, Greenpeace has been conducting on-site inspections and investigations in brownfields for more than ten years, and has cooperated with multiple groups to continue to follow up and publish a number of research reports exposing brownfield chaos, discussing brownfield policies, and proposing corresponding plans. , such as the introduction of “fast-maturing brownfields”, encouraging the recovery and rational development of brownfields as a long-term source of land supply, and at the same time mitigating illegal and illegal operations on brownfields.

Of course, in addition to us, we also need the support of all group members to avoid environmental disasters! If you think this trip is particularly meaningful, I hope you will introduce this “brownfield in-depth tour” to more relatives and friends after the trip is over, unite social forces with Greenpeace, continue to pay attention to the situation, and call on the authorities to strengthen law enforcement. Accelerate the progress of land resumption and replace reclamation with brownfield development, so that the ecology and we can coexist and be “brown”.

Related reports revealing brownfield chaos:

“Bei Neng Zhi?” ──Investigation Report on Brownfield Chaos in Northern Metropolitan Areas 2022″ (detailed report)
“Brownfield Chaos: Brownfield Chaos Investigation Report 2021” (detailed report)

Related reports exploring brownfields policy:

“The First Brownfield Policy – Shape or Shape?” 》Report (detailed report)
“The First Return of Brownfields: A Complete Review of Official Brownfield Policy (2018-2021)” (detailed report)
“Brownfield Crime – Report on the Current Situation of Brownfield Sites in Hong Kong 2021” (detailed report)
“Fast Maturity Brownfields: A study of brownfield sites with development potential in the northern metropolitan area” (detailed report)