Occupy Movement creating 'environmental disaster' in HK: newspaper

[Photo: Wen Wei Po]

(ECNS) -- The Occupy Central movement in Hong Kong has been "creating an environmental disaster," with piles of rubbish on roads that include used condoms and syringes, a local newspaper said, citing a report from the city's environmental protection department.

The department released the report Thursday after monitoring environmental conditions in affected areas for a month since September 28, the Hong Kong daily Wen Wei Po said.

The report said more than 1.5 million bottles were thrown on roads during assemblies in Central, Wan Chai, Admiralty, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok during the first four days, and that one third of the bottles still contained water.

In addition, a massive amount of unopened food containers and medical materials have been dumped, "creating an environmental disaster," it said.

It also said that the combined length of all the rope, fabric banners and plastic wrappers used in the past month add up to twice the distance from Hong Kong to Macao.

The department demanded that protesters dispose of personal items in bathrooms after staff found used condoms and syringes.

Misuse and theft of materials at supply stations have also continued to occur, it added.