Covered largely by green plastic material, one woman in Shenzhen said she initially thought the Tuen Mun landfill was a scenic spot, until she moved into her new home at Shenzhen Bay and was inundated by the smell of waste. Many people, including the woman, have criticized the Hong Kong authorities' expansion plans. Photo by Edmond Tang / China Daily

Exchanging ideas

The landfill expansion plan will be resubmitted to the Legislative Council when members return from the summer recess in October.

In the meantime, the city's Environmental Protection Department said it welcomed exchanges with its counterpart in Shenzhen and will continue to explore cooperation opportunities.

"We understand the concerns of residents about our landfill operation," read the department's statement. "We would be pleased to introduce and exchange views on the landfill design and operation with a view to strengthening our communication and mutual understanding on the issue."

Ao also said he is staying optimistic about any future decisions.

"I think they (Hong Kong authorities) will listen to residents from both sides and make a wise choice," he said. "Otherwise, there will be no progress in environmental protection, only a potential threat for both cities.

"Any strategy should be negotiated and mapped out by officials and residents from the two cities."

Zhu Jing in Shenzhen contributed to this story.