Hong Kong Set to Incinerate 29.6-Ton Ivory Stockpile in Largest Destruction to Date
The government of Hong Kong joins nine nations in eliminating its confiscated ivory.
Tomorrow, Hong Kong starts destroying virtually all its 29.6-ton stockpile of confiscated ivory in a process that could take a year or more.
As the largest such event to date, Hong Kong's action signals an attitudinal shift that is turning ivory into a tacitly taboo product. So far, nine countries have eliminated all or part of their ivory stockpiles.
Hong Kong is both an ivory consumer and a key transport hub for illegal ivory entering China. In 2013 authorities intercepted about eight tons of smuggled ivory, including three large-scale shipments containing more than 3,300 tusks.
While destruction of such a sizable ivory collection will be a complicated and lengthy process, it will ultimately cut the costs of managing and securing the
