ENG-2020 — Page 287

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The Environment

The Programme on Source Separation of Waste covers over 80 per cent of the Hong Kong population. Residents can contribute recyclable items to waste separation facilities close to their homes and workplaces.

Various producer responsibility schemes have been introduced by the government to reduce waste at source and develop a circular economy, including the Plastic Shopping Bag Charging Scheme and schemes for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and glass beverage containers. In 2020, over 23,000 tonnes of WEEE were treated and recycled. In preparation for a new scheme for plastic beverage containers, in 2020 the government introduced reverse vending machines on a pilot basis for one year to assess their application in Hong Kong.

From 2020, the government has set aside an annual recurrent sum of not less than $300 million to support local waste paper recycling. During the year, the EPD extended waste paper collection and recycling services to the whole of Hong Kong. About 40,000 to 80,000 tonnes of local waste paper are processed every month.

From January, the EPD introduced the Plastic Recycling Pilot Scheme progressively in three districts to collect waste plastics for processing into recycled raw materials or products to be supplied for export or the local market.

Waste Recycling

The government supports the recycling industry and educates the public to reduce and separate waste at sources, so as to improve the quality of the recyclables collected and to streamline the subsequent treatment process.

Community participation is encouraged through district-based education and recycling support. The community recycling network promotes waste reduction and recycling, and provides local collection points for recyclables of low commercial value. In 2020, a ninth recycling station began operations.

The network also includes 22 recycling stores and over 100 mobile collection points. In September, the EPD launched a technical trial of a pilot Smart Recycling System on the network. Green Outreach, which provides on-site assistance and support on recycling to property management companies and residents, extended its coverage from three pilot districts to other districts.

Between 2015 and 2019, an annual average of 45 per cent of paper and 91 per cent of metal in municipal solid waste was recovered. The annual average recovery rate of plastics was 11 per cent.

During the same period, an average of 79 per cent of solid waste, including municipal solid waste and overall construction waste, was recovered each year, working out to an annual average of 21 million tonnes recovered. This annual average was 3 per cent lower than the 22 million tonnes recovered between 2010 and 2014.

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