The Hong Kong government’s Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced a successful transition in the collection of waste plastics, with private operators taking over the service and expanding door-to-door collection to more housing estates across the territory.
The move follows the conclusion of a pilot scheme, “Collection & Recycling Services of Plastic Recyclable Materials,” which ended yesterday. The EPD reported that the handover to GREEN@COMMUNITY operators has been seamless, with no complaints received from housing estates regarding the collection of waste plastics.
Site inspections conducted by the EPD across various districts yesterday and today found that plastic recycling by residents and collections at housing estates are proceeding smoothly, with GREEN@COMMUNITY recycling stations operating efficiently. Notably, there were no cases of waste plastics being left uncollected or unattended.
The EPD explained that GREEN@COMMUNITY operators can now pass collected plastics to up to 10 EPD-approved recyclers for processing, a significant increase from the three designated recyclers under the pilot scheme. The department aims to further qualify more downstream recyclers, promoting market competition to reduce the cost of collection and recycling.
GREEN@COMMUNITY operators will continue to work closely with housing estates to provide flexible collection services for plastics and other recyclables, focusing on enhancing cost-effectiveness. The EPD pledged to strengthen collaboration with operators, recyclers, and housing estates to ensure that recycling work proceeds uninterrupted.
To ensure accountability, the EPD will conduct more spot-checks to verify that all collected waste plastics are properly processed. The expansion of the plastic recycling program is a significant step towards reducing waste and promoting a more sustainable environment in Hong Kong.
With this development, Hong Kong takes a crucial step forward in its efforts to reduce plastic waste, promote recycling, and protect the environment. As the program expands, residents can expect more convenient and efficient recycling services, contributing to a cleaner and greener Hong Kong.