Rural strongman has his own ideas for landfill site

The Environmental Protection Department has commissioned a study into the generation, recycling and disposal of plastic waste, trying to probe irregularities in the rate of waste recycling.

The study was revealed yesterday after a media report that cast doubt over the accuracy of recycling rate. The doubt originated in the inclusion by the EPD of exports of imported plastic waste that is recycled in the city.

The department last night rejected claims in the report that the recycling rate was misleading. It said the inclusion of export figures was common practice.

"The method is in line with international practices," a spokesman said.

The spokesman also said calculation of the overall recycling rate was based on data collected from waste reception facilities, data submitted by local recyclers, export figures for recovered waste and information from inspections of local recyclers.

The EPD said 840,000 tonnes of plastic waste was recovered and recycled in 2011, down 47 per cent from 2010. During the same period, solid waste recycling also fell from 52 per cent to 48 per cent. The EPD said it noted the "unusual fluctuation".