Hong Kong eyes longer hours at recycling stations, offering vouchers to encourage waste reduction
- Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan says proposals part of efforts to bring the recycling rate up from 32 to 35 per cent
- Authorities also looking at ways to overhaul shelved waste-charging scheme to win public support, minister adds, citing Taiwan’s successful policies
Hong Kong recycling outlets may extend their operating hours over the summer and give out supermarket vouchers as part of efforts to encourage residents to reduce waste, the environment minister has said.
Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said on Sunday that the prospective measures were part of efforts to bring the recycling rate up from 32 to 35 per cent.
The proposals included extending opening times for Green@Community outlets by three hours in July and August, and ensuring promotion points earned by residents who recycled there went further.
“Currently, residents can use their points to redeem cooking oil, instant noodles and towels, but we have received a lot of feedback that the variety is not sufficient,” he said.
“Renting the redemption machines and maintenance and operational costs are involved, so we believe that if we transfer these costs, residents will benefit more in reality.”
The minister said the Environment and Ecology Bureau was calculating the cost of such initiatives, but believed they would be a worthwhile investment that boosted the city’s recycling rate.
