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Recycling and waste reduction

Discarded items at Sun Tsui Estate in Tai Wan. For the city as a whole, the daily quantity of waste on average last year was 10,884 tonnes, a 2.2 per cent decrease from 2022, and down by 4.2 per cent from 2021.Photo: Eugene Lee
Hong Kong environmental issues

Amount of waste Hong Kong generates has peaked, environment minister says

City also threw out nearly 2 billion fewer plastic bags last year compared with 2022, official figures show.

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Food and Drinks

If you have this type of spatula, throw it out immediately

Business of climate change

Hong Kong start-up develops AI-powered smart bin to tackle recycling

Education in Hong Kong

Letters | To fix our technician shortage, change how we teach them

Readers discuss the need for polytechnics and vocational schools, the next steps in waste management, and tackling a ‘giant in geriatrics’ – loneliness.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hung Hom on September 1. Hong Kong Polytechnic was granted university status in 1994. Photo May Tse
Start-ups

What to do with items hard to recycle? Give them to this start-up

In California, Ridwell helps dispose of items that are difficult to recycle, from corks and light bulbs to batteries and plastic bottle caps.

Hong Kong environmental issues

Hong Kong should do more to pressure producers of single-use plastics: Greenpeace

Group finds plastic made up 97 per cent of rubbish collected in two rivers, with packaging from major drinks brands among most prevalent.

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Xi Jinping

China to get first centrally run resource reuse and recycling enterprise

President Xi Jinping calls China Resources Recycling Group, to be set up in Tianjin, a major step towards building a ‘low-carbon economy’.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the new firm to “smoothen the utilisation chain of recycled resources”. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong environmental issues

Editorial | Do not let Hong Kong’s waste plans simply go to waste

Months after Hong Kong shelved a levy to reduce municipal rubbish, there is still no timetable for reintroducing a better policy.

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Malaysia

EU plastic waste exports to Malaysia soar despite government’s vow to stop influx

The environment minister’s pledge to stop Malaysia from becoming ‘the world’s rubbish bin’ is seemingly undercut by new EU data.

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Hong Kong environmental issues

Hong Kong firms to face warnings, fines for flouting plastics ban after grace period

Environment chief Tse Chin-wan says errant retailers will be issued warnings on-site and given 10 working days to comply.

Hong Kong introduced the first stage of the single-use plastics ban on April 22. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong environmental issues

Some Hong Kong businesses struggle to replace single-use plastics as ban looms

Although official data shows 95 per cent of businesses in retail and hospitality have made switch, checks on the ground paint more complicated picture.

7-Eleven in April provided customers with disposable plastic boxes, paper tableware and bamboo sticks regardless of takeaway or dine-in orders. Photo: Eugene Lee
Hong Kong environmental issues

Hong Kong won’t use stock of special rubbish bags for any future waste charging

Public housing residents told free plastic bags will not be used in any future programme, but 60 million remain.

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ExxonMobil

California sues oil giant Exxon over global plastic pollution

California attorney general accuses ExxonMobil of ‘decades-long deception’ for promising that plastics it produced would be recycled.

Hong Kong environmental issues

Hong Kong shops still selling glow sticks for Mid-Autumn despite plastics ban

Sellers rush to clear stock before grace period ends next month, as economic mood and changing trends weigh on traditional stores.

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Glow sticks on sale at a Wan Chai toy store. Photo: Dickson Lee
Hong Kong environmental issues

Hong Kong’s first waste water recycling plant can ‘save HK$48 million a year’

Facility provides recycled water for flushing at select sites in North district, with capacity able to expand to 520,000 residents.

The facility in Shek Wu Hui processes already treated waste water. Photo: Development Bureau
India

India tops global plastic waste emissions with 9.3 million tonnes: study

Experts say lack of infrastructure for proper waste collection is a primary cause, call for industry-specific policies to address crisis.

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Hong Kong environmental issues

Letters | Hong Kong can definitely stomach a robust food waste reduction strategy

Readers discuss how the government can encourage reduction of food waste, and steps residents can take to support such initiatives.

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The Philippines

Video | Rice for rubbish: Philippines beach plastic waste exchanged for food

The rice for rubbish programme started in 2022.

Rice for rubbish
The Philippines

Rice for rubbish: beach plastic exchanged for food

Hong Kong environmental issues

Letters | 6 green ideas for Hong Kong’s chief executive

Readers suggest what to do about the city’s waste and other problems, the removal of rubbish bins from streets, and more targeted ways of phasing out plastic.

Thailand

Toxic waste bound for Thailand to return to Europe after environmental uproar

Forty shipping containers of waste bound for Thailand are due to arrive in Singapore, and will then be sent back to Italy.

Greenpeace activists hang a banner on a cargo container loaded with electronic waste during a demonstration. Containers bound for Thailand allegedly filled with tons of hazardous industrial waste from Albania are now slated to return to Europe. Photo: SCMP/File
Thailand

Thailand races to stop 100 cargo ships with toxic waste from reaching its shores

A US-based non-profit that tracks toxic trade, last week informed Thailand that containers it believes are filled with potentially harmful electric arc furnace dust were heading its way.

Greenpeace activists prevented the offloading of a container of waste electronic devices from the US, on its way to China, via Hong Kong in June 2018. Thai authorities are racing to stop about 100 shipping containers allegedly filled with hazardous industrial waste from reaching the nation’s ports. Photo: SCMP
Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Olympics equipment heads for ‘second life’ after the sporting extravaganza

Paris promised to do things differently and sustainably, including using temporary venues and equipment that can be recycled or repurposed.

Hong Kong environmental issues

Letters | Don’t rely on incinerators to fix Hong Kong’s waste problem

Readers discuss concerns over the city’s first waste-to-energy incinerator …

Business of climate change

Climate change: German plastics firm in alliance to recycle parts in China

German plastic materials maker Covestro is stepping up efforts to collaborate with vehicle makers and recycling partners to reuse plastic car parts in China to reduce the carbon and resource footprint of its products.

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The materials will be reused for interior vehicle applications such as instrument panel trim and exterior applications like spoilers. Photo: Xinhua
100 Top Tables

Can Macau teach Hong Kong how to tackle food waste?

Growing awareness of domestic food waste has led to many Macau residents saying they are willing to pay for its disposal, avoiding methane-producing landfills and incinerators that also pollute

A United Nations report estimates that 19 per cent of the food produced around the world went to waste in 2022. Macau is getting to grips with household food waste, with many willing to pay for its disposal. Pictured: garbage is loaded into a landfill in Michigan, US. Photo: AP Photo
The Philippines

Rice for rubbish: beach plastic exchanged for food

Malaysia

Malaysia shuts 2 sites over illegal waste as raid linked to Chinese gangs widens

The raid follows last week’s seizure of 100 containers filled with e-waste bound for illegal smelters run by Chinese gangs in Malaysia.

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Recycling and waste reduction
Latest news and analysis about the recycling and reduction of waste materials, particularly of plastics, water, paper, metals and e-waste.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
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