Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Waste Reduction Website

With the launching of EPD's outreaching services, the Green Outreach team will also provide on-site technical and educational support, ... Skiptomaincontent OnlinePolling Clickheretovote YouarehereWhatandWheretoRecycle»Eighttypesofrecyclables»FrequentlyAskedQuestions(FAQ) MobileVersion Print KerbsideRecycling   1. Wherewilltherecyclablescollectedfromthree-colourrecyclingbinsontheroadsidego?     Therecyclablescollectedfromroadsiderecyclingbins,commonlyknownasthree-colourbins,willbedeliveredtolocalrecyclersforproperhandling,includingprocessingthemintorecycledproductsorrawmaterialssothattheycanbeexportedorsuppliedtothelocalmarket.Takingplasticasanexample,aftersorting,washingandshredding,itcouldbeusedforlocalproductionofplasticstriporpellet.Thelatterisakindofrawmaterialforfurtherdownstreammanufacturingoperations. Plasticstrip Pellet   2. Howtoimproveoverfillofroadsidethree-colourrecyclingbins?     TheGovernmentwilladjustthecollectionfrequencyaswellasthenumberandlocationofthethree-colourbinsinpublicplaces,takingintoaccountvariousfactorssuchasstreetconditions,pedestriancirculation,qualityandquantityofrecyclablesrecovered,bin-overfillingreports,etc.Forenquiries,pleasecall1823.   GREEN‌@COMMUNITY/CommunityRecyclingCentres   3. WhattypesofwasteplasticsdoGREEN‌@COMMUNITYandCommunityRecyclingCentres(CRC)collect?Whataretheoutletsofthewasteplastics?     RecyclingbinsaresetupatGREEN‌@COMMUNITYforcollectingcleanandsortedplasticwastesofdifferentresintypes,e.g.plasticbottles,plasticbags,plasticutensils,plasticcontainers,bottlecaps,CDsandpolyfoametc.ForCRCs,cleanplasticwastesareacceptedinmixedresinforms.ThewasteplasticswouldbedeliveredtothecontractorsofPlasticRecyclingPilotSchemeorotherlocalrecyclersforturningintorecycledproducts.   4. WherecanwefindthemobilecollectionboothsoperatedbyGREEN‌@COMMUNITY/CRCs?     UpdatedschedulesofmobilecollectionboothsoperatedbyGREEN‌@COMMUNITY/CRCsarepostedatthesocialmediasiteorwebsitesetupbytherespectiveGREEN‌@COMMUNITY/CRCoperators.   5. Canstyrofoamberecycled?     Duetoitslightweightandlowdensity,therecyclingofstyrofoam(orpolyfoam)inacost-effectivemannerisalwayschallenging.Itisthusadvisabletousealternativesasfaraspracticable.Nonetheless,cleanandwellsortedstyrofoamcanstillbesenttoGREEN‌@COMMUNITYforrecycling.   TheHongKongAssociationofYouthDevelopment(TusenWanDistrictBranch)hasruna“MissingLink-PolyfoamRecyclingScheme”forstyrofoamrecycling.Organisationswithlargeamountofcleanandwellsortedstyrofoammightalsocontactthemfordeliveryarrangement.Formoreinformation,pleaserefertoitsFacebook---https://www.facebook.com/polyfoamrecyclinghk/.   ResidentialEstatesRecyclingProgrammes   6. Howcanresidentsofprivatehousingestatesjointhepracticeofsourceseparationofwasteandwasterecycling?     Housingestatesandresidentialbuildingswithpropertymanagementcompanies(PMCs),IncorporatedOwners'CommitteeorOwners'CommitteecanjointheProgrammeonSourceSeparationofDomesticWaste(SSDW)byreturningacompletedEnrolmentForm(availableatHongKongWasteReductionWebsite).https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en/apps/ssl/submit_ssw_enrolment.htm   TheEnvironmentalCampaignCommitteehasbeendistributingwasteseparationbinsfree-of-chargetoestates/buildingsjoiningtheSSDWProgramme.https://www.ecc.org.hk/english/publicity/publicityf41b.html?id=10   Alternatively,residentsofhousingestatesandbuildingscanalsobringcleanandsortedrecyclablestoGREEN‌@COMMUNITYandCommunityRecyclingCentres,ormobilerecyclingpointsoperatedbyGREEN‌@COMMUNITYandCRCoperators.   7. WhatkindofsupportwouldtheGovernmentprovidetoestatesjoiningtheSSDWProgramme?AnyobligationsforestatesinjoiningtheProgramme?     EnvironmentalProtectionDepartment(EPD)willprovidetechnicalandpromotionalsupporttoPMCs,suchasposters,banners,wasteseparationbinstickers.WiththelaunchingofEPD’soutreachingservices,theGreenOutreachteamwillalsoprovideon-sitetechnicalandeducationalsupport,aswellasprovidingadviceonidentificationofsuitabledownstreamrecyclers.   ForestatesandbuildingsreceivingthefreewasteseparationbinsfromECC,thePMCsshouldplacethewasteseparationbinsatnoticeableandaccessiblearea(s)withinthedomainoftheestate/building,andensurethecleanliness,hygieneandmaintenanceofthebinsinordertoprovidewasteseparationfacilityfortheresidents.ThePMCsshouldarrangeperiodiccollectionofrecyclablematerialsforrecyclingwithcleansingcontractorsorrecyclers,andkeeptheirreceiptsissuedbythem.WealsoencouragethePMCstosubmitmonthlyrecyclablefigurestoEPD.   8. Wherewilltherecyclablescollectedfromthree-colourrecyclingbinsinhousingestatesgo?Inparticular,willplasticrecyclablesgotolandfilleventually?     ThePMCs,IncorporatedOwners'CommitteeorOwners'Committeewillconsigntherecyclablescollectedfromrecyclingbinsinhousingestates,commonlyknownasthree-colourwasteseparationbins,tolocalrecyclersforproperhandling,includingprocessingtherecyclablesintorecycledproductsorrawmaterialssothattheycanbeexportedoverseasorsuppliedtothelocalmarket.Takingplasticasanexample,aftersorting,washingandshredding,itcouldbeusedforlocalproductionofplasticstriporpellet.Thelatterisakindofrawmaterialforfurtherdownstreammanufacturingoperations.ThevideosbelowintroduceplasticrecyclingflowoftwopublichousingestatesinHongKongIslandEastandNewTerritoriesEastasgoodexamples:  Transcript(Chineseonly) Transcript(Chineseonly)   9. Wecanplacerecyclablesintothewasteseparationfacilitiesatourresidentialbuildings.WhyshouldwebothertotaketherecyclablestotheCommunityRecyclingNetwork?     AlthoughSourceSeparationofWasteProgrammecoveredover80%oftheplaceswhereHongKongpeopleliveandwork,somesingleblockbuildings,particularlythoseinolderdistricts,donothavepropertymanagementcompanytomanageandimplementrecyclingprogrammes,ordonothaveadequatecommunityspacetosetupwasteseparationfacilities.TheestablishmentofCommunityRecyclingNetwork(suchasGREEN‌@COMMUNITY,CRCs,andtheirkerb-sidecollectionpoints)providesadditionaloutletsforrecyclables,andencouragesresidentslivinginthosebuildingstoparticipateinsourceseparationofwasteandrecycling.   Apartfromthecommonesttypesofrecyclables(e.g.wastepaper,plasticandglassbottles,metals,etc.)acceptedbySSDWparticipatingestates/buildings,theCRNoutletsalsoacceptotherrecyclablessuchasrechargeablebatteries,compactedfluorescentlampsandtubes,smallelectricalappliances,etc.   10. Couldhousingestatesparticipateinrecyclingofglassbottles?     TheGovernment-appointedGlassManagementContractors(GMCs)provideglassbottlecollectionservicesacrosstheterritoryfreeofcharge,servingresidentialestatesaswellascommercial,industrial,andgovernmentfacilities.Ifaparticularestatewantstosetupaglassbottlecollectionpointintheestate,pleaseapproachtherespectiveGMCintheregionforthecollectionservicesrequired.ThecontactdetailsoftheGMCsareasfollows: Region GMC Hotline Email HongKongIsland(includingIslandsDistrict) BaguioWasteManagement&RecyclingLimited 81002541 [email protected] Kowloon HongKongGlassRebornLimited 21168648 [email protected] NewTerritories BaguioWasteManagement&RecyclingLimited 81002541 [email protected]   Currently,glassbottlesrecoveredare,aftertreatment,usedforproducingeco-paversandcement,usedasfillmaterialsinpublicworks,orexportedforrecycling. Eco-pavers Fillmaterials   11. Isthereanysupporttoindividualprivatehousingestateswhichencounterschallengeinidentifyingproperoutletofwasteplastic?     HousingestateswhichencounterdifficultiesinidentifyingdownstreamrecyclingoutletsforrecyclablescollectedcanapproachtheCommunityRecyclingCentre(s)inthedistrictforassistance.Dependingonthequantityofrecyclablescollectedregularlyintheestates,theCRCwilladviseonpossiblecollectionarrangement.IndividualestatescanalsodeliverthecleanrecyclablestonearbyCRNoutletsdirectduringtheiroperatinghours.   CleanRecycling   12. IsVaselineplasticcontainerrecyclable?     Itishardtothoroughlycleanavaselineplasticcontainer.However,itcanberecycled.MembersofthepublicisencouragedtouseupandcleartheVaselineinsidethecontainersasfaraspracticable.   13. Recyclingenvelopwithplasticwindows:doestheplastichavetoberemovedandrecycledseparately?     Weencouragemembersofthepublictoremovetheplasticsheetfrompaperenvelopeforrecycling.Envelopescanberegardedasofficepaper(oneofthe3-paper).Cleanrecyclingofofficepaperincludesremovalofplastictape,paperclipsandothernonpapermaterials.   14. Isplastictoothpastetuberecyclable?     No.It’scommonlymadeofcompositematerialswhichisnotsuitableforrecycling,thoughsomemanufacturerssuchasColgatestartmovingtowardusingrecyclablematerial.   BacktoTop