Waste | Environmental Protection Department

There is limited land resource in Hong Kong. Landfills, which is an essential element of any sustainable waste management chain, need notable ... Skiptomaincontent Waste Thissectionaimstoprovidedetailedinformationonwastegeneration,reductionandmanagementinHongKong.Anoverviewisgivenbelowfor quickreference.Detailedinformationisorganisedintovariouscategories,namely,Problems&Solutions,Data&Statistics,PublicConsultation,StudyReports,Guidelines&References,WasteReductionProgrammes,ProducerResponsibilitySchemes,WasteCollectors&RecyclersandWasteManagementFacilitieswhichcanbeaccessedthroughthemenu. ANOVERVIEWONCHALLENGESFORWASTEREDUCTIONANDMANAGEMENTINHONGKONG WASTEBYTYPE HongKonggeneratesseveraldifferenttypesofwaste,andeachhasitsownrequirementsforhandling.TheEPDkeepsregularstatisticsoneachwastetype,suchascomposition,quantitysentfordisposalandquantityrecycled. MunicipalSolidWaste(MSW)comprisessolidwastefromhouseholds,commercialandindustrialsources.Thisexcludesconstructionwaste,chemicalwaste,clinicalwasteandotherspecialwaste.MSWisdisposedofatlandfills. FoodwasteisthemajorconstituentofthemunicipalsolidwasteinHongKong.Itcompriseswasteproducedduringfoodproduction,processing,wholesale,retailandpreparation,aswellasaftermealleftoversandexpiredfoods.Itishighlydegradablewhichcaneasilycauseodourandhygieneproblems. Constructionwasteincludeswastearisingfromconstructionworksuchasconstruction,renovation,demolition,landexcavationandroadworks. Throughwastesortingandseparation,inertmaterialisusedasfillinreclamationsites,whenavailable.Thenon-inertportionofthewastestillgoestolandfills. ChemicalwastecomprisessubstancesspecifiedundertheWasteDisposal(ChemicalWaste)(General)Regulationasposingapossiblerisktohealthand/ortheenvironment. Clinicalwasteconsistsofwastegeneratedfromvarioushealthcare,laboratoryandresearchpracticesasdefinedinSection2andSchedule8oftheWasteDisposalOrdinance.Itshouldbemanagedproperlysoastominimizedangertopublichealthorriskofpollutiontotheenvironment. WasteCookingOils(WCO)includeoilsabandonedfromanycookingprocessforhumanconsumption,regardlesswhethertheyhavebeenusedfortheiroriginalpurposes(e.g.greasetrapwaste,usedcookingoilandunusedcookingoilabandonedforreasonssuchasspoilage),otherthanthosefromhouseholds.WCOshouldbehandledproperlytopromoterecyclingoflocalresourcesandpreventthemfromre-enteringthefoodchain.  Specialwastesincludeanimalcarcasses,livestockwaste,radioactivewaste,greasetrapwaste, sewagesludgeandwaterworkssludges.Thesewastesneedtobetreatedseparately.Arrangementsarebeingdevelopedforthepropertreatmentanddisposalofthesewastes,butmoretimeisneededtoaddresscommunityconcernsaboutsuchfacilities. Othersolidwastecomprisesdredgedmudandexcavatedmaterialsdisposedofatmarinedisposalsites. THECHALLENGES Wasteisacommonproblemofaffluentsocieties.Especiallywhenpeoplecanaffordgreaterconvenienceandmorepurchases,theytendtothrowawaymorerubbish.HongKongisnoexceptiontothis. GrowingWasteloads HongKong,likemanydevelopedplaces,hasseenitswasteloadsgrowasitseconomyhasgrown.Municipalwasteloadshaveingeneralbeenincreasingsince1986-whentheEPDwasformed-mirroringHongKong'srapideconomicexpansionoverthesameperiod.Atthesametime,thepopulationhasgrownbymorethanonemillionpeopleandeachpersonisthrowingawaymorewaste. Municipalsolidwasteincludeswastefromhouseholds,industryandcommercialoperations,butlandfillsarealsoundertremendouspressurefromconstructionwaste.In2006,theGovernmentintroducedtheConstructionWasteDisposalChargingSchemeandthequantityofconstructionwastedisposedofatlandfillshasdecreased largelysincethen.However,thedisposalquantityfluctuatesdependingontheeconomicsituationandthenumberofconstructionprojectsunderway. Fordetailedinformationonwastegenerationanddisposal,pleaserefertoData&Statistics. Outlook ThereislimitedlandresourceinHongKong. Landfills,whichisanessentialelementofanysustainablewastemanagementchain,neednotablelandresourceontheotherhand. Landfillspacemustberegardedasoneofthecity’smostpreciousassets,andthereforebemoreprudentlyusedasalastresort.  Landfillspaceshouldalsobeconservedbystate-of-the-arttechnologiesthatreducethebulkvolumeofwasterequiringdisposal.Afterextensivereview,theEPDisnowplanningtodeveloptheIntegratedWasteManagementFacilitiesthatwouldadoptadvancedincinerationascoretechnologytoreducebulkwastevolumeandtorecoverenergy.OrganicResourcesRecoveryCentresarealsobeingplannedtorecyclesource-separatedorganicwastetousefulproducts. WASTEREDUCTION Wasterecyclinginhousingestate Wastereductionisoftenassociatedwithrecycling,butitismorecomplexthanthat.Avoidingthegenerationofwasteinthefirstplaceandminimisingwastearealsocrucialmeasuresinanywastereductionstrategy. InMay2013,theEnvironmentBureaupublishedthe“HongKongBlueprintforSustainableUseofResources2013–2022”(TheBlueprint)whichmapsoutacomprehensivestrategy,targets,policiesandactionplansforwastemanagementforthecoming10yearswithaviewtotacklingthewastecrisisinHongKong. TheBlueprintsetoutthetargettoreducethepercapitadisposalrateofMSWby40%by2022. Toachievethisgoal,theBlueprintproposespoliciesandactionsinthreeareas,includingtoundertakemultipleandconcurrentactionstodrivebehaviouralchangetoreducewasteatsourcethroughpoliciesandlegislation;torollouttargetedterritory-widewastereductioncampaigns;andtoallocateresourcestoenhancewaste-relatedinfrastructure. WedevelopedtheframeworkproposalforMSWchargingbasedontherecommendationsoftheCouncilforSustainableDevelopmentandpresentedittotheLegCoinFebruary2015.Takingintoaccounttheviewsoftheindustryanddifferentstakeholders,amodifiedchargingarrangementwasproposedinOctober2017andanumberofpromotionandeducationactivitieswerelaunched.SincetheEnvironmentBureausubmittedabilltoimplementmunicipalsolidwastechargingtotheLegislativeCouncilinNovember2018,thegovernmenthasbeencommittedtosupportthedeliberationsoftheBillsCommittee.Besides,theEnvironmentandConservationFundhasfundedcommunityinvolvementprojectsonMSWchargingtogetthepublicpreparedforitsimplementationinfuture.Asatmid-January2021,morethan180projectsinvolvingaround1,000variouspremiseshavebeenfunded.Thetotalfundingsupportinvolvedisaround$150million. Asregardsproducerresponsibilityschemes(PRSs),theEnvironmentalLevySchemeonPlasticShoppingBags(PSBs)commencedon7July2009asthefirstmandatoryPRSundertheProductEco-responsibilityOrdinance(Cap.603). ItaimstoreducetheindiscriminateuseofPSBsthroughtheimplicationofadirecteconomicdisincentive. RidingontheeffectivereductionofPSBsdistributedbysectorsregulatedunderthescheme,weconsultedthepubliconaproposaltofurtherextendingtheschemeandreceivedbroadcommunitysupport.WiththeapprovalbyLegCooftherelevantlegislativeamendments,fullimplementationoftheschemetocoverallretailoutletsterritory-widetookeffectsince1April2015.Formoredetails,pleaseclickhere. EPDisalsopressingaheadontheintroductionofmandatoryPRSsonwasteelectricalandelectronicequipment(WEEE)andglassbeveragecontainersforwhichlegislativeproposalshavebeenintroducedintotheLegislativeCouncilforscrutinyinMarchandJuly2015respectively. Inparallel,wehavebeenpursuingnecessarycomplementarymeasures,includingthedevelopmentoftheWEEETreatmentandRecyclingFacilityandtheprogressiveexpansionofthecollectionnetworkforglasscontainers. Inordertoenhanceenvironmentaleducationandassistlocalcommunitiesinthecollectionofvariousrecyclables,therebyenablinggreenlivingtotakerootatthecommunitylevel,theGovernmentisprogressivelydevelopingaCommunityGreenStation(CGS)ineachofthe18districts,witheachCGSoperatedbyanon-profit-makingorganisation. Asatend2015,thefirsttwoCGSsinShaTinandEasterndistrictshavestartedoperation,whilstprojectsinotherdistrictsareatdifferentplanningstages. Fordetails,pleaseclickhere. TheEnvironmentandConservationFund(ECF)hasallocated$10milliontosupportapubliceducationprogrammeunderthePolicyFramework.Interestedpartiesmayrefertorelevantwebpage formoredetails. InFebruary2021,theEnvironmentBureauannouncedthe“WasteBlueprintforHongKong2035”. Settingoutthevisionof"WasteReduction‧ResourcesCirculation‧ZeroLandfill"andbuildingonthe“HongKong:BlueprintforSustainableUseofResources2013-2022”releasedin2013,thisblueprintoutlinesthestrategies,goalsandmeasurestotacklethechallengeofwastemanagementupto2035. Underthevision,theGovernmentwillworkwiththeindustryandthecommunitytomovetowardstwomaingoals. Themedium-termgoalistograduallyreducethepercapitaMSWdisposalrateby40-45%andraisetherecoveryratetoabout55%byimplementingMunicipalSolidWasteCharging,whilethelong-termgoalistomoveawayfromtherelianceonlandfillsfordirectwastedisposalbydevelopingadequatewaste-to-energyfacilities. Toachievetheabovegoals,theGovernmentwillpromotesixmajorareasofaction,namelyWasteReduction,WasteSeparation,ResourcesCirculation,IndustrySupport,InnovationandCooperation,andEducationandPublicity,leadingtheadvancementofvariouspoliciesandmeasuresaswellasbuildingacirculareconomyandasustainablegreenlivingenvironment. WASTEMANAGEMENTANDDISPOSAL TheEPDmanagesfacilitiesforcollecting,transferring,treatinganddisposingofavarietyofwastetypes.Since1989,thedepartmenthasoverseentheestablishmentofaChemicalWasteTreatmentCentre,threestrategiclandfillsandanetworkofrefusetransferstations.Ithasalsophasedoutolder,environmentally-unacceptablelandfills,restoredthemtoasafeconditionandisintheprocessofdevelopingthemfordifferentrecreationaluses,suchasfootballpitchesandgolfcourses. ThesewastefacilitieswerebuiltundertheWasteDisposalPlanandcostmorethan$10billionintotaltobuild.Thelandfillsinitiallywereintendedtolastuntil2020,buttheycouldbefullseveralyearsearlierifnothingisdonetoreducewasteloads. Wasteisalsomanagedthroughlegislations.TheWasteDisposalOrdinanceisusedtoenforcecontrolsonwastedisposal,includingcollectionanddisposalandtheimportandexportofwaste.TheDumpingatSeaOrdinanceisenforcedtocontroldisposalofdredgedmudandexcavatedmaterialsatdesignatedmarinedisposalsites.LivestockWasteControlSchemehasbeenfullyimplementedinthemanagementanddisposaloflivestockwaste. Thedetailsofdifferenttypesofwastemanagementfacilitiesarelistedasfollows: ThreestrategiclandfillsarelocatedintheNewTerritories(NimWan,TseungKwanOandTaKwuLing).Liners,leachatecollectionandtreatmentsystems,landfillgasmanagementsystems,andsurfaceandgroundwatermanagementsystemsareinplacetocontrolairandwaterimpacts. ThirteenclosedlandfillsinHongKongarebeingrestoredtominimisepotentialsafetyandhealthrisks.Theyarelandscapedtoprovidegreenzonesandcanbedevelopedintodifferentpublicrecreationalusessuchasgolfdrivingrangesandcourses,multi-purposegrasspitches,recreationalparksandecologicalpark. SevenrefusetransferstationsarelocatedindifferentareasinHongKong.Thesearecentralisedcollectionpointsforthetransferofwastetothestrategiclandfills.Thewastefromsmallerrefusecollectiontrucksiscompactedandtransferredintocontainers,whichareloadedontolorriesorbargesforshipmenttolandfills.Thewastewater,odoursandemissionsfromthestationsareallcontrolled. TheChemicalWasteTreatmentCentreonTsingYiIslandopenedin1993.Itacceptsavarietyofchemicalwastesandalsoclinicalwastecommencing1August2011.IthasextensivecontrolsonitsemissionswhichareregularlymonitoredbytheEPD.   TheShaLingCompostingPlantinthenorthernNewTerritoriesopenedin1991andacceptslivestockwaste.ThewasteiscompostedintosoilconditionerforuseinHongKong.   TheSludgeTreatmentFacility locatedatTsangTsui,TuenMunstartedoperationin2015.Itreceivesandtreatssewagesludgefrom11sewagetreatmentworksofDrainageServicesDepartment. Forfurtherinformationontheimpactsoftheseoperations,seetheEPD'sEnvironmentalPerformanceReport. Fordetailedinformationonwastemanagementanddisposal,pleaserefertoProblems&Solution. THESUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENTOFRECYCLINGINDUSTRY EcoPark Topromotelocalrecycling,theGovernmenthasdevelopeda20-hectareEcoPark inTuenMunArea38toprovidelong-termlandataffordablecostsforthedevelopmentoftherecyclingindustrywithaviewtoencouraginginvestmentinadvancedtechnologiesandvalued-addedrecyclingprocesses. RecyclingFund The$1billionRecyclingFundhasbeenlaunchedinOctober2015andisopenforapplications. TheRecyclingFundpromotestherecoveryandrecyclingofwasteintousefulresourcesandproductsbyfacilitatingtheupgradingofoperationalcapabilitiesandefficiencyoftherecyclingindustrytosupportitssustainabledevelopment. WHATYOUCANDO Individualscanreducetheirwastebybuyingitemswithlesspackaging,usingreusablebagsforshopping,andseparatingwastepaper,metalsandplasticsfromourdailywasteforrecycling. BusinessescanrefertotheHongKongAwardsforEnvironmentalExcellencewhichencouragestheprivatesectortoorganisetheirownwastereductionactivities.TheEPDalsooffersindustry-specificinformationonwastereductionandoutletsforrecyclablematerials.PleaserefertoWasteReductionunderProblems&Solutionsfordetails. Factories,trades,farmersandothersalsocanrefertoGuidelines&Referencesforinformationonthelegalrequirementsfordisposingofwaste. Additionally,theEPDlaunchedaterritory-wideProgrammeonSourceSeparationofDomesticWasteinJanuray2005whichencourageshousingestates/buildingstosetupwasteseparationfacilitiesonbuildingfloorsandbroadenthetypesofrecyclablestoberecovered,soastoincreasedomesticwasterecoveryandreducewasterequiringdisposal.Formoredetails,pleaseclickhereordialtheRecyclingHelpline(28383111). Tofurtherpromotewastereductionandrecyclingandprovideoutletsforrecyclablesoflowcommercialvalueinthecommunity,in2011theGovernmentlaunchedtheCommunityRecyclingNetwork.TheEPDalsoconductpublicityandpubliceducationprogrammestoeducatethepublictoreducewasteatsource,separatewasteproperlytopreventcontaminationofrecyclables,improvethequalityofrecyclablescollectedandlessentheburdenofsubsequenttreatment. GreenProcurement Topromotewastereductionandrecycling,theGovernmenthasbeentakingtheleadinadoptingagreenprocurementpolicy. Forexample,bureauxanddepartmentsareencouragedtoavoidsingle-usedisposableitems,andpurchaseproductswithimprovedrecyclability,higherrecycledcontents,lesspackagingandgreaterdurability.Fordetails,pleasevisitGreenProcurement.