EPD to launch the one-stop reliable recycling service GREEN COLLECT
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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced today (July 12) the launch in full scale of the one-stop reliable recycling service GREEN COLLECT in nine districts on July 15 to encourage residents in housing estates to do more separation of recyclables for recycling, thus turning waste into resources and getting prepared for the upcoming implementation of municipal solid waste charging.
The EPD’s Green Outreach will liaise with the participating housing estates to work out detailed service arrangements according to their specific circumstances. It will also coordinate the one-stop collection service provided by the GREEN@COMMUNITY’s operators and EPD’s recycling service contractors (including the contractors of the Plastics Recycling Pilot Scheme and the Glass Management Contractors) to collect recyclables which are lack of commercial recycling outlet, including plastics, glass bottles, small electrical appliances, fluorescent lamps and tubes, rechargeable batteries and regulated electrical equipment, and deliver them to the downstream recyclers for proper treatment. In addition, the Green Outreach will assist participating housing estates to enhance their existing recycling facilities, improve their recycling management and images, provide educational and promotional support to boost both the quality and quantity of recyclables collected. The GREEN COLLECT service will cover nine districts, namely Tai Po, Sai Kung, Central and Western District, Eastern District, Sham Shui Po, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, Sha Tin and Kwun Tong.
An EPD spokesman said that the department will monitor the performance of the operators of GREEN@COMMUNITY and other EPD’s recycling service contractors to ensure recyclables such as waste plastics, which are lack of commercial recycling outlet, would be properly handled or recycled. It is believed that this initiative could help strengthen the public’s confidence in practising clean recycling.
The spokesman added that the Green Outreach has been inviting housing estates in the nine districts to register for joining the GREEN COLLECT service. It has also been liaising with relevant property management companies and associations to solicit their support to the initiative. The initial response has been positive. The EPD will continue to promote the GREEN COLLECT service to relevant stakeholders by advertising in public transport reaching the respective districts and via social media, so as to get more people to know about the service and encourage them to make good use of it. It is also hoped that the public will actively practise waste separation at source with a view to increasing the recycling quantity in the housing estates. The EPD’s target is to recruit around 70% of the major housing estates to use the service by end of this year. It will review the effectiveness of the service and the experience gained for considering the extension of the service to all the districts of Hong Kong in the future.
For housing estates that would like to join the service, their management offices can register online (epd-rbcs.odensystems.net/GccsForm/Index). For details of the initiative, reference can be made to the EPD website www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en/green_collect.htm.
