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To achieve the goal of zero municipal solid waste in landfills by 2035, the government has formulated a series of waste reduction and recycling strategies.
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The Environmental Protection Department recently informed the Tsuen Wan District Council that a six-month food waste recycling pilot scheme for street-level shops will be launched in the Chuen Lung Street and Ho Pui Street areas of Tsuen Wan this September.
The initiative aims to cost-effectively increase the participation rate of street shops in food waste sorting and recycling, while gathering data and feedback to develop a long-term strategy and boost overall recycling rates.
New collection points to serve over a hundred local eateries
The pilot program will cover parts of Chuen Lung Street, Ho Pui Street, Yeung Uk Road, and San Tsuen Street, benefiting over a hundred street-level businesses.
The department noted that the current public food waste collection point at the Luen Yan Street Refuse Collection Point is too far for many of these shops, and the operating hours of the Food Waste Recycling Spots between 6pm and 8pm often fail to align with their business operations.
To address this, the department will set up three new food waste recycling points at strategic locations within the trial area, such as near larger shops.
Each new site will be equipped with two 120-liter recycling bins, tentatively operating daily from 9am to 9pm.
During the pilot period, existing collection vehicles will be deployed to gather food waste during the shops' non-peak hours.
Authorities will monitor the usage levels and make timely adjustments to the number of collection points and operating hours as needed.
Promotional efforts to assist merchants with correct sorting
To enhance promotion and education regarding food waste recycling, contractors hired by the department will teach shop owners, employees, and cleaning staff the correct methods for sorting and recycling.
The contractors will distribute simple promotional materials, such as posters outlining the sorting process and providing clear directions to the collection points.
Additionally, merchants will be provided with specific stickers to label their designated food waste containers, further streamlining the sorting process.
Jody Kwok Fu-yung
Lawmaker urges flexible adjustments based on operational needs
Jody Kwok Fu-yung, a lawmaker representing the New Territories South West constituency, welcomed the initiative.
She pointed out that the true key to boosting participation lies in whether the recycling arrangements fit the practical daily operations of the shops, the convenience of the collection points, and the establishment of an ongoing government support mechanism.
Kwok explained that the previous reluctance of merchants in these concentrated dining districts was often due to distant collection points and incompatible mobile service hours rather than a lack of environmental awareness.
She views the addition of three new points and the extended operating hours as a positive sign of the government's willingness to improve.
Kwok emphasized that the success of the pilot scheme should not be measured merely by the number of bins installed, but by how easily, practically, and consistently the merchants can participate over the long term.
She urged the department to maintain active communication with merchants, cleaning staff, housing estates, and local residents during the trial period.
She also called for the government to remain flexible in adjusting collection times, locations, and frequencies according to the specific operating hours, waste volumes, and transport capacities of different shops.
