Smart waste message is spreading

Don't waste time. You can redeem grocery items by putting food waste in the smart recycling bins set up by the Environmental Protection Department.

The EPD plans to put the smart bins in three more public housing estates - Tin Heng Estate in Tin Shui Wai, Lee On Estate in Ma On Shan and Tsz Hong Estate in Tsz Wan Shan - after it saw great results from its trial in five estates from October last year. It gathered 400 tonnes of kitchen waste.

Users need to scan the QR code on the recycling bin with their "GREEN$" mobile app.

To encourage more citizens to take part, the department introduced a reward system under which food and household goods such as rice, noodles and oil can be redeemed by using credits gained from recycling kitchen waste. Some estate residents backed the scheme as it is solving the problem of excessive kitchen waste and is encouraging citizens to be more environmentally friendly.

Each recycling also contains odor-controlling devices that spray a deodorant to minimize bad smell.

The collected kitchen waste will be transferred to OPARK1, a organic resources recovery center to generate renewable energy and compost.