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The Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste was launched in January 2005 to enhance waste recovery and reduce the amount of waste requiring disposal. Our goal is to make it easier for households to separate their waste for recycling. It is encouraging to note that we have made significant progress in these three years. Between 2005 and 2008, the domestic waste recovery rate rose from 16% to 31%. Overall, domestic waste disposal has dropped by over 10% since 2005 and in 2008 alone, domestic waste landfilled fell by more than 4% over 2007.
The key to our success has been in facilitating access to waste separation facilities. The Programme seeks to make it convenient for all of us to practise waste recycling by encouraging property managers or residents’ organizations to set up waste separation facilities as close to residential premises as possible. By the end of 2008, 53% of Hong Kong’s population living in 996 housing estates and residential buildings have access to these facilities (well above our original target of 920). Moreover, we have also broadened the types of recyclables collected significantly so that more materials can be re-used or recycled.
To provide sufficient space in buildings for source separation of waste, we amended the Building Regulations in 2008 to require all new domestic buildings and the domestic part of new composite buildings to provide a refuse storage and material recovery room on every floor. The aim is to make it as easy as possible for residents to participate in waste recovery.
These are important achievements, but we still have much work to do to achieve our goal of extending the Programme to 80% of the population by the end of 2010. We will continue to recruit more participants through joint efforts with the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies and other organizations, and through visits to individual housing estates. The Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) provides funds to help cover some of the set-up costs for waste separation facilities and this funding will continue to be offered.
However, having the infrastructure in place alone will not on its own reduce waste. The Programme’s success ultimately depends on actual participation. Our education and promotional efforts are targeted both at individual estates, in particular those with relatively low recovery results, and the general public, through district-based and territory-wide publicity campaigns. The ECF has also set aside $50 million to help District Councils and community groups launch educational activities in various districts, and waste separation is one of the major themes. We also encourage competition among housing estates and individual households to sustain interest and participation in source separation of waste.
In short years the Programme on Source Separation of Waste has made a considerable impact on waste separation and recycling in Hong Kong. The challenge now is to sustain the momentum and continue striving for a better performance. As the community increasingly values its environment and recognizes the damaging effects of waste, we are hopeful that more people will separate their waste for recovery and recycling and help Hong Kong to achieve the goal of reducing its waste loads.
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