Yard waste is also known as green waste or garden waste, which consists of all types of vegetation waste. This type of waste decomposes gradually in nature. Woody material is also combustible. In the past few years, Hong Kong generated an average of about 180 tonnes of yard waste every day, mainly from construction works and clearance works relating to routine vegetation maintenance. In addition, tree clearance operations due to emergency events such as super typhoons also add to the amount of yard waste generated.
General yard waste can be reused or recycled after proper treatment. For instance, tree trunks can be used to make wooden furniture or decoration pieces, shredded tree branches can be used as mulch for planting while grass clippings, after decomposition, become natural fertilizer. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) always encourages Government departments and other yard waste producers to sort yard waste and reuse or recycle them at source as far as practicable before considering sending the yard waste to suitable facilities for recycling. Since the onslaught of typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, the EPD has set up a temporary facility for recycling yard waste prior to commissioning of the yard waste recycling centre Y · PARK in June 2021 to turn yard waste into various recyclable products, including processed wood logs, wood chips and sawdust etc. They can be used to produce mulch for planting and gardening, compost, bulking agent for composting, biochar feedstock, and substrate for mushroom cultivation etc.
Mulch for planting and gardening | Compost | |
Bulking agent for composting | Biochar feedstock | Substrate for mushroom cultivation |
Y · PARK is situated at EcoPark, Tuen Mun. Y · PARK has been equipped with various plant and equipment capable of converting sorted and suitable yard waste into recyclable products with various applications.
The EPD welcomes Government departments, commercial and industrial sector, public and private organisations, related stakeholders and members of the public to deliver sorted and suitable yard waste to Y · PARK for recycling. No prior appointment is needed.
We also welcome interested parties, organisations and members of the public to register as members of Y · PARK via the online registration system in Y · PARK website (www.ypark.hk) and apply for collection of the recyclable products produced from Y · PARK. Please refer to the below product catalogue for details.
In addition, yard waste producers, recyclable products users and other stakeholders can also exchange the information on yard waste recovery, recycling and upcycling via Y · PARK Facebook and Instagram fanpages, joining together to turn waste into resources and realising “zero landfill” in the long run. You are welcome to browse, like, follow and share information on the Y · PARK fanpages.
Should you want to learn more about Y · PARK, please contact the contractor via the hotline at 5743 9221 or email (info@ypark.hk).