Title: The difficulties faced by the recycling
industry in Hong Kong
Introduction:
'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' is the global environmental slogan in the current
scenario. Recycling is processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent
waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials,
reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for
“conventional” waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to
virgin production. As the landfill is being filled by the waste all over places in Hong
Kong. There are not many recycling industry in this city, so the left products were
more and more. Numbers of questionnaires have been given out to the people both
Chinese and non-Chinese. The result shows that majority of people agreed that Hong
Kong is facing the difficulties of the recycling industry. And majority of the people’s
properties can be recycling, e.g. linens, phone books, oil, pallets, batteries, etc. Waste
handling, waste recycling equipment’s and pollution control are the main problems
that causing the difficulties. Only minority of the people know the recycling industry
places, which were located in Yuen Long, Tuen Mun, Stone cutter’s Island and
Kowloon.
Situation:
Hong Kong generates several types of solid waste. It includes municipal solid waste
(MSW), which comes from domestic, commercial and industrial sources; construction
waste, which arises from construction, renovation and demolition activities; and other
special wastes such as chemical waste and livestock waste.
The problems of recycling industry in Hong Kong are getting serious. Because Hong
Kong has to deal with an unsustainable amount of waste in such a small geographical
area, everyone needs to be aware of what we can do to improve the situation. Landfill
should not be the only destiny for waste. A lot of waste, if recycled, can have a much
more promising fate, it can generate money. But take a close look how government
refused to support recycling. As recycling may cause pollution but the outcome is
worth doing.
Important of Recycling:
Recycling refers to the process of collecting used materials which is usually
considered as ‘waste’ and reprocessing them. In this process these used materials are
sorted and processed to be used as ‘raw materials’ for the production of new products.
Recycling varies from ‘re-use’ in the sense that while re-use just means using old
products repeatedly, recycling means using the core elements of an old product as raw
material to manufacture new goods. Some of the most common items that recycled
are plastic, glass, paper, batteries, aluminum etc.
。Recycling Saves Energy
。Recycling Saves Environmental Conditions and Reduce Pollution
。Recycling Saves Natural Resources
。Economic benefits
。Recycling Saves Space for Waste Disposal
Benefits of Recycling:
One of the important benefits of recycling is its positive impact on environment. Apart
from decreasing the space constraint in landfills, recycling non-biodegradable
materials reduces the problems caused by accumulation of waste on the Earth.
Another benefit is that recycling saves a major part of energy required for
manufacturing new materials. Even the raw materials required for this process can be
saved.
The reduction of using plastics would help in the conservation of energy. Plastics
prove to be very difficult to dispose. If plastics are to be buried, these can last at least
700 years.
Using recycled products would also reduce the amount of materials that end up in the
landfills. Materials that end up in landfill tend to decompose and cause the release of
methane gas. This is very harmful for the environment; therefore such landfills are
main cause of the emission of methane gas into the atmosphere.
Using the concept of recycling can also help to reduce the greenhouse effect. Gas
emissions occur due to the manufacturing, use and also the disposal of products that
are not biodegradable. If the greenhouse gas emissions reach dangerous concentration
levels, it leads to changes in the temperatures globally, changes in the levels of the sae
other bizarre climatic conditions.
Major Association for Recycling Trade / Industry in Hong Kong:
1. Eco Trust Company
Address: Unit 5A, G/F, kai Fung Ind. Centre, 1 Wang Tung St, Kowloon Bay,
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: 2797 8696 Fax: 2797 8601 Email: info@ecotrust.hk
2. Hong Kong Recycle Materials & Re-production Business General Association
Address: Flat A, 5/F, Harbour View Tower, No. 101, Wai Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon
Tel: 2757 7818 Fax: 2757 7616
3. Hong Kong General Association of Re-Cycling Business
Add: Unit 13, 9/F, Hoplite Industrial Centre, 3-5 Wang Tai Road, Kowloon Bay,
Kowloon.
Tel: 2318 1373 Fax: 2305 9826
4. Federation of Hong Kong Industries – Environmental Industries (Group 26)
Add: 4/F., Hankow Centre, 5-15 Hankow Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon
Tel: 2732 3188 Fax: 2721 3494
Website: http://www.industryhk.org
5. Environmental Contractors Management Association
Add: Room 2801 Island Place Tower, 510 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong.Tel:
2563 0661 Fax: 2565 8336 Website: http://www.ecma.org.hk
6. Bill Kee Plastics Pigments
Address: Room 205 2/F 17 Wang Hoi Rd; Shun Fat Industrial Building Kowloon Bay
Hong Kong.
Hong Kong generates several types of solid waste.
Municipal Solid Waste
Municipal solid waste includes waste from domestic premises and public facilities,
commerce and some types of industry, but excludes construction waste and chemical
waste.
Each year, more than 6 million tonnes of MSW are generated, over half of which is
disposed of in the three strategic landfills. Unfortunately, the generation of MSW has
been growing at a much faster rate than expected, and our consumption-led lifestyle is
putting enormous pressure on these landfills. The three existing landfills will be full,
one by one, in the mid to late 2010s. If the waste loads continue to increase, there will
be a need to allocate an additional 400 hectares of land to develop new landfill sites to
meet our waste disposal needs up to 2030. Clearly, Hong Kong needs a more
sustainable way to deal with waste.
Construction Waste
The high levels of construction activity in Hong Kong generate equally high levels of
inert or recyclable waste and non-inert or organic waste. Both these forms of waste pose
challenges to the maintenance of our landfill programme, and need to be managed
carefully. Under the polluter-pays principle, the Environmental Protection Department
operates the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme, whereby construction
waste producers pay appropriate charges for the disposal of their waste. The
Government is also encouraging the industry to sort and recycle waste as far as possible,
and to plan and build more efficiently to minimise waste.
Chemical Waste
Chemical wastes are liquid, semi-solid and solid wastes which are hazardous in nature
or constitute a risk of pollution to the environment. Indiscriminate disposal of chemical
waste has very serious health, safety and environmental consequences. Release into
coastal waters causes damage to local marine life and accumulation of toxins in
sea-food generally creates a serious health hazard to the community. Uncontrolled
disposal at municipal waste facilities and into sewerage systems and sewage treatment
facilities threatens the health and safety of the operatives. It also results in costly repairs
and replacement of these facilities as well as disruption to their operation.
Chart and Graph show different kinds of waste
Sample of questionnaires
Liberal Studies Survey
Location:
Gender: □Male
□Female
Age:
□15-20
□21-25
□26-30
□31-49
□40 and above
Nationality:
1. Do you think Hong Kong is facing the difficulties of the recycling industry ?
□ Yes
□ No
2. What do you think is/are causing the difficulties ?
□ Pollution control
□ Waste handling
□ Waste recycling equipments
□Other:___________________________________________
3. Do you think recycling is important in nowadays ?
□ Yes
□ No
4. Do you know any recycling industry place(s) in Hong Kong?
□ Yes
□ No
4.1) Location:____________________________________
5. Have you ever been to any recycling place(s) in Hong Kong?
□ Yes
□ No
6. Does your property recycle any other materials (linens, phone books, oil, pallets,
batteries, etc.)?
□ Yes
□ No
7. Are you supportive of environmental protection?
□ Yes
□ No
8. Do you have any suggestion to or question about the survey?|
□ Yes
□ No
8.1 If yes, please specify: ________________________________________________
Analysis:
According to the questionnaire given and the gathered of information, Hong Kong is
facing the difficulties of recycling industry. The main problems are waste handling,
waste recycling equipment’s and pollution control. On the research, it shown that the
wastes in Hong Kong are being overfilled. Especially plastics, as many people used to
get a plastics bag whenever they went for shopping in supermarkets, small shops,
food shops or any kinds of shops. In the past years, the system of HK$0.50 has not yet
been realize. More than eight billion plastic bags are disposed of annually in Hong
Kong, significantly contributing to waste management problems for local authorities.
The government claimed that it takes less than two years for the plastic bags to fill up
a space equivalent to the size of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, a
local landmark.
On 7th July 2009, the system of HK$0.50 has been realized after the debating and the
problem of over-used of plastic bags have been decreased and the system went on
until today. Customers have to change their habits and remember to bring along their
own bags for shopping.