Residential Estates Recycling Programmes - FAQ

Housing estates and residential buildings with property management companies (PMCs), Incorporated Owners' Committee or Owners' Committee can join the Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste (SSDW) by returning a completed Enrolment Form.
Enrolment Form available at Hong Kong Waste Reduction Website: https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en/apps/ssl/submit_ssw_enrolment.htm
About the SSDW Programme: https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk//en-hk/waste-reduction-programme/source-separation-domestic-waste

The Environmental Campaign Committee has been distributing waste separation bins free-of-charge to estates/buildings joining the SSDW Programme.
About the Promotion Programme on Source Separation of Waste: https://www.ecc.org.hk/en/publicity/ppssw_Residential.html

Alternatively, residents of housing estates and buildings can also bring clean and sorted recyclables to GREEN@COMMUNITY, including Recycling Stations, Recycling Stores and Recycling Spots.

Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will provide technical and promotional support to PMCs, such as posters, banners, waste separation bin stickers. With the launching of EPD’s outreaching services, the Green Outreach team will also provide on-site technical and educational support, as well as providing advice on identification of suitable downstream recyclers.

For estates and buildings receiving the free waste separation bins from ECC, the PMCs should place the waste separation bins at noticeable and accessible area(s) within the domain of the estate/building, and ensure the cleanliness, hygiene and maintenance of the bins in order to provide waste separation facility for the residents. The PMCs should arrange periodic collection of recyclable materials for recycling with cleansing contractors or recyclers, and keep their receipts issued by them. We also encourage the PMCs to submit monthly recyclable figures to EPD.

The PMCs, Incorporated Owners‘ Committee or Owners’ Committee will consign the recyclables collected from recycling bins in housing estates, commonly known as three-colour waste separation bins, to local recyclers for proper handling, including processing the recyclables into recycled products or raw materials so that they can be exported overseas or supplied to the local market. Taking plastic as an example, after sorting, washing and shredding, it could be used for local production of plastic strip or pellet. The latter is a kind of raw material for further downstream manufacturing operations. The video below introduces plastic recycling flow of a public housing estate in New Territories East as a good example:

Transcript (Chinese only)

Although Source Separation of Waste Programme covered over 80% of the places where Hong Kong people live and work, some single block buildings, particularly those in older districts, do not have property management company to manage and implement recycling programmes, or do not have adequate community space to set up waste separation facilities. The establishment of community recycling network – “GREEN‌@COMMUNITY” (including Recycling Stations, Recycling Stores and Recycling Spots) provides additional outlets for recyclables, and encourages residents living in those buildings to participate in source separation of waste and recycling.

Apart from the commonest types of recyclables (e.g. waste paper, metals, plastic and glass bottles, etc.) accepted by SSDW participating estates/buildings, the “GREEN@COMMUNITY” outlets also accept other recyclables such as small electrical appliances, regulated electrical equipment, compacted fluorescent lamps & tubes, rechargeable batteries and beverage cartons, etc. To further encourage residents on practicing waste reduction and recycling, the residents can earn GREEN$ upon submission of recyclables, and redeem gift items including daily necessities and groceries, as well as environmentally friendly products.

The Government-appointed Glass Management Contractors (GMCs) provide glass bottle collection services across the territory free of charge, serving residential estates* as well as commercial, industrial, and government facilities. If a particular estate* wants to set up a glass bottle collection point, please approach the respective GMC in the region for the collection services required. The contact details of the GMCs are in the following link.
https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/pro_responsibility/gprs_gmc.html

*Housing estates in districts with established Recycling Stations (i.e. Eastern, Wan Chai, Islands, Shatin, Tai Po, Yuen Long, Tuen Mun, Kwai Tsing, Sai Kung, Sham Shui Po and Kwun Tong) could contact Operators of the respective Green@Community (see the link below for the addresses) for setting up glass bottle collection points and arrangement of collection services. The Operators of Green @ Community would pass the waste glass bottles collected to the Glass Management Contractors for proper treatment.
https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en-hk/waste-reduction-programme/greencommunity#recyc_stations

Waste glass bottles recovered by Glass Management Contractors, after treatment, are used for producing eco-pavers and cement, used as fill materials in public works, or exported for recycling.

Housing estates which encounter difficulties in identifying downstream recycling outlets for recyclables collected can approach the Green Outreach (GO) in the district for assistance. Depending on the quantity of recyclables collected regularly in the estates, the GO will collaborate with GREEN@COMMUNITY operators to advise on a practicable collection arrangement. Individual estates can also deliver the clean recyclables to nearby GREEN@COMMUNITY outlets direct during their operating hours.