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Press Release
SETW visits model estates in source separation of waste
The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, called on members of the public to take part in the "Recycle to Clean, Making New Year Green" campaign launched by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD).
She made the appeal today (January 22) when she visited model estates in source separation of waste and saw how residents of these estates reduced, recycled and reused waste during their annual clean-up before the Lunar New Year.
The EPD's campaign aims at encouraging housing estates to strengthen their waste recovery activities by collecting recyclable or reusable materials, such as clothing, toys, computers, electrical and electronic appliances, furniture for resale to recyclers or donation to charitable organisations.
To facilitate the clean-up operations, EPD's 13 refuse transfer stations (RTS) will be opened to the public for the collection of recyclable or reusable materials for the period from January 21 to 27. The relevant information is available at EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk. For enquiries, please call 2838 3111.
In today's visit, Dr Liao, accompanied by EPD officers, started off from City One Shatin where she saw how the residents there practised the separation of waste at source during their clean-up and how they made use of waste separation facilities in the refuse room.
She proceeded to Grand View Garden in Wong Tai Sin, a home ownership housing scheme, to see how residents participated in recyclables collection programmes and then to Shun Lee Disciplined Services Quarters in Kwun Tong where she was briefed on the expansion of the scope of recyclables recovered.
Besides paper, aluminium cans and plastic bottles that are currently collected by the 3-coloured waste separation bins, the types of recyclables recovered will be broadened to include other types of recyclables such as plastic bags and biscuit tins.
It is noted that all government quarters managed by the Government Property Agency would practise this expanded-type mode by the first quarter of 2006.
Dr Liao was briefed on how source separation of waste was practised on each floor of the building during her visit to Lei Yue Mun Estate, a public housing estate in Kwun Tong.
"I'm pleased to see the positive and increasing response from residents in separating the domestic waste at source," Dr Liao said.
As of December last year, a total of 223 housing estates with 350,000 households had enrolled in the territory-wide programme on source separation of domestic waste.
Each housing estate participating in the programme is expected to achieve a 50 per cent increase in recovered quantities after the first year of implementation.
Ends/Sunday, January 22, 2006
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