19th January 2025 – (Hong Kong) The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) of Hong Kong has officially concluded its “Pilot Scheme on Collection and Recycling Services of Plastic Recyclable Materials,” with the transition of waste plastic collection services to the GREEN@COMMUNITY operators across all 18 districts. This change, effective from January 18, promises to enhance the efficiency and scope of plastic recycling in the territory.
A spokesperson for the EPD confirmed that the handover to the GREEN@COMMUNITY recycling network has been executed smoothly. The operators will now provide a door-to-door collection service for waste plastics in various housing estates, which has been successfully extended territory-wide. Following inspections conducted across districts on January 19, the EPD reported a well-organised operation, with no complaints regarding the collection service from residents or housing estates. Furthermore, no instances of unattended or uncollected waste plastics were observed.
In a significant shift from the previous arrangement, the operators of GREEN@COMMUNITY are now permitted to pass the collected plastics to any EPD-approved recyclers, expanding the number of downstream recyclers from three to ten. This move is expected to foster greater competition in the market, thereby reducing the costs associated with the collection and recycling of waste plastics. The EPD indicated that it is accelerating the approval process to introduce more qualified recyclers in the future.
The department reiterated its commitment to ensuring that plastic collection services remain uninterrupted following the pilot scheme’s conclusion. GREEN@COMMUNITY operators are expected to maintain close communication with housing estates to provide flexible collection services for plastics and other recyclables, thereby enhancing cost-effectiveness.
Moving forward, the EPD plans to strengthen collaboration with GREEN@COMMUNITY operators, downstream recyclers, and relevant housing estates to ensure that plastic recycling services continue to meet residents’ needs. The department will also intensify its monitoring efforts, including more frequent inspections of downstream recyclers, to guarantee that all collected waste plastics are processed appropriately, converting waste into valuable resources.
