​The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, today (July 13) officiated at the launching ceremony of Community Recycling Network in Public Rental Housing Estates (PRHs), witnessing the first PRH recycling network set up in Kwai Tsing District.
Given that 30 per cent of Hong Kong's population (over 2 million people) live in PRHs, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has been expanding the community recycling network in PRHs by installing smart recycling bins, smart balances and gift redemption units to enable PRH residents and those living nearby to participate in clean recycling for complementing the upcoming implementation of municipal solid waste charging.
Addressing the launching ceremony, Mr Tse said that the Community Recycling Network in PRHs marked an important milestone of the GREEN@COMMUNITY network. The two new Recycling Stores in PRHs, GREEN@KWAI FONG and GREEN@TAI WO HAU, commencing services on June 26 were successfully launched with the strong support of the Housing Department and the Hong Kong Housing Authority. The EPD plans to extend the network to 50 PRHs by the end of this year.
Mr Tse also noted that the EPD has been expanding the community recycling network to encourage waste reduction and recycling by members of the public. Together with the two new Recycling Stores, there are currently 11 Recycling Stations, 33 Recycling Stores and more than 120 Recycling Spots operating in the form of kerbside booths under GREEN@COMMUNITY. There are also about 50 smart recycling bins installed in large housing estates, PRHs, villages, shopping malls, universities and government venues. These facilities offer a range of new recycling experiences for members of the public and strengthen their confidence in practising waste separation and recycling.
The EPD will invite tenders for the operation service contracts of the Recycling Stores in PRHs tomorrow (July 14). Each service contract, covering two to three PRHs, is expected to commence at the end of this year for a period of 28 months. Interested non-profit organisations are welcome to submit tender proposals. The tender invitation will close on August 25. Details will be available on the EPD's website: www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/business_job/business_opp/tender.html.
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