T·PARK marks fifth anniversary with nearly 280,000 visitors since opening
The Environmental Education Centre of T．PARK, Hong Kong's first large-scale "waste-to-energy" facility, has received nearly 280 000 visitors since its opening in May 2016. To celebrate the fifth anniversary of T．PARK, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 17) announced that a series of online programmes will be held to promote the contributions of "waste-to-energy" to society and encourage members of the public to adopt a low-carbon lifestyle by practising "use less, waste less" and "upcycling" in their daily lives.
T．PARK is an integrated sludge treatment facility, which combines advanced technologies with an environmental education centre and a recreational complex. In its first five years, T．PARK has attracted a large number of visitors from the community, professional bodies and schools to learn about the concept and practice of "waste-to-energy". Over 1 000 tonnes of sludge, a thick mud-like by-product of sewage treatment, is produced in Hong Kong every day. Through sludge incineration, T．PARK reduces the volume of sludge by 90 per cent, thus alleviating the pressure on landfills. The heat energy generated from the incineration process is recovered and turned into electricity that is self-sufficient to support the daily operation of the entire facility. Surplus electricity generated from the process is also exported to the public power grid. Since its commissioning, T．PARK has generated more than 270 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and has reduced the emission of greenhouse gases by up to 760 000 tonnes. This realises the vision of "Waste Reduction • Resources Circulation • Zero Landfill" in the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035 and complements Hong Kong's target for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
T．PARK is more than an environmental infrastructure for sludge treatment. Its Environmental Education Centre offers guided tours and workshops. There are also recreational facilities for members of the public to visit and use, helping them understand and experience the process of waste management and resources circulation. T．PARK will organise two online workshops on May 22, namely "Herbarium bottle in spring" and "String art on the upcycled wooden board", for pre-registered participants to experience the fun of recycling and turning waste into resources.
Moreover, T．PARK has invited five people from various sectors as ambassadors for its fifth anniversary events. They are the actor, Mr Joey Leung; the fencing athlete, Ms Vivian Kong; the radio DJ, Ms Bonnie Wong (Ah Jeng); the hostess of a green living programme, Ms Melody Cheng, and the eco-friendly advocate, Ms Scarlett Chan. They will share tips with the public through social media platforms for practising a low-carbon lifestyle and encourage people to adopt green habits that include waste reduction. Details are available on T．PARK's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/T-PARK-%E6%BA%90-%E5%8D%80-424852977949769).
T．PARK is also holding a T．FASHION Competition, a parent-child activity that encourages parents to cultivate their children's awareness of reducing waste at an early age. Using eco-friendly and recycled materials to tailor-make an outfit, the entries must be sustainable and can be worn and used in daily life or on different occasions. The judging panel is formed by the Chairman of the Environmental Campaign Committee, Mr Simon Wong Kit-lung, the International Brand Designer, Ms Toby Crispy, and the event ambassadors. Three winners will be selected for the T·FASHION Awards. Competition results will be announced on the T．PARK's Facebook page in late May.
T．PARK has won about 20 local and international awards for its outstanding design and various green building elements. The honours include a distinction award in the category of Wastewater Project of the Year (Hong Kong Integrated Wastewater & Sludge Management) at the Global Water Awards 2016 and a Merit Award of the Green Building Award 2016 New Building Category (Completed Projects – Commercial Building) organised by the Hong Kong Green Building Council. In 2017, T．PARK also won the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Award – Special Architectural Award – Architectural Sustainability and an American Institute of Architects Hong Kong Honors and Design Award – Citation.
Located at 25 Nim Wan Road, Tsang Tsui, Tuen Mun, T．PARK is open to the public on Monday and from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10am to 7pm. Members of the public can book a visit via its dedicated website. Guided tours are available on every open day and a free shuttle bus service is available for visitors to and from Tuen Mun V city and T．PARK. More information about T．PARK is available at its website: www.tpark.hk. Members of the public may also call 2910 9700 or send an email to info@tpark.hk for enquires.