This photo taken on March 6, 2013 shows a landfill in the new territories of Hong Kong as the Chinese mainland's city of Shenzhen looms in the background. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ / AFP)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong disposed of 2.8 percent less solid waste at the city’s landfills on a daily basis last year but food waste accounted for 30 percent of the trash thrown away.

Overall, an average of 15,637 tons of of solid waste got into Hong Kong landfills daily in 2019. That is equivalent to every Hong Kong resident throwing 1.47 kilograms of municipal solid waste (MSW) into landfills last year, down from 2018’s 1.53 kg, according to a report released by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) on Monday.

Overall, an average of 15,637 tons of of solid wastes got into Hong Kong landfills daily in 2019. That is equivalent to every Hong Kong resident throwing 1.47 kilograms of municipal solid waste (MSW) into landfills last year, down from 2018’s 1.53 kg

The government attributed the decrease partly to a weakened local economy battered by social unrest in the second half of 2019.

Food waste accounted for the largest component of MSW in 2019, followed by waste paper (24 percent) and waste plastics (21 percent). 

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The disposal of food waste and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) dropped by 5.9 percent and 12.0 percent year-on-year, respectively, as the Organic Resources Recovery Centre Phase 1 at Siu Ho Wan was put into use and the Producer Responsibility Scheme on WEEE was fully implemented.

The disposal of construction waste also decreased by 3.3 percent. The EPD said this could be a result of increasing disposal charges which took effect in April 2017, encouraging the construction industry to reduce and reuse construction and demolition materials.

However, the MSW recycling rate was 29 percent in 2019, down by one percentage point compared to 2018, according to the EPD, citing stricter waste import controls imposed by nearby regions.

Metal recyclables continued to have the highest recovery rate at 91 percent among all recyclable types.

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Chinese mainland authorities said in late November that they would ban any importation of solid waste starting 2021, raising concerns over the future of Hong Kong’s recycling industry. Hong Kong’s Environment Bureau said earlier that it was negotiating with the mainland side.

As a densely populated city, Hong Kong has relatively limited capacity to utilize raw or recycled materials in local production. 

“The government would continue to launch various policies to promote the sustainable use of resources … The EPD will also continue to proactively work with the Legislative Council in respect of the scrutiny work of the MSW Charging Bill,” an EPD spokesman was quoted as saying in press statement.

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