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Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and a reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (May 16) :
Question:
In reply to my question at the Council meeting on the 18th of last month, the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works said that in the three years between 2004 and 2006, about 60 million, 47.5 million and 34 million disposable food containers were used by primary schools in Hong Kong respectively. The Secretary also said that, in the past three years, there was clearly a declining trend in the use of disposable food containers in schools, indicating that efforts in this regard had been effective. However, I understand that although many lunch box suppliers have switched to using environmentally-friendly food containers (or known as reusable food containers) for students' meals, a great majority of these containers were not recycled after use but were disposed of at landfills. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) in each year between 2004 and 2006, of the number of food containers used by primary schools in Hong Kong and, of these containers, the percentage of disposable food containers, and the number of environmentally-friendly food containers used, and the respective numbers of environmentally-friendly food containers reused after being washed in schools or in the premises of lunch box suppliers and those transported to landfills for disposal; and
(b) whether it has monitored lunch box suppliers to ensure that environmentally-friendly food containers are washed and reused after collection instead of being disposed of at landfills; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) According to the estimate of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), in the three years between 2004 and 2006, about 79.5 million, 80.5 million and 82 million food containers were used by primary schools throughout the territory per year, of which "disposable" food containers accounted for about 75%, 59% and 42% respectively.
According to the EPD's definitions, food containers are mainly classified into "disposable" and "reusable" ones. As the terms suggest, "disposable" food containers refer to all food containers that will be used once and disposed of eventually. They are generally made of plastic foam or polypropylene while a small number of them are made of biodegradable plant fibre. "Reusable" food containers are commonly made of strong and durable plastic, and are suitable for reuse after being washed. For schools adopting the practice of centralised lunch distribution, "reusable" food containers can be replaced by other containers such as trays, dishes and bowls, which are washed and sterilised on site after use. Alternatively, the "reusable" containers are collected by the suppliers and reused after being washed and sterilised on their premises.
The EPD's estimate regarding "disposable" food containers covers all types of "disposable" food containers. Most schools currently use polypropylene food containers instead of plastic foam ones. However, as neither of them is suitable for washing and reuse, they both fall under the "disposable" category. Likewise, although food containers made of plant fibre are better than those made of plastic foam or polypropylene in view of their biodegradability, they are still classified as "disposable" food containers. Therefore, they are considered inferior to the reusable ones. In Hong Kong, there is at present one recycler which collects about 30,000 polypropylene food containers (about 17% of the total number of "disposable" food containers) for recycling each day. The rest are mainly disposed of at landfills.
As for "reusable" meal boxes/food containers, they must be made of strong and durable materials by the EPD's definition. Apart from a small number of them that need to be treated as waste as a result of normal wear and tear, they will not be disposed of at landfills.
(b) The EPD understands that schools may have the misconception that food containers made from materials other than plastic foam are "environmentally-friendly" food containers. They may overlook whether these food containers are really "reusable" or whether they have been recycled. Hence, the EPD issues guidelines and organises talks from time to time to disseminate the correct messages to schools. The EPD will continue to enhance publicity and education in this respect to encourage schools to use lunch service that offers really "reusable" meal boxes/food containers. Furthermore, we will encourage schools to try to introduce centralised lunch distribution and washing containers on site on a full or partial scale in the light of the physical condition of the school buildings. In fact, some schools can overcome the space constraints by adopting an integrated lunch provision approach and allowing at least some students to take turns to experience the benefits of centralised distribution of meals.
To assist schools in selecting a suitable supplier, the EPD provides a list of suppliers offering "reusable" food containers and cutlery in the "Guideline on the Reduction of Disposable Plastic Foam Food/Drink Containers". The suppliers on the list have been registered on a voluntary basis. For registration purposes, they have to provide sufficient information and the EPD will cross-check their experience, facilities and the service provided, etc. The number of suppliers on the list has increased from 2 in 2004 to 19 at present, indicating the significant increase of market demand for "reusable" food containers, which tallies with the declining trend in the use of disposable food containers in schools.
"Guideline on the Reduction of Disposable Plastic Foam Food/Drink Containers" issued by the EPD can be found in the following website (http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/guide_e_eps1.html) for the Council members' reference.
Ends/Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:30
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