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To promote waste separation and recycling in villages, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched the Source Separation of Waste Programme in rural areas with the support of the Heung Yee Kuk, New Territories, early this year.
Attending the commendation ceremony for the Environmental Village Campaign in Tsuen Wan Plaza today (September 4), the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, commended the participating rural villages for their positive response towards the programme.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Yau expressed his gratitude for the support of rural villages for the programme, and said their participation was the key to its success. He also called on other rural villages to participate and become environmental villages.
"The EPD launched the territory-wide Source Separation of Waste Programme in early 2005 with remarkable achievements. The recovery rate of domestic waste in Hong Kong rose from 14% in 2004 to 35% in 2009. Over the same period, the domestic waste disposal rate has dropped by about 15%," said Mr Yau. After extensive promotion in recent years, most multi-storey buildings and housing estates in Hong Kong are well-equipped with recycling facilities.
"We understand that villagers' participation is equally important. Due to the lack of recycling facilities, some villagers cannot recycle useful materials. The EPD understands the characteristics of villages, and therefore the Government provides waste separation bins and collection services for the Source Separation of Waste Programme in rural areas to facilitate villagers to recycle," Mr Yau said.
Since the beginning of 2010, the EPD and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department have worked in collaboration to place three-coloured recycling bins in more than 500 village-type refuse collection points. This is to facilitate villagers to put recyclable waste in the bins when disposing of trash. Currently, there are about 920 recycling points in rural areas.
The effectiveness of waste recycling does not depend solely on hardware facilities. The EPD has also launched promotional activities to target villages. These include the dissemination of promotional messages through the radio and the "Environmental Village Campaign" jointly organised with the Tai Po Environmental Association. Through a series of activities like puppet shows, game booths and workshops as well as published materials aimed at villagers, the Association encourages villagers to participate in source separation of waste.
Today's event was jointly organised by the EPD and the Tai Po Environmental Association and co-hosted by the Heung Yee Kuk, New Territories. The Chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk, Mr Lau Wong-fat, and representatives from different rural committees and villages also attended the event.
Ends/Saturday, September 4, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:12
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