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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (January 8) held a launch ceremony for the "Green Reminder Programme" together with property developers, management and transportation companies to promote waste separation in shopping malls and MTR stations and to encourage the public to reduce waste by making good use of recycling facilities.
To help shoppers and commuters participate in waste separation, the companies participating in the programme have increased their recycling facilities two-fold in properties under their management to nearly 500 sets distributed around 80 shopping malls and 84 MTR and Airport Express Stations. One of the highlights of the programme is to put up posters and messages at relevant locations to remind members of the public to discard waste properly into recycling bins and spread the waste reduction message.
The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, officiated at the launching ceremony today. Other officiating guests included the Chairman of the Waste Recovery Projects Vetting Subcommittee, Environment Conservation Fund, Professor Jonathan Wong; and Deputy Chairman of the Advisory Council on the Environment, Professor Chau Kwai-cheong.
"Shopping malls and MTR stations are locations frequented by members of the public daily. For instance, the MTR sees a daily passenger traffic flow of 3.9 million. It is hoped that more recycling facilities and enhanced publicity can boost public participation in waste separation at source. Public education will also be strengthened to spread the message of waste reduction. Public participation and behavioural change is the key to achieving the target to increase the waste recovery rate from the current 49% to 55% in 2015," Mr Yau said.
Seven major property development and management companies, namely Hang Lung Properties Limited, Henderson Land Development Co Ltd, New World Development, Sino Property Services, Sun Hung Kai Properties, The Link and The Wharf (Holdings) Limited, have joined the "Green Reminder Programme". The MTR Corporation also announced that it has placed 158 sets of specially designed three-colour recycling bins in the 84 MTR and Airport Express Stations to make it easier for the 3.9 million passengers travelling each day to contribute to protecting the environment. This is an addition to the recycling facilities already available at the 12 shopping malls managed by the Corporation.
At today's event, representatives of the participating companies shared their experiences in launching the programme and urged the public to make good use of the recycling bins.
According to the EPD's statistics, Hong Kong generates about 18,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste a day. Half of it is recycled, but about 9,000 tonnes of waste is sent to landfills each day. Starting in about three years from now, Hong Kong's existing landfills will reach capacity one by one. The Government is looking forward to public understanding of the imminence of the waste problem and their participation in reducing and recycling waste in their daily lives.
The "Green Reminder Programme" is part of EPD's "Minimising Waste, Maximising the Future" waste reduction campaign. Through collaboration with the business sector and different organisations, the campaign aims to promote green living and the practice of making good use of resources in daily lives.
Ends/Saturday, January 8, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:31
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