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EPD promotes good food waste management through experience sharing session (with photos)
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     To encourage the practice of sustainable good food waste management in the commercial and industrial sectors, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) held the third food waste recycling sharing session today (January 24) at the Lecture Theatre of Hong Kong Central Library. Over 100 representatives from the catering industry, hotels, property management, commercial and industrial organisations, academia, non-governmental organisations and government departments attended, and the response at the sharing session was enthusiastic.

     In his opening remarks, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, said the sharing session would provide a platform for people from different sectors to exchange experience, which would help to promote the development of a good food waste management culture among the trades.

     Participants of the Food Waste Recycling Partnership Scheme actively took part today and shared their experiences in source separation and food waste reduction, as well as the use of food waste treatment facilities. A representative of Food Angel, an organisation that provides food rescue and assistance programmes in Hong Kong, shared its experience in donation of surplus edible food to the needy through non-governmental organisations such as food banks and charitable organisations to benefit the community and at the same time help reduce food waste.

     Outlining the policy for resolving the food waste problem, Mr Wong said the Government had set up the Food Wise Hong Kong Steering Committee in December 2012 to put into action the Chief Executive's pledge of promoting food waste reduction. He said that the Steering Committee is tasked with formulating and overseeing the implementation of the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign, which aims to promote public awareness of food waste problems in Hong Kong and co-ordinate efforts within the Government and public institutions to lead by example in food waste reduction.

     Mr Wong noted that, according to similar experience overseas, reduction at source could lead to a reduction in food waste of about 10 per cent. He said the Government has adopted a multifaceted strategy to tackle Hong Kong's food waste problem, but the community needs to take more proactive action to tackle the food waste issue together.

     At the sharing session, Mr Wong exchanged views with the participants on good food waste management methods and commended their efforts and contributions. He expressed his hope that the valuable experience shared in the session would encourage more leaders of different sectors and trades to take action in adopting good food waste management practices to enhance food waste reduction and recycling.

     To encourage the trades to establish and follow a good management culture for food waste reduction, the EPD formed a working group with the commercial and industrial sectors and Greeners Action, and launched the Food Waste Recycling Partnership Scheme in June 2010. Each year 12 public or private corporations are invited to participate in the Partnership Scheme, which is now in its third year.

     The Partnership Scheme has achieved encouraging results. So far, the EPD has provided training on food waste reduction and source separation to more than 90 participating organisations. Some 1,100 tonnes of food waste have been collected for recycling at the EPD's pilot composting plant in Kowloon Bay and about 200 tonnes of compost products have been produced for use by local farms, schools and government departments.

     The EPD has also formulated food waste source separation and recycling guidelines for the food and catering industry, shopping malls and wet markets, and they are available on the EPD's website (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/prob_solutions/owt_food4.html) for public reference. In addition, pamphlets and posters have been produced and talks and visits for the trades are being held to promote good food waste management practices in the commercial and industrial sectors.

Ends/Thursday, January 24, 2013
Issued at HKT 13:04

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