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The month-long "Schools Recycle WEEE" programme organised by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has just completed, with more than 5 500 pieces of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collected. A total of 145 schools participated and shared the "Use Less, Waste Less" message with teachers and students.
"Schools Recycle WEEE" is a new initiative by the EPD that encourages primary and secondary schools to collect WEEE, such as used computers and electrical appliances as well as rechargeable batteries from schools and their students, teachers and alumni. In turn, the EPD arranges bulk collection and proper recycling.
An EPD spokesman said today (November 10), "There were 66 primary schools, 66 secondary schools and 13 through-train and other schools participating. The EPD collected more than 5 500 pieces of used computer equipment and electrical appliances from participating schools. The results are encouraging."
Students, teachers and alumni took their used computers, small electrical appliances and rechargeable batteries to schools according to the arrangements made by individual schools. The EPD then arranged for a free collection service to transfer the collected items to three recycling programmes supported by the department for treatment. They are the Computer Recycling Programme and the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Programme managed by the Hong Kong WEEE Recycling Association, and the WEEE Go Green programme organised by St James' Settlement. Refurbished and repaired items will be donated to the needy while the remainder will be dismantled so that reusable components and materials can be recovered.
To publicise the event, most schools made use of the posters prepared by the EPD or display boards to introduce the details of the programme to students and teachers. Schools also set up collection points or boxes where donors could hand in their items. Some schools even organised class-based competitions to encourage students and parents to participate in the donation programme. Besides collecting the items donated by the students, teachers and alumni, the EPD also received a large quantity of used computer products from the schools.
The spokesman said, "Through direct participation in recycling through the programme, the students could enhance their awareness of the 'Use Less, Waste Less' concept and also help disseminate the waste reduction message to their families and friends. The EPD will consider organising similar activities in future to further promote recycling at schools."
To tackle the severe waste problem in Hong Kong, the Government will continue to reinforce the work on waste reduction and recycling, including the implementation of various mandatory producer responsibility schemes (PRSs). At present, the Government is actively working on the legislative proposal on WEEE for submission to the Legislative Council (LegCo) to ensure that locally generated WEEE can be properly recycled in Hong Kong. At the same time, the EPD will report to LegCo about the public consultation results and the way forward concerning the PRS on glass bottles. According to "Hong Kong: Blueprint for Sustainable Use of Resources 2013-2022", the Government will progressively study the need for PRSs on other recyclable items, including rechargeable batteries.
More information on the "Schools Recycle WEEE" programme and the list of participating schools are available at:
www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en/workplace/weee_recycle_at_schools.htm.
Ends/Sunday, November 10, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:00
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