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To further expand the glass bottle recycling network in the community, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has set up glass bottle collection points at 60 housing estates and 32 primary and secondary schools all over Hong Kong since last November to encourage public participation in green living and turn waste glass bottles into a useful resource.
An EPD spokesman today (January 19) said, "To tie in with the implementation of the mandatory producer responsibility scheme (PRS) on glass beverage bottles, the Government affirmed last November that it would put renewed efforts into expanding the glass bottle recycling network so as to reduce the disposal of glass bottles and thus alleviate the pressure on our landfills."
In the last three months, the EPD has set up glass bottle collection points at 92 locations around Hong Kong, comprising 51 private housing estates, nine public rental housing estates and 32 primary and secondary schools, to enable members of the public to participate in glass bottle recycling. Details of the 92 new collection points are shown in the Annex.
With these new collection points, glass bottle collection coverage has risen from 18 per cent of the population in mid-2013 to 24 per cent today. The number of residential collection points has increased to 321. More details are available on the EPD website at www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/eco_responsibility/gcrp_pilot_ssp_ha.html .
The spokesman said, "The EPD will continue to work with relevant sectors to further expand the glass bottle recycling network with a view to achieving the target of 50 per cent population coverage by the end of 2014. Housing estates interested in helping with glass bottle recycling can approach the EPD. In the meantime, we will also continue to identify suitable public places for more glass bottle collection points. Details will be announced in due course."
The spokesman reminded the public that glass bottles used for beverages, food or sauces should be cleaned before being placed in the glass bottle collection bins. The glass bottles collected will be delivered to proper recyclers for processing into glass sand for the production of eco-pavers or use as construction materials in public works, thus turning waste into a useful resource.
Ends/Sunday, January 19, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:00
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