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Second phase of funding launched for residential estates to undertake collection and recycling of food waste (with photo)
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     The Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) today (October 31) launched the second phase of a funding scheme to help residential estates undertake food waste recovery.

     The ECF launched the $50 million scheme - Food Waste Recycling Projects in Housing Estates - in July 2011. Eleven estates were given funding support in the first phase, with a total allocation of about $9 million, in November 2011. The participating estates have received subsidies to undertake on-site treatment of source-separated food waste and to encourage households to reduce food waste. A total of about 1,200 households participated in food waste recycling each day in the first phase while the education programme on food waste reduction and source separation at these residential estates covers about 31,000 households.

     "The experience of various food waste recovery projects indicates that the collection of source-separated food waste from households for on-site treatment can be implemented with positive results," a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said.

     "So far four estates have installed food waste treatment facilities and commenced the collection and recycling of food waste. The others will start installing the facilities soon. The food waste recycling projects on these estates and others in Hong Kong have provided us with valuable information and experience. In view of the generally positive results and in response to the public's expectation to fast-track food waste recycling in Hong Kong, we decided to launch the second phase of the funding scheme in October 2012," the spokesman said.

     "Residential estates participating in the first phase of the scheme include large-scale multi-storey residential estates and low-density residential development, including urban and suburban areas. The experience gained will be useful for us to put forward food waste recycling in different types of residential developments with different conditions," said the spokesperson.

     Under the scheme, funds will be granted to help participating estates install on-site food waste treatment facilities. At the same time, associated education and promotion programmes will be launched to encourage residents' participation and raise awareness of food waste reduction and recovery. The EPD will continue to provide a help-desk service to estates during the planning and implementation of the scheme, including offering technical advice. With $9 million allocated to residential estates in the first phase, it is estimated that about 45 additional estates could be covered with the balance of the earmarked sum.

     The funding scheme is part of the Government's strategy to tackle food waste and covers education and promotion, co-operation with the commercial and industrial sectors and the development of food waste treatment facilities. "Food waste accounts for nearly 40 per cent of municipal solid waste disposed of at landfills every day. Through the funding scheme we hope to educate the public on food waste minimisation and to engage residential estates in recycling the unavoidable food waste as a useful resource," the spokesman said.

     More information on application procedures for the funding scheme is available on the ECF website at www.ecf.gov.hk.

Ends/Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:01

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