Hong Kong authorities are considering investing in incineration and upcycling facilities in mainland China to handle part of the city’s waste, the environment minister has said. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said on Wednesday a proposal the government was currently looking into could see Hong Kong take advantage of the mainland’s space and cheaper labour. He added the city could provide technology and funding.
He also said the government and its counterpart on the mainland were exploring integrated waste handling within the Greater Bay Area and how to ultimately achieve the “Zero Waste Bay Area” goal. “Hong Kong has technology, funding and investment, and the mainland has land and cheaper labour,” Tse told a radio show. “Their green products can also make use of Hong Kong as a window and be sold to other countries.
“If the entire Greater Bay Area collaborates, we can handle not just waste but also resource recycling. This will be a great benefit in developing the green industry.” The Greater Bay Area is a national scheme that aims to integrate Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong province into an economic and development powerhouse.
Tse said that sending some waste from Hong Kong to the mainland for incineration was currently under review, pointing to the advantages of cost-effectiveness and encouraging the development of the green industry. Hong Kong currently collects around 1,000 to 2,000 tonnes of waste paper every day and s.
