Shared by Edwin Lau, MH, Founder and Executive Director of The Green Earth
Environmental protection has been drawing greater attention in recent years, and many people have taken the first step and started practising recycling. However, plastic waste accounts for one-fifth of Hong Kong’s daily municipal solid waste, and the plastic recycling rate is only 11%*. Is recycling alone the ultimate solution to the waste problem?
When promoting plastic waste reduction, we notice that many people have a misconception about recycling that plastics can be recycled endlessly. In fact, most plastics can only be recycled 1 to 2 times as recycling will weaken their quality. Meanwhile, the so-called #DegradablePlastics also come with potential problems as they will only degrade under specific conditions and to various degrees. Besides, many plastics not being properly disposed of will stay in nature and eventually end up in the ocean as microplastics that threaten the ecosystem. Since it is not quite possible to say goodbye to plastic, we need to know how to reduce plastic use and the proper ways of disposal. You may learn from the following tips^ and help #ReducePlastic in everyday life:
【Reduce waste from the source】Bring your own tableware, which is more hygienic, to reduce the use of disposable plastics.
【Clean recycling】Clean the plastic containers before recycling to reduce waste due to hygienic problem.
【Proper sorting】Sort the plastics correctly to ensure the efficiency of recycling.
It is encouraging to see the increasing support from the business sector for #PlasticWasteReduction. For example, brands under the Maxim’s Group no longer actively offer disposable plastic items, such as plastic knives, and switched to mooncake boxes made from sugarcane bagasse, taking the lead in the industry. Also, through the "Green Earth Companion" programme, we have organised "Introductory Environmental Workshops on Green Office" and volunteer activities for businesses, making more "green changes” with different sectors and working together towards a sustainable future.
The Green Earth: https://greenearth.org.hk/en/
*https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/sites/default/files/msw2020tc.pdf
^https://greenearth.org.hk/waste_reduction_tips/
