Programme on Source Separation of Waste - FAQ
Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste (SSDW)
Q1: How can residents of housing estates or residential buildings participate together in waste separation at source and recycling?
Housing estates and residential buildings with property management companies (PMCs), Incorporated Owners' Committee or Owners' Committee can join the Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste (SSDW) by returning a completed Enrolment Form.
Enrolment Form available at Hong Kong Waste Reduction Website:
https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en/apps/ssl/submit_ssw_enrolment.htm
About the SSDW Programme:
https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en-hk/waste-reduction-programme/source-separation-domestic-waste
The Environmental Campaign Committee has been distributing waste separation bins free-of-charge to housing estates and residential buildings joining the SSDW Programme.
About the Promotion Programme on Source Separation of Waste:
https://www.ecc.org.hk/en/publicity/ppssw_Residential.html
Furthermore, residents of housing estates and residential buildings may also bring clean and properly sorted recyclables to the public collection points under the community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY (over 800 locations territory‑wide, including Recycling Stations, Recycling Stores, Recycling Spots, and Smart Recycling Bins), as well as other community recycling facilities. For details of GREEN@COMMUNITY or other community recycling facilities, please refer to the Map of Recycling Points: https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/zh-hk/recycling-map
Q2: What support does the government provide to housing estates or residential buildings participating in the SSDW Programme? What rules must these estates or buildings follow when joining the Programme?
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) provides participating property management companies (PMCs) of the SSDW Programme with technical and promotional support, such as publicity posters, and waste separation bin stickers, and assistance in organising waste reduction and recycling promotion activities. In addition, the EPD offers technical and educational support to housing estates and residential buildings, including advice on identifying suitable downstream recyclers.
For housing estates and residential buildings receiving the free waste separation bins from ECC, the PMCs should place the waste separation bins at noticeable and accessible area(s) within the domain of the estate/building, and ensure the cleanliness, hygiene and maintenance of the bins in order to provide waste separation facility for the residents. The PMCs should arrange periodic collection of recyclable materials for recycling with cleansing contractors or recyclers, and keep their receipts issued by them. We also encourage the PMCs to submit monthly recyclable figures to EPD.
Q3:Where do the recyclables collected from “three-colour recycling bins” in housing estates/ residential buildings ultimately go? In particular, do the plastic recyclables eventually end up in landfills?
The PMCs, Incorporated Owners’ Committee or Owners’ Committee will consign the recyclables collected from recycling bins in housing estates and residential buildings, commonly known as three-colour waste separation bins, to local recyclers for proper handling, including processing the recyclables into recycled products or raw materials so that they can be exported overseas or supplied to the local market. Taking plastic as an example, after sorting, washing and shredding, it could be used for local production of plastic strip or pellet. The latter is a kind of raw material for further downstream manufacturing operations. The video below introduces plastic recycling flow of a public housing estate in New Territories East as a good example:
Q4: Is there any support to individual private housing estates which encounters challenge in identifying proper outlet of waste plastic?
Housing estates/ residential buildings encountering difficulties in identifying downstream recycling outlets for recyclables collected can approach the EPD for assistance. This may include collaboration with the operators of the GREEN@COMMUNITY to propose feasible collection arrangements based on the housing estates and residential buildings’ regular collection volume. Housing estates/residential buildings may also deliver the clean recyclables to nearby GREEN@COMMUNITY outlets direct during their operating hours.
Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste (SSDW) and Programme on Source Separation of Commercial and Industrial Waste (SS(C&I)W)
Q5: How should property management company representatives submit source separation figures to the EPD?
Property management company representatives may log in to their account via the “Property Management Portal” (website: https://pmc.epd.gov.hk/en/Home/Login) to submit monthly quantities of recyclables and waste.
Alternatively, the PMC may complete the “Report on Quantities of Recyclables and Waste” , and return to the Waste Reduction and Community Recycling Group of Environmental Protection Department (Fax No.: 3121 5730, Email: ssdw@epd.gov.hk / ssc-iw@epd.gov.hk).
The data submitted will be used for selecting awardees under the Commendation Scheme on Source Separation of Domestic/ Commercial and Industrial Waste.
Q6: How can property management companies obtain award certificates under the commendation schemes?
Property management company representatives may log in to their accounts via the “Property Management Portal” (website: https://pmc.epd.gov.hk/en/Home/Login) to download the electronic certificates.
Q7: What should property management company representatives do if they forget the password for their estate or property account?
Property management company representatives may use the “Forgot Password” function on the Property Management Portal to retrieve their password. A new email will be sent to the registered email address for the programme, and the password can be reset by following the instructions in that email.
For further assistance, please contact the Environmental Protection Department by email:
Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste: ssdw@epd.gov.hk
Programme on Source Separation of Commercial and Industrial Waste: ssc-iw@epd.gov.hk