Letters | Tap Hong Kong’s public markets as recycling points under new Environment and Ecology Bureau
- Public markets are convenient locations for residents to drop off recyclables and renting space there is far more cost-effective
- Adding markets to the recycling network is one of the ways FEHD and EPD can operate better under one bureau
We would like to highlight an example of the opportunities this merger brings. The FEHD operates 97 public markets located throughout all 18 districts. A HK$2 billion Market Modernisation Programme is under way, starting with an overhaul of Aberdeen market.
The benefits of using public markets as recycling points in the community recycling network include convenience, cost effectiveness, infrastructure and space availability.
Firstly, public markets are convenient locations for residents to drop off recyclables as they are part of their daily shopping routine.
Secondly, EPD has opened 11 recycling stations and 22 recycling stores. The average monthly expense is HK$419,831 per store. A large portion is spent on rent. GREEN@Tin Hau pays HK$130,000 per month for 1,000 sq ft, or HK$130 per sq ft. In contrast, rent at public markets varies between HK$0.50 and HK$32 per sq ft. The rent at the Causeway Bay Market, just down the street from Tin Hau, is only around HK$4.50 per sq ft.
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Thirdly, EPD’s recycling stores have come under criticism for occupying public space. Residents place recyclables at the door when the store is closed, and the store places outside bagged material awaiting transport. These commercial shops lack the facilities commonly available at public markets: a loading bay, storage capacity and a parking area.