Eco-farm urges Hongkongers to recycle Lunar New Year trees for compost
Some 40,000 kumquat trees – said to ensure a family will be fruitful for generations to come – are bought each year in Hong Kong but most end up in landfills. A Peng Chau farm has offered to take them for composting instead
Nothing symbolises Lunar New Year like a kumquat tree that grows mini oranges called kut, which is said to ensure a family will have many generations to come. They take over markets and adorn homes and offices across the city, but when the festivities are over, most of the 40,000 trees typically purchased each year end up in one of Hong Kong’s overburdened landfills.
According to the Tai Po-based Environmental Association, about 1,400 tonnes of kumquat trees are expected to be disposed of at the end of this holiday season.
“We’ll be on the farm from 10am till 5pm, so anytime between those times is fine to drop them off,” says Shahara Khaleque, co-founder of Growing Smart. “The only condition is you will need to bring it to us. Our farm is about a 15-minute walk from the pier on Peng Chau island but it’s an easy and pretty walk, with only a little uphill.”
Khaleque says it’s a shame to see so many trees thrown away after Chinese New Year. “Most of the trees go straight to landfill. However, the trees, as with much in our disposable culture, could potentially be put to some good use – for example as compost, which we could use on our farm.”
