Hong Kong waste collectors to get lion’s share of HK$2.8 million recycling subsidy

Green Power company wants the subsidy to relieve economic headwinds facing the city’s recyclers, and recognise the collectors

From next March, 8 HK cents for every carton collected will be handed out – 5 HK cents to collectors, 2 HK cents to shops and 1 HK cent to exporters

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An elderly woman collects cardboard on a street in Hong Kong. A local company has committed HK$2.7 million to subsidise the recycling industry. Photo: Bobby Yip

Published: 7:00am, 24 Dec 2019Updated: 2:38pm, 19 May 2021

A Hong Kong green group has launched a HK$2.8 million subsidy to encourage drink-carton recycling in the city, with frontline workers receiving the bulk of the benefits.

Green Power, the firm running the scheme, said the subsidy aims to relieve economic headwinds faced by the city’s recyclers, including falling recycled paper prices and a weakening waste export market brought on by China’s rubbish imports ban.

“We hope the scheme can help the entire supply chain, especially small and medium recycling businesses,” said Tommy Yu Kin-Kong, Green Power’s assistant education and project manager.

Green Power plans to hand out 8 HK cents for every carton collected, with 5 HK cents going to frontline waste collectors, 2 HK cents to recycling shops and 1 HK cent to local waste exporters. The subsidy has been sponsored by the government recycling fund’s industry support programme.

Elderly collect waste paper in To Kwa Wan, Hong Kong. Photo: David Wong

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