Food Waste Recycling Shows Growth

Food waste is far from useless. With responsible recycling, it can be recovered and redeployed.

In recent years, the Government has continued to expand and improve its food waste recycling network, including enhancing recycling bin designs to encourage more citizens to recycle.

In 2025, an average of 350 tonnes of food waste was recycled in Hong Kong each day. Recycling of domestic food waste has surged from around two tonnes per day in 2022 to more than 120 tonnes daily in 2025.

Encouraging participation

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and the Environmental Campaign Committee rolled out the Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates in 2023, providing two years of funding to cover the installation, maintenance and repairs of the bins.

As of February 2026, 453 food waste smart recycling bins have been installed in 115 private housing estates under the scheme, serving more than 270,000 households.

“Participating estates have collectively recycled over 7,300 tonnes of food waste,” explained EPD Senior Environmental Protection Officer (Waste Reduction & Community Recycling) Benjamin Kwong.

Optimised design

Mrs So’s housing estate is taking part in the pilot scheme. Eight of the recycling units have been installed throughout her neighbourhood.

Praising the bin’s ability to collect hard food waste, such as bones, Mrs So noted that their convenient locations encourage more residents to take part in the recycling scheme.

The smart recycling bins are also connected to the GREEN$ Electronic Participation Incentive Scheme, allowing residents to earn GREEN$ points by recycling food waste. The points can be redeemed for gifts, such as daily necessities, or even supermarket gift vouchers, considered great incentives for participants.

The bins are also equipped with functions such as overflow prevention, deodorising and pest control, to help reduce environmental hygiene issues caused by food waste.

The housing estate’s residents' association chairman Vincent Liu said they are eager to continue participation in the scheme to further raise environmental awareness among residents.

Expanding coverage

To broaden the reach of the trial and enhance its effectiveness, the Government adjusted the eligibility threshold for the pilot scheme in 2025. The requirement has been reduced from 1,000 households or more to 200 households or more, allowing more small and medium size private housing estates to participate.

At the end of 2025, the EPD rolled out the Trial Scheme on Food Waste Recycling Truck. The vehicle visits various locations nightly to promote food waste recycling.