Moving Waste Management Forward

Located on an artificial island near Shek Kwu Chau, the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase I, I·PARK1, represents a significant step forward in Hong Kong’s sustainable waste management strategy. As the city’s first waste‑to‑energy plant designed specifically to tackle municipal solid waste, I·PARK1 plays a key role in reducing reliance on landfills while producing energy.

I·PARK1 comprises three incineration modules. The first has commenced trial operations, while the remaining two modules will undergo phased testing and trials throughout the first quarter of 2026. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to process up to 3,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day and generate about 480 million kilowatt‑hours of surplus electricity annually for the city’s existing power grid, enough to meet the needs of 100,000 households.

Minimising waste

Municipal solid waste collected from across the city is first compacted and sealed in containers before being transported by vessels to I·PARK1. Upon arrival, the containers are unloaded at the berth and transferred by dedicated trailers to the processing building, where the waste is tipped into a bunker inside the tipping hall. Both the tipping hall and the waste bunker are maintained under negative pressure to prevent odour leakage.

From there, an overhead crane hoists the waste and feeds it into an incineration furnace. During the process, the waste is gradually pushed forward by a moving grate to ensure optimal combustion, while the heat energy generated is used to produce electricity.

Environmental Protection Department Senior Environmental Protection Officer (Infrastructure Development) Christopher Chan explained that waste inside the specially designed incinerator is combusted at temperatures exceeding 850 degrees Celsius. The flue gas produced must remain at this temperature for at least two seconds, ensuring complete combustion. Combined with high turbulence flow technology, this process guarantees the waste is completely combusted and organic pollutants, including dioxins, are thoroughly destroyed.

Sustainable measures

Mr Chan added that I·PARK1 is equipped with a highly efficient air pollution control system to treat all flue gas emissions. The system is designed to ensure compliance with the stringent emission limits set out in the Specified Process Licence issued under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance. The contractor is required to continuously monitor flue gas emissions with online monitoring equipment. The environmental monitoring data will then be verified and made available to the public through a dedicated website, as required by the Environmental Permit and the contract.

I·PARK1 will also provide education and leisure facilities to the public. While introducing the latest waste-to-energy technology in the environmental education centre, interactive exhibits will offer information about Hong Kong’s waste management and resource recovery efforts. Visits to the environmental education facilities will be ready for advance booking once I·PARK1 is fully operational.

The Environmental Protection Department is pressing ahead with the development of I·PARK2 at Tsang Tsui in Tuen Mun. Together with ongoing efforts in waste reduction, recycling and resource circulation, the Government believes that these initiatives will help Hong Kong move closer to its long‑term goals of achieving zero waste landfilling and carbon neutrality.