Hong Kong Seeks to Curb Liquid Waste in Landfills

Hong Kong is seeking to curb the flow of bulk high liquid content waste, such as expired drinks, personal care products and discarded detergents, into landfills, a move conservationists say will protect local waters and coastlines from the risk of toxic leakage.

While academics and green groups welcomed the move, the retail sector expressed concern that the new requirement might result in higher recycling and manpower costs that could ultimately be passed on to consumers.

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said on Friday that it had been in talks with industry stakeholders since early this year on ways to “progressively reduce” the disposal of bulk high liquid content waste into the city’s landfills, and had proposed alternative solutions.

“The EPD’s goal is to support the industry in reducing waste at the source through proper treatment and recycling, and to halt the disposal of high liquid content waste in landfills,” a department spokeswoman said.

The new proposal covers liquid waste disposed of in bulk by manufacturers or retail enterprises. It excludes municipal solid waste from individual households and commercial outlets.

It proposes that high liquid content waste be treated at sewage treatment plants or diverted to food waste and chemical waste treatment facilities under the department, making landfill disposal unnecessary.