Hong Kong to pulp waste paper locally from October

Hong Kong will begin processing waste paper locally starting October 1, the Environmental Protection Department announced. Assistant Director of Waste Management Steve Wong explained that the EcoPark facility in Tuen Mun will enable the city to create a circular economy for paper recycling. Prior to this, all waste paper collected in Hong Kong had to be exported for processing.

The new facility boasts an annual capacity to handle 720,000 tonnes of waste paper, expanding the types of paper accepted beyond traditional cardboard, newspapers and office paper. Lower-fibre items like paper bags and packaging boxes can now be included in the recycling process, along with mixed paper and long/short fibres from magazines.

Wong emphasized the importance of maintaining clean recycling practices, urging residents not to get waste wet and to remove impurities. The facility operator must purchase waste paper from collectors and recyclers at no less than the minimum price set in the contract, known as the Designated Purchasing Price (DPP), which has been raised from HK$1,200 per tonne to HK$1,295.51 per tonne.

This local processing shift also impacts baling plants, with some customers sending waste paper directly to the EcoPark facility, resulting in a 10 to 20 percent decrease in business. The minimum price for waste paper has been increased to HK$1,295.51 per tonne, with the department adjusting the minimum price for waste paper collectors and recyclers to HK$0.65 per kilo to stabilize the local recycling market.