{
  "id": 13345177,
  "title": "Hong Kong to expand community recycling after shelving waste-charging scheme",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/hong-kong-to-expand-community-recycling-after-shelving-waste-charging-13345177",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-10T06:12:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3370429/hong-kong-expand-community-recycling-after-shelving-waste-charging-scheme"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hong Kong is set to enhance its community recycling system by introducing 24-hour automated collection points, following the cancellation of a waste-charging scheme due to public opposition, according to environmental chief Tse Chin-wan. The government also plans to review the profit levels of the city's two power companies once their control agreements expire in 2033, and aims to import more clean energy from mainland China. Tse expressed confidence in achieving four environmental goals set out in Hong Kong's first five-year plan, including reducing carbon intensity, increasing zero-carbon energy usage in power generation, and improving air and surface water quality. Despite shelving the waste-charging scheme in 2024, the government will strengthen the Green@Community initiative, a city-wide network promoting recycling collection across 18 districts. The initiative, complemented by smart recycling bins, currently has over 800 public collection points and 1.2 million registered users. Tse also pledged to increase the import of zero-carbon electricity from mainland China to 60-70% and discussed plans to build a new power reception station on reclaimed land in Tseung Kwan O Area 132.",
  "summary": "Hong Kong is set to expand its community recycling network following the shelving of a waste-charging scheme due to public backlash. The city's environmental chief, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan, announced plans to introduce round-the-clock automated collection points as part of efforts to strengthen recycling.\n\nThe waste-charging scheme, which had been delayed twice, was scrapped in 2024 despite being seen as a key method for Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality. According to the government, garbage is the city's third most significant source of emissions.\n\nTse Chin-wan also mentioned reviewing the permitted profit levels of the city's two power companies when their control agreements with the government expire in 2033, and boosting clean energy imports from mainland China. The government aims to achieve four binding goals on environmental protection as outlined in Hong Kong's first five-year plan.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
        "title": "Hong Kong to expand community recycling after shelving waste-charging scheme",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/hong-kong-to-expand-community-recycling-after-shelving-waste-charging",
        "published": "2026-10-10T06:12:06.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}