Hong Kong Expands Food Waste Recycling Network With Smart Bins and Collection Trials
Hong Kong is expanding its food waste recycling network as part of broader efforts to reduce landfill pressure and encourage sustainable waste practices. Government initiatives, including smart recycling bins in housing estates and a new food waste collection truck trial, have contributed to a sharp rise in recycling volumes. By 2025, the city was recycling an average of 350 tonnes of food waste each day, with domestic food waste recovery increasing significantly in recent years.
According to the Hong Kong Government, domestic food waste recycling rose from around two tonnes per day in 2022 to more than 120 tonnes daily in 2025. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has supported this increase through targeted programmes designed to make recycling more accessible and convenient for residents.
Pilot Scheme Expands Smart Recycling Infrastructure
In 2023, the EPD and the Environmental Campaign Committee launched the Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates. The initiative provides two years of funding covering installation, maintenance and repairs for participating estates.
As of February 2026, the scheme had installed 453 smart food waste recycling bins across 115 private housing estates, serving more than 270,000 households. Participating estates have collectively recycled over 7,300 tonnes of food waste since the programme began.
“Participating estates have collectively recycled over 7,300 tonnes of food waste,” — Benjamin Kwong, Senior Environmental Protection Officer (Waste Reduction & Community Recycling), Environmental Protection Department
Design Improvements Encourage Public Participation
The smart bins are designed to address practical barriers to food waste recycling. They can accept hard food waste such as bones and are equipped with overflow prevention, deodorising systems and pest control functions to minimise hygiene concerns in residential areas.
Convenient placement within housing estates has also helped encourage participation. Residents in participating estates can earn reward points through the GREEN$ Electronic Participation Incentive Scheme when depositing food waste. These points can be exchanged for daily necessities or supermarket vouchers, providing a tangible incentive for households to separate waste.
Local residents’ groups have also supported the initiative. Vincent Liu, chairman of a participating housing estate’s residents’ association, said the community is keen to continue taking part in the scheme to strengthen environmental awareness among residents.
Lower Participation Threshold Broadens Access
To extend the scheme’s reach, the Government adjusted the eligibility requirements in 2025. The minimum size requirement for housing estates was reduced from 1,000 households to 200 households, enabling small and medium-sized private estates to join the programme.
This expansion aligns with wider efforts to strengthen sustainable infrastructure as Hong Kong advances its broader technology and sustainability agenda, including initiatives supporting the city’s innovation hub vision in areas such as intelligent energy and advanced technologies.
Mobile Collection Trial Extends Recycling Coverage
In addition to fixed recycling infrastructure, the EPD launched a Trial Scheme on Food Waste Recycling Truck at the end of 2025. The vehicle visits different locations each night, promoting participation and making food waste recycling accessible in areas that may not yet have permanent facilities.
Such initiatives reflect the growing role of technology, operational innovation and community engagement in waste management. They also complement broader efforts to build digital capabilities and environmental awareness, alongside programmes focused on developing skills for AI, data and emerging technologies that support Hong Kong’s evolving sustainability and innovation ecosystem.
