Practices from Finland, Belgium, Japan, and others can guide county-level improvements in the United States.

Finland recycles 99% of municipal waste, landfilling 1%, aligns central/local authority, and shares know‑how with Ukraine.

Its deposit return system recycled 94% of aluminium cans and 92% of plastic bottles in 2020.

Belgium has Europe’s highest waste‑sorting participation rate at 91%.

Since the 1980s, Japan has used strict laws, standardized sorting, and public education; scheduled collection with paid bags cuts waste; garbage charging covers 62.8% of municipalities at about 300 yen monthly.

Japan provides e‑waste drop‑off points and recycling centers.

A nationwide volume‑based waste fee introduced in 1995 cut disposal by about 40%.

South Korea’s recycling rate exceeds 50%.

Taiwan’s Resource Recovery 4‑in‑1 Program engages government, manufacturers, and consumers, backed by a waste levy.

Taipei’s “garbage does not land” approach and levy raised recycling from 24% to 61%.

Singapore achieved a 51.7% solid waste recycling rate in 2020 via a centralized system.

Russia aims to sort 100% of waste and halve landfilling by 2030 and disseminates best‑practice guidance, including a national album on separate MSW accumulation.

Reforms add Extended Producer Responsibility, unified reporting, new licensing, minimum recycled content, and green public procurement, with federal support for investment certainty.

The UAE’s Zero Waste initiative targets a 43% cut in waste‑sector emissions by 2030.

Dubai processes 1.9 million tonnes of waste annually into renewable energy.

Shanghai’s 2019 ordinance accelerated waste‑sorting compliance and is a model for urban implementation.

Waste Law No. 201 of 2020 created a modern framework, integrated informal workers, and spurred infrastructure upgrades.

Hong Kong’s waste charging scheme applies polluter‑pays using designated bags and smart food waste bins.

Practices from Finland, Belgium, Japan, and others can guide county-level improvements in the United States.

Title:

Content: Egyptian News
Minister of Local Development Participates in the Third Conference of the African Clean Cities Forum
Hamdi Abdullah - Cairo on Monday 25 July 2022 12: 28 PM - Major General Mahmoud Shaarawy, Minister of Local Development, participated today Monday via video conference in the third conference of the African Clean Cities Forum, which is held in Tunis in the presence of the Prime Minister of Tunisia, the Minister of Environment of Japan, the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Vice President of Japan International Cooperation Organization (JICA), Mayor of Yokohama and Mayor of Tunis.
During the conference, the Minister of Local Development expressed his sincere gratitude for participating in the current forum in preparation for the eighth edition of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). He also thanked the forum management and UN-Habitat for providing the Egyptian Ministry of Local Development with the opportunity to share with the attendees the Egyptian experience in developing integrated and sustainable management of solid waste. Climate change in November.
The Minister of Local Development added: “The Sustainable Development Strategy Egypt 2030 highlights the development of the solid waste management system through various targets and indicators that measure the performance of waste management at the local and national levels, ” adding:“ The Egyptian state believes that flexible, efficient and innovative management of solid waste is a resource for circular economy, an important factor in creating green jobs, enhancing livelihoods and income for the urban poor, and increasing the ability to reduce consumption of resources. ” nature to ensure protection of the environment.
Major General Mahmoud Shaarawi pointed out that Egypt has adopted a number of projects and programs for solid waste management based on empowering local administration, the private sector and civil society and supporting governorates in the stages of integrated solid waste management, pointing out that the most important of these efforts is the development of a comprehensive, integrated and sustainable solid waste management system since 2019. Transforming it into energy and tightening monitoring, monitoring and evaluating the performance of service providers in addition to raising public environmental awareness and improving behaviors in dealing with waste in partnership with civil society organizations and creating economic opportunities through waste management projects.
The Minister of Local Development pointed out that these efforts included several projects to raise the efficiency of infrastructure (the establishment of treatment and recycling plants - as well as safe sanitary landfills - and the supply of stationary and mobile intermediate stations), as well as the rehabilitation of treatment and recycling plants and intermediate stations and raise the efficiency of equipment, with a total investment of more than 12 billion pounds. randomization through rapid intervention to remove waste from random dumps and close them completely, and contributed to the provision of technical support to the provinces to prepare proposed models of specifications and technical specifications and contract models for the stages of integrated solid waste management including operations (collection, transport, treatment and safe disposal).
Major General Mahmoud Shaarawi said that in preparation for hosting the climate conference next November, the efforts of solid waste management were based on enabling the local administration to benefit from innovation and new technologies to achieve more productive, prosperous and resilient urban economies at the local level in the field of solid waste.
He added: I am pleased to share with you the results of the project “Application of the Smart Waste Management Tool ”, which is being carried out in cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), within the African Clean Cities Initiative, because the project represents the importance of the African continent as one of the good practices that stimulate investment and aims to improve waste management.
The smart waste management tool is a diagnostic tool applied by cities to assess the performance of local solid waste management and use it as a basis for planning sustainable solid waste management. It is a model of one of the most important tools and methodologies that enable local levels to analyze the current solid waste situation in detail, identify gaps in the current system, and identify the efficiency of cities in recycling operations.
The Minister of Local Development also presented the results achieved since the last meeting in this regard, especially the cooperation with UN-Habitat to implement the smart tool for dealing with solid waste in the city of Alexandria, pointing out that the outputs and results of the application were presented to local partners, which included local executive leaders, representatives of the university, civil society organizations, the private sector and the informal sector in Alexandria.
The minister pointed out that the most important of these results was that the total solid waste in the city of Alexandria is 5134 tons / day and the total waste collected reaches 4300 tons / day, and the average food waste per person per day is 0.39 kg / person.
The recovery rate for the city of Alexandria is 21%.
The Minister of Local Development also reviewed
The most important outputs reached and on top of them:
• First: The main areas of intervention and proposed policies were identified to fill the gaps in infrastructure development, as well as discussing a number of proposed recommendations to start work on them, so that the city of Alexandria becomes a model for the clean-up system at the governorate level.
• Second: The results of the development of the tool were relied on as a baseline in the development of the general plan for the development of the solid waste system in Alexandria Governorate, directing government investments and encouraging the private sector to invest in the most prominent aspects of solid waste development to achieve a balance between investment, environmental and societal returns.
This tool provides a roadmap and a baseline to identify the components and challenges of the solid waste management process, as well as determine the specific targets of each governorate according to the nature and characteristics of the waste generated in it, in order to formulate a realistic and applied strategic plan to reach the desired goals.
The Minister added that it is the first time to activate a tool to monitor the indicator of the eleventh goal - the first axis - the sixth indicator (indicator (11-1-6) of the Sustainable Development Goals indicators on the collection of local solid waste and the level of control in waste management facilities, in order to measure the performance of waste management as part of the efforts to develop the solid waste management system in Egypt.
He pointed out that the Egyptian government through the Ministry of Local Development is currently working to replicate the application of the tool in nine selected governorates to include all Egyptian regions, in preparation for its dissemination in the rest of the Egyptian cities from the government budget.
The Minister of Local Development pointed out that this experience reflects Egypt ’ s leadership in localizing the SDGs, especially Goal 11 on making cities and human settlements sustainable, inclusive, safe and resilient, pointing out that the current number of cities in which the tool has been implemented is about 45 cities worldwide, while the Egyptian state will add about 25% to this number, which will contribute to helping the Egyptian government in characterizing and writing reports related to the SDG localization process. Local level as well as Egypt ’ s efforts in implementing the New Urban Agenda.
Major General Mahmoud Shaarawi stressed Egypt's full support and keenness to transfer this pioneering experience to the use of the smart tool in waste management to other countries in our African continent.
The minister proposed creating a “Community of Local Governance Smart Tool Practitioners ” along the lines of the Clean Cities Platform to become a mechanism for sharing practices and lessons learned on integrated and sustainable solid waste management, bringing together the African countries concerned and meeting biannually to move forward and promote an integrated and sustainable approach to solid waste management, especially through the use of the Smart Waste Management Tool.
You may also read.

Finland recycles 99% of municipal waste, landfilling 1%, aligns central/local authority, and shares know‑how with Ukraine.

Title:

Content: Ukraine will deepen cooperation with Finland in the direction of household waste management.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Regional Development, this was announced by the Minister of Communities and Territories Alexey Chernyshov during a meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Finland to Ukraine Päivi Laine.
It is noted that in Finland, only 1% of waste ends up in landfills, the vast majority is recycled.
This is the result of the interaction of the central and local authorities, as well as the awareness of citizens
Ukraine is also planning to adopt this experience.
“Finland is a country that demonstrates high standards of environmental waste management.
Almost all the citizens of this country sort the garbage.
As a result, 99% of household waste is recycled.
This experience will be useful for Ukraine.
So, a similar process is already underway in hromadas - in 1725 settlements of our state, a separate collection of household waste has been introduced.
But it is necessary to scale this direction and introduce useful practices of international partners in the country, "Chernyshov said.
Read alsoIn the Odessa region on the Danube, the dam is destroyed - under it meter voids In the press service reminded that thanks to the implementation of separate collection of garbage in 2020, about 6.3% of household waste was recycled and disposed of in Ukraine.
In turn, Laine noted that Finland is ready to share experience and help Ukrainian communities to implement waste processing projects.
“We also have companies that recycle waste into energy.
In such a comprehensive way, we improve the ecology of our country, ” she added.
Waste recycling in Ukraine
As UNIAN reported, in July 2020, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the first reading the draft law No. 2207-1-d “On waste management ”.
The document establishes the procedure for the collection, removal and treatment of waste, ensures the introduction of their separate collection and recycling, provides for the requirements for the quality of the provision of waste management services and the charging of fees for such a service.

Its deposit return system recycled 94% of aluminium cans and 92% of plastic bottles in 2020.

Title:

Content: Menu Close

Scottish bottle deposit scheme to be blocked – but evidence from Europe suggests it’s the way forward

Unrecycled drink containers are a huge problem in the UK. A survey by Planet Patrol, a non-profit organisation, found that the drinks industry was responsible for more than a third of the litter found in the UK in 2020 and 2021. The items included plastic and glass bottles, metal drinks cans, single-use cups and lids.

This is a concern. Litter takes years to degrade, causing harm to wildlife and habitats, and cleaning it up is expensive. Street cleaning costs UK taxpayers an estimated £1 billion each year.

The Scottish government has proposed a deposit return scheme. People will pay a 20p deposit when they buy a drink in a single-use container, which they get back when the empty bottle or can is returned. Scottish drinks containers would also need to be specially labelled and tracked.

But the scheme is under threat. The UK government is unlikely to agree to the trade exemption needed to enable trade rules in Scotland to differ from the rest of the UK. And critics argue that a deposit return scheme will be difficult for smaller retailers in an already competitive sector due to the costs of handling returns and registering with the scheme.

However, similar schemes in other European countries have prevented huge volumes of litter from entering the environment. These deposit return schemes offer insight into how effective a measure they can be and provide a possible route for implementation in the UK.

Evidence from Europe

In Finland, a deposit return system for glass bottles was introduced in the 1950s and continues today, having included plastic drinks containers for the past 20 years. The scheme is operated entirely by the private sector, with 5,000 plastic container-return machines located across the country in shops, hotels, restaurants, offices and schools.

Each time a person buys a drink in a bottle or a can, they pay a 15 to 40 cent deposit, depending on the material the container is made out of. The containers are then recycled or the materials are reused on their return.

Almost every bottle and can in Finland is recycled as a result of the scheme. In 2020, Finnish residents recycled 94% of aluminium cans (out of 1.4 billion sold) and 92% of plastic bottles (out of 530 million). By contrast, just 82% and 57% were recycled in the UK respectively.

Norway has achieved an even more impressive recycling rate of 97%. Norway’s deposit return approach is instead supplemented with an environmental tax imposed on bottle producers. The tax is NOK 6.46 (£0.50) per unit of metal and glass and NOK 3.91 (£0.30) for plastic items. To avoid the tax, producers must recycle more than 95% of the containers they produce.

Plastic bottles usually end up being “downcycled” into other items, like fleece materials. But the tax has encouraged producers of plastic bottles in Norway to make bottles easier to recycle by using more uniform and less contaminated materials. Efforts have included using approved bottle tops and glue and labels that are easier to remove. The quality of recycled plastic in Norway is now so high that recycled bottles can be made into new bottles.

Plastic recycling schemes in Europe have also delivered social benefits. The Finnish system allows people to choose to collect their deposit or donate it to charity. In Berlin, those not inclined to return their bottles to the store can leave them under bins for others to collect and claim the reward.

Public acceptance

The success of a deposit return scheme largely depends on what happens to the item once it is returned. Success is not based on economic viability alone. Any deposit return scheme needs to be acceptable to the people who run and use it.

Cost-benefit analysis of two separate deposit return schemes (recycling and reuse) for plastic food trays in Sweden found that the costs are greater than the benefits for recycling, but not for reuse. If you consider the costs involved in packaging, washing and the recycling process, then a return scheme may work best if the item is reused.

In Scotland, concerns about how the scheme will run and its real benefit are chipping away at the confidence of the public and drinks retailers. Research finds that many people in Scotland are unaware of how the deposit return scheme would operate and why it is necessary. Some of the study’s participants even perceived the refund charge as another form of taxation imposed by the Scottish government.

Communication plays a critical role. A different study, which explored the public acceptance of a deposit return scheme in Catalonia, Spain, revealed that the way a scheme is presented to users and how much information is given influences how it is perceived. More information (given over the phone) tended to yield a more positive viewpoint.

Clearly, more information is required for Scotland’s recycling scheme to be accepted more widely.

If designed correctly, deposit return schemes can encourage recycling by raising the value of plastic waste. Recycling and reuse schemes are also made more technically and economically viable if backed up with tax incentives.

But the barrier facing the adoption of a deposit return scheme in the UK is a lack of uniformity. We should not be asking if Scotland should adopt a scheme or not. Instead, plans for the rest of the UK to adopt this approach should be accelerated to get the whole of the UK on the same page.

Want to write?

Write an article and join a growing community of more than 161,200 academics and researchers from 4,583 institutions.

Register now

Belgium has Europe’s highest waste‑sorting participation rate at 91%.

Title:

Content: ROP, or How will Kyrgyzstan recycle its waste?
In Bishkek, a seminar was held on the topic of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for the disposal of goods and packaging, organized by the WasteNet.KG. project.
The seminar was attended by producers of products, government authorities, waste processing enterprises, non-governmental and international organizations and experts.
Director of CSR Central Asia Agency Asel Arstanbekova noted that the issues of environmental safety, social responsibility of producers are very acute.
“In many countries, the topic of social expanded responsibility is already active and, having studied their experience, we would like to determine what is applicable for Kyrgyzstan, ” she said.
WasteNet.KG expert Natalia Baidakova presented the concept of the concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR), its implementation mechanisms, and the ultimate goal of which is to reduce and gradually reduce to zero the disposal of waste that can be used in recycling and recycling.
How is the situation with the ROP in Kyrgyzstan?
The issue of waste accumulation in Kyrgyzstan is reflected in many strategic documents, such as the National Development Strategy of Kyrgyzstan until 2040, the Green Economy Concept, and the Green Economy Development Program.
More than 40 laws include waste issues.
The main ones are the law on environmental protection, on industrial waste, which was adopted back in 2001.
Naturally, this document needs to be amended and supplemented.
In addition, a classification of hazardous waste based on international standards has been developed and adopted.
The legislation specifies that separate collection of waste should be carried out, for use as secondary resources it is prohibited to use hazardous waste as secondary raw materials.
But at the same time, many norms are absent, for example, there is no definition of what secondary waste is, there are no norms regulating the collection and processing of secondary raw materials, there are no norms for stimulating the processing of secondary materials, and so on.
The legislation undoubtedly requires changes, another thing is what these changes will be.
On March 19, 2021, a decree of the President of Kyrgyzstan on measures to ensure environmental and climate security was adopted.
A number of points were aimed at improving the efficiency of waste management, implementing separate collection of garbage, including stimulating the creation of recycling enterprises.
In 2019, a number of laws were also amended, for example, the law of consumption production, the procedure for handling hazardous mercury-containing waste.
What now?
In Kyrgyzstan, favorable conditions have been created for the organization of an effective management system and the introduction of expanded producer responsibility.
Thus, in December 2021, the Action Plan of the Cabinet of Ministers on the implementation of the National Development Program of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2026 was approved, which provides for the implementation of a number of measures to improve the waste management system.
The measures are aimed at introducing amendments and additions to laws, regulatory legal acts, including in terms of introducing the principles of the concept of extended responsibility of manufacturers of ROP for the disposal of goods and packaging.
Experience of other countries and international companies
Aleksandara Akirman, Caucasus and Central Asia Public Relations Manager at The Coca-Cola Foundation, noted that almost all global manufacturers of goods and packaging have committed to transfer from 8 to 10% of secondary raw materials to new packaging.
“In the next five to ten years, the companies intend to use more environmentally friendly materials, develop new types of packaging, provide for collection and processing.
At the same time, companies are trying to work with government authorities in their respective countries to ensure that such systems develop.
Now in Kyrgyzstan there is a linear economy of packaging, in which most packages go to landfill, are dumped in the form of garbage.
Almost 100% of the primary material is used.
While in a circular economy, plastic packaging is used endlessly.
The new packaging needs to be recycled.
Such a circular economy is possible.
In more than 30 countries around the world, we produce packaging from recycled materials, ” she said.
The OECD Environment Directorate, economist and environmentalist Frisief Lubinger in his speech noted that at present the ROP system is actively developing and is beginning to be used more intensively around the world.
"The transition to PPE is particularly active in North America, Europe and a number of transition economies, but it should be noted that in transition economies, additional resources are needed to make the system fully operational," he added.
Next, Givi Kalandadze, an expert from Georgia, the chairman of the operator of the ROP, said that the country has a special law on waste management, which has a special section under number 9 dedicated to the ROP.
“Also, the law has an important section dedicated to responsible persons who monitor the ROP.
Such a manager should be in each organization and be responsible for coordination, for cooperation with stakeholders in waste management. "
Experts from Kazakhstan and Russia also spoke about the system of implementation of the ROP in their countries, about successes and failures.
In addition, during the event, it was noted that the first place in the ROP system for packaging is occupied by the countries of the European Union, in which Belgium is the leader, where 91% of the population sorts garbage.
Next are the countries of the Middle East, followed by the countries of Africa, then Latin America, followed by Canada, then the countries of Southeast Asia and close the list of the countries of the former USSR.
Author: Munara Borombaeva.
Photo: Vlad Ushakov
Source: Kuramastory
Tell us your news:
BACK TO TOP
BACK TO

Since the 1980s, Japan has used strict laws, standardized sorting, and public education; scheduled collection with paid bags cuts waste; garbage charging covers 62.8% of municipalities at about 300 yen monthly.

Title:

Content: Waste Levy ｜ Japan has been a model for decades, Okinawa Hong Kong families share the key to success
Author: Law Baoxi
Published: Updated:
“I remember the first time we dropped garbage out of the streets in Japan, our family watched the whole process to see if our garbage was successfully handled, and finally the garbage truck was recycled. We clapped our hands, ” Oki-Family, a Hong Kong resident in Okinawa, told reporters.
Japan's waste levy and recycling has been implemented for many years, and the local domestic waste treatment, recycling and classification are very perfect, and recycling accounts for 20%.
It can be said that the relevant policies have long been integrated into the ordinary life of the Japanese people and become the local way of life.
If Hong Kong is about to introduce a waste levy, what can we learn from Japan?
This is part of the "Garbage Levy, How to Do It in a Foreign Country?" series.
Oki-Family, a family of three who have lived in Japan for eight years, now lives in Toyomi City, Okinawa Prefecture. The couple, Leung Sheng and Leung, recently shared with Hong Kong 01 the situation of local waste levies and recycling.
“There are many cities in Okinawa, and each city has its own system, so every time you move, you have to adapt and get used to it. ”
At present, our family mainly uses the largest garbage bag, which costs about 20 yen (more than HK $1.03) a.
The average monthly amount spent on waste collection and recycling is about 300 yen (over HK $16), "he said.
There are different waste management and recycling regulations in Japan. Levy standards vary from prefecture to city. According to Leung, Japan ’ s waste classification is much more complex than Hong Kong ’ s. It is divided into general waste, large waste and kitchen waste. newspaper and cardboard separately), etc.
For large garbage, such as mattresses and other items that cannot be placed in garbage bags, you need to purchase a sticker of about 300 yen (about HK $15.5) at a convenience store and paste it on the garbage that needs to be disposed of.
Other cities have the same treatment, but the amount may vary.
Oki-Family, a Hong Kong resident family in Okinawa, shared with reporters the complicated garbage sorting situation in Japan. (Provided by respondents)
Since most places implement self-paid waste levies, sorting and recycling has long been a “compulsory lesson ” for Japanese residents.
Every night, after dinner, their family will take the garbage outside the back door of the home, where a can be put on the garbage can; they also placed a large plastic box there to store the recycling garbage, such as fork batteries, glass bottles, soda cans, plastic bottles, etc., stored enough will be taken out.
On Tuesdays and Fridays, combustible waste is collected, soda cans are collected on Wednesdays, glass bottles and newspapers are collected on Saturdays.
Although the combustible waste contained in kitchen waste is collected only twice a week, there are few cases in the area where it stinks and affects environmental hygiene. “There are scents on the garbage cans in Japan that can suppress the smell, and I did try to have a slight effect, ” Leung explained.
And my own method is to put it outside the back door, because the position has been blowing for a long time, and it is almost impossible to smell without opening the lid. "
Over 70 years of off-the-shelf garbage sorting
In the 1950s, Japan entered a period of rapid economic growth, people's living standards have been significantly improved, and the amount of garbage has also increased sharply, and the phenomenon of littering can be seen everywhere, and environmental problems have become severe.
Later, the Japanese government took advantage of the opportunity of the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games to launch a "capital beautification campaign" to awaken the people's awareness of environmental protection.
However, in the 1970s, local citizens protested the landfill site selection, and began to take actions to stop garbage trucks, and the protest lasted for eight years.
Until the 1980s, Japan began to carry out simple garbage sorting, and after decades of development, garbage sorting has become a standardized, systematic way of life.
As for the garbage levy scheme, Japan was introduced in the 1970s. In 2019, a total of 1,094 garbage charges were implemented in 1,741 cities, towns and villages across the country, with an implementation rate of 62.8%; among them, the urban rate was lower, only 56.2%.
However, Japan's domestic waste recycling is basically the responsibility of local governments, so different cities in the waste separation and treatment charges are not the same.
For example, in order to reduce and recycle the amount of garbage increasing year by year, local garbage is divided into five categories: "combustible garbage", "non-combustible garbage", "hazardous garbage", "resource garbage" and "large garbage". The first four categories have designated garbage bags, and large garbage has related "treatment coupons", which can be purchased at general convenience stores.
All kinds of paper (newspapers, magazines, cardboard, milk cartons) need to be tied into a cross shape with a paper rope.
All refuse should be disposed of by members of the public before 8.30 am on a specified date.
If the Government wants the public to follow suit, the most important thing is to make things convenient for them, and everything should be convenient.
Oki-Family
Japan ’ s waste classification was first seen in the 1980s, and has developed over the decades to form a standardized and systematic way of life.
(Getty)
Fear of animals, care for neighbors, and...?
When she first arrived in Guijing, Liang Sheng said that she had long known that Japan had a policy of collecting and sorting garbage, so she was prepared psychologically.
When they first moved to Hong Kong to report to the local government department, they had received a relevant garbage instruction notice, "The average family will stick it in a prominent place, such as a refrigerator door or next to it, which is convenient to check when handling garbage daily."
After doing more, you will remember that you don ’ t have to look at it every time.
They added that the circular will also clearly state the arrangements for zoning, public holidays, special weather, special items, etc., which are basically very clear, and you can consult friends and neighbors if you do not understand.
They said that the charts provided by the authorities are detailed and clear, and it is not really difficult to follow them. "But the pictures may indicate that it is a certain type of garbage, but the details may indicate that some special circumstances will not be recycled."
The careful classification of this aspect, we still feel very troublesome at first. "
On the other hand, due to the different living environment and culture in Japan, there are other additional concerns about daily garbage disposal.
They remember the first time they dropped garbage out of the street, they heard friends say not to fall out of the street the night before, because there may be stray cats, crows and other garbage, there may be a chance to dirty the environment.
There is also garbage can not be taken out too early to remove, otherwise it may be scolded by neighbors. Liang Sheng Liang Tai admitted: "So in Japan, we have to be afraid of animals, we have to take care of our neighbors, and whether the garbage truck can finally be recycled after the garbage is sorted."
Japan is regarded as one of the most successful countries in the world in waste levying and recycling, winning in a zero-waste town. (Getty)
The best way to deal with batteries, soda cans and paper skins?
In addition, they also have to face the problem of garbage that can not be dropped.
They said: "The most troublesome is the battery, although some local appliance stores can recycle, but not all types, mainly the recycling of disposable batteries, but not the charging type.
In the end, they found information online, and learned that only a few electrical appliances stores in Naha can be recycled, but it is very inconvenient to drive to them, so they have been unable to abandon them for years, so they have to slowly store them at home and drive to a certain number of cars to deal with them.
What also makes them feel very annoying and very disturbing is the soda can and the paper skin. "In Hong Kong, these two kinds of waste are considered more valuable, and can be sold for a few pennies."
But in Japan, if you put a soda can in a plastic bag, they will not accept it, you have to buy a government-designated plastic bag.
They said: “The irony is that if you put it in a transparent plastic bag, there will be scavengers who will take it and sell it. ”
The Government will also appeal to households not to let waste pickers take them, as this is part of the income of waste collectors. "
Japanese newspapers and paper should be tied, even if only one piece, and tied with a paper rope, otherwise the workers will not recycle.
(Getty)
They continued: "From our point of view, why buy a plastic bag for garbage collectors, instead of having a plastic bag left in the home before, no more money to waste, and it is not better to help the environment and someone to recycle?"
"If the paper is put out, it will not be collected if it is not tied up, and if it is scattered, it will not be collected, but even if it is placed in a paper bag, they will say that it is not tied up."
Even if it is not a piece of paper, it will not be taken, and every time I hear it, it is very important. "
Keyword Success: Convenient
Although there are no penalties for garbage disposal in Japan, if garbage is not handled in accordance with the relevant guidelines, the relevant departments will not recycle the household's garbage and will indicate what is wrong on the household's garbage.
They said, "Not recycling is already a punishment, because you have to find a place to put this waste for another week."
However, they stressed, "Although the levies and recycling of local refuse may cause some inconvenience and trouble in daily life, environmental protection will be a blessing to the public if the Government is really able to do enough in handling waste from the environmental point of view."
After years of living in Japan, Oki-Family believes that the work of collecting and recycling waste is successful: “The most important thing is the education of the whole nation. They are supported by the government, businesses, and many large circles. ” Convenient."
Education is equally important, Mrs Leung added: “To make people feel that recycling from their urine is something they need to do and is part of their lives.
Naturally, more and more people will accept this. ” For example, their daughters will be taught classification from kindergarten, and simulation learning, teaching how to classify things, slowly making sorting garbage their instinct.
Liang Sheng-Liang of Oki-Family, a Japanese Hong Kong family, stressed that the policy focus is to enable every household to be hygienic when handling garbage, because the relevant garbage levy and recycling involve more than the purchase of plastic bags.
(courtesy of interviewees)
It's not about plastic bags. It's about hygiene.
On Hong Kong ’ s imminent introduction of a waste levy, Mrs Leung said: “The biggest resistance is that the Hong Kong government is too weak at present, and even if they do well or not, the public may not like it. ”
The second is the habit of the public, who stressed the need for the government to give the public a sufficient period of adaptation.
They cited Japan ’ s policy as an example. “The Japanese authorities generally give a relatively long period of adaptation, for example, we will later change to electronic signatures, and the government will give the public two years to get used to it. The transition period in Hong Kong may be relatively short in years. ”
Garbage levy is actually a big thing, including the promotion of education, the awareness of the public is very important, if they lack awareness, they will not follow suit.
But this is a work that takes a long time to do, and it is not possible to do it in a moment or three.
They believe that the Hong Kong government should provide some further information, such as tips, such as how to dispose of garbage at home will be more hygienic and save space, so that the public can understand the specific situation facing the actual operation.
In addition, it can also provide various types of garbage disposal equipment on the market, such as deodorants and scents that can be attached to garbage cans of various sizes.
Finally, they reiterate, “It ’ s important for every household to be hygienic when it comes to waste levies and recycling, which involves more than just buying plastic bags. ”
This may also be one of the reasons why many people are dissatisfied or worried about the proposed waste levy. "

Japan provides e‑waste drop‑off points and recycling centers.

Title:

Content: Save The Planet — and Your Dollars — By Making Your Office Gadgets Greener. Here's How. Millions of offices around the globe need to rethink their use of electronics.

By Kerry Chen

Key Takeaways

  • The global secondhand market is booming, and this is especially true for consumer electronics.
  • Recycling or refurbishing used tech is a multifaceted process that requires a well-coordinated network of services.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In this decade, more and more businesses feel the need to adjust their operations in favor of more long-term sustainable practices. From consumer demands to politics and investors, environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices have never been discussed more than today.

However, this boom is not just about using green energy in production or donating towards environmental efforts. It's about changing entire corporate cultures, making employees and partners aware of sustainability issues and implementing shifts across all departments.

Contemporary businesses are profoundly dependent on consumer electronics such as smartphones and laptops. These devices present distinct sustainability challenges and opportunities, spanning from recycling to lifespan extension. As such, they not only offer global entrepreneurs an exceptional chance to demonstrate their dedication to ESG principles by implementing adequate company policies and educating their workforce but also enable them to reap significant financial benefits in the future.

E-waste and secondhand smartphones

The global secondhand market is booming, and this is especially true for consumer electronics. In fact, according to CCS Insight, refurbished smartphone sales grew by more than 14% in 2023, outshining new smartphone sales and reaching a total of $13.3 billion in Q1 2023 despite suffering from a severe supply shortage. This growth is a testament to the evolving consumer sentiment, and this trend is poised to continue flourishing throughout the current decade and beyond.

One of the key driving factors behind the expansion of secondhand mobile markets is the growing concern over electronic waste or e-waste. The proliferation of electronic devices has led to an alarming increase in e-waste, which poses serious threats to the environment, human health and animal well-being. Over 53 million metric tons of e-waste are produced around the globe annually, and only 17% of this e-waste is recycled.

From toxic chemicals leaching into soil and water to hazardous emissions during the disposal process, the consequences of improper electronic waste management are far-reaching and detrimental. Furthermore, manufacturing new smartphones and other consumer electronics requires a substantial amount of resources, which are valuable and limited.

With the raw materials that are found in e-waste being estimated to be worth around $60 billion, there are many reasons for companies to care about recycling and repairing used smartphones. Failing to recycle and reuse these resources exacerbates the scarcity of raw materials, which leads to higher production costs and an unsustainable product life cycle.

Related: How the Circular Economy of Consumer Electronics Can Change Sustainability

The infrastructure is advancing

As consumer sentiment continues to lean toward sustainability, the necessary infrastructure to support the growth of secondhand mobile markets is developing in tandem. The global electronics recycling market amounted to about $40 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach a value of $110 billion by 2030.

Recycling or refurbishing a used smartphone is a multifaceted process that requires a well-coordinated network of services. According to a 2022 study, convenience is a major factor when it comes to recycling.

Japan, a global leader in handling e-waste, provides thousands of convenient drop-off points for consumers to discard their used smartphones, dedicated examination centers for a thorough assessment of devices, and avenues for repair and refurbishment.

At ATRenew, we are now aiming to intensify recycling-related infrastructure development in China. For example, to facilitate convenient recycling, ATRenew has opened nearly 2,000 offline stores in a bid to provide the necessary infrastructure.

Related: How the Circular Economy of Consumer Electronics Can Change Sustainability

How businesses can position themselves

Crucially, it's not only the device manufacturers and refurbishment centers that can make a lasting impact. Every modern-day organization aware of these issues can position itself as a responsible entity committed to reducing e-waste.

As usual, the first step to reducing e-waste and increasing the lifecycle of devices is to invest in the education of employees. Holding training sessions on the responsible usage, maintenance and eventual disposal of electronics can greatly enhance their longevity and suitability for refurbishment. Additionally, companies could organize public presentations or workshops to educate both employees and regular consumers, thus showing their commitment to the public.

Finally, there are also a number of internal policies that could make a big difference. For instance, offices could introduce shorter tech refresh cycles during which current devices are upgraded, or even allow employees to bring their own devices – with appropriate security measures, of course.

Regardless of which measure is ultimately used, all organizations can choose to put them on public display via social media and thus achieve a great branding effect with consumers and talent alike.

Related: 70% of Consumers Say They'll Buy 'Green' Products, but Only 5% Actually Do. That's Due to a Common Marketing Mistake By Eco-Friendly Brands.

A sustainable path forward

The increasing prominence of secondhand mobile markets reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior, and this change is not merely a passing trend. Instead, it is a well-founded response to the challenges posed by e-waste and resource scarcity.

As consumers are becoming more conscious of their choices and the impact of their actions, secondhand smartphones have become a preferred option since they align with the principles of sustainability and responsible consumption. This, in turn, is animating businesses to follow suit and provide a supply to quench that demand.

With this positive feedback loop, the growth of secondhand smartphone markets in the recent past will definitely continue over the next decade. By reducing e-waste, conserving valuable resources, and making advanced technology accessible to a broader demographic, these markets are shaping a more sustainable and equitable future.

Kerry Chen

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

CEO of ATRenew, Inc.

Kerry is the CEO of ATRenew, the leading pre-owned consumer electronics transactions and services platform. ATRenew is on a mission to give a second life to all idle goods by facilitating recycling and trade-in services, and distributing the devices to prolong their lifecycle.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

'Not Much Financial Education' — Yet Millennials Have Boomers and Gen X Beat When It Comes to Retirement Savings. Here's Why.

Millennials might own fewer homes and make less money — but they're on track for a better retirement.

Growing a Business

What is The Future of Coworking Spaces in a Hybrid World? Here's Everything You Need to Know.

The traditional office, once a symbol of corporate stability and structure, is rapidly becoming an anachronism in today's fluid work environment, and coworking spaces are replacing many of the traditional office space functions

Leadership

Motivation is the Secret to a Successful Team — Are Your Employees Motivated? 4 Tips for Empowering New Hires

Motivating employees towards success is the main means by which a business stays afloat and prospers. And the task of providing this motivation, alongside the upkeep of the team's morale is something that company leaders should always keep in mind.

Growing a Business

This Language Learning App has 25 Languages, and it's Only $160

Expand your opportunities by learning how to communicate with potential customers and business partners in their native language.

Business News

These 11 Retailers Are Most Likely to File For Bankruptcy in 2023, According to a New Report

Several well-known retailers already filed for bankruptcy in 2023 — now, a new report is highlighting the retailers most likely to follow suit.

Business Plans

'Timing Really is Everything' — Pro Tips For Aspiring Franchisees

Before diving into the franchise world, it's paramount to identify your personal and professional objectives.

A nationwide volume‑based waste fee introduced in 1995 cut disposal by about 40%.

Title:

Content: 【 Printing 】
Swiss garbage smugglers evade high charges in France
Related LINKS http: / / www.CRNT.com 2024-04-23 10: 11: 12
Beijing, April 23 (Xinhua) -- According to a report by the British environmental consultancy Eunomia, the global recycling rate ranking in 2017, Hong Kong ranked 24th, and Switzerland ranked 9th.
Since 2012, the Swiss government has introduced a tax on garbage bags to subsidize waste disposal costs, but the high fees have led some Swiss to leave their waste in neighboring France.
To this end, the French government cracked down on "smuggling" garbage, blocking nearly 10 tons of garbage from Switzerland, and fined 150 euros each.
South Korea has implemented garbage charging since 1995, and the overall waste disposal volume has been greatly reduced by 40%, and the recycling rate has reached more than 60%.
Compared to “one size fits all ” measures, the Korean government implemented the waste reduction plan in a step-by-step manner.
Waste charging is carried out in the form of bag charging, and then gradually expanded to restrict the use of disposable products, recycling of kitchen waste, etc., to deal with waste in a multi-pronged manner.
The environmental equation “3R ” has a priority: reduce waste, reuse, and recycle. Lisa Ramsden, a member of Greenpeace America, pointed out that large food and daily necessities companies have been promoting recycling for many years, but the results have not been good, so the“ naked buy ” consumption model of Reuse and Refill, that is, self-purchased containers. Buy the required items to really reduce waste at the source.
【 Printing 】
Related News:

South Korea’s recycling rate exceeds 50%.

Title:

Content: Bauhinia Party ｜ The Dilemma and Countermeasures of Hong Kong ’ s Waste Management System
Author: 01 Forum
Published: Updated:
Author ： Shi Lei
The author believes that many of the current garbage collection disputes have been implemented to the feasibility level, in fact, are related to the inadequacy of the behavior system of residential areas to place garbage, and some of the shortcomings have not been collected garbage bags to make up for.
Its shortcomings mainly include: almost all residents of the garbage can be carried out 24 hours (such as a fixed garbage room and a long "business hours"), each residents of the garbage room often let the residents put garbage into (super) large garbage bins, and each garbage room corresponding to the number of residents, resulting in if there is a "black sheep" do not buy a levy garbage bag to throw garbage, they can walk without obstruction.
Property companies or FEHD contractors may have to wait for a long time before they find a "bad horse" in the process of comprehensive garbage disposal, but at this time it is difficult to claim responsibility, which leads to the "polluter pays" principle in fact is empty words.
The recent Jordan fire has also reminded all walks of life in Hong Kong that there are a large number of "trivial" old tenements in the most prosperous city center in Hong Kong, with chaotic personnel, lack of property services, and unethical behavior, resulting in a large number of public safety risks.
In these places, even property fees are difficult to ensure that the tenants pay in full, and how can the executive power to ensure the implementation of the levy garbage bag system? If the measures to effectively and timely remove the "black sheep" from the institutional level can not be designed, and the implementation level will be discounted for various "objective reasons", then it will form the behavior of "bad money driven away from good money".
Soon, no one will follow the requirements of the levy garbage bag system to do, and the criticism is rife, may the next government will abolish the annoying garbage collection system as a "moral government".
Refer to the garbage disposal policies of representative regions of the world, you can see that their garbage classification, collection of garbage bags and other systems are "devil in the details", often in the geographical environment, the unwritten rules of behavior in the residential community, and institutional protection, etc., to ensure that timely detection, isolation and failure to classify, pack and dispose of garbage according to the system requirements, and minimize the possibility of "black sheep".
For example, in the European Union, Belgium, where I lived, they have long promoted charging garbage bags.
Similar to Japan, Korea and Taiwan, residents have a fixed time to throw garbage (usually early in the morning on certain days), and garbage bags containing garbage should be placed in designated places.
It can be imagined that there is no requirement for garbage bags to be filled with garbage, but the specified bags are filled with garbage that should not be loaded or excessive garbage will be rejected.
The main way of living in the city of Leuven, where the author was at the time, was a single building or an apartment building (but the floor is usually no more than 10 floors, and the residents do not exceed 50 households). Once the garbage bags are found to be not in compliance with the regulations, whether it is the city government or the apartment manager, the difficulty of tracing is not great, and the surrounding residents will actively cooperate.
For example, Japan, Korea and Taiwan are using garbage levies to regulate the classification of citizens and reduce waste. The above areas must use the volume charge, through the use of garbage charging plastic bags to implement polluter pays.
In addition to requiring residents to place garbage (in the correct bag) in the designated location at the specified time, Japanese and Korean garbage bags are more meticulous in sorting.
For example, Japan, which is more familiar to Hong Kong people, requires transparent bags (not limited to specific models but must be transparent, can be tied) to quickly confirm that the garbage classification is correct, and the bag is combustible garbage, plastic, metal cans, etc., or non-recyclable and non-combustible waste.
Recyclable waste paper, etc., does not need to buy a separate garbage bag, but needs to be properly wrapped. Although Japan has a much higher density of living than EU countries, neighbors will pay more attention to not sorting garbage and will not delay the action.
South Korea's recycling rate is also more than 50%, the main reason is the strict classification of garbage bags, different from a kind of paid garbage bags in Hong Kong, South Korea is a variety of paid garbage bags, and each garbage bag can only contain one kind of material, and according to the difficulty of recycling to determine the price of garbage bags, the more difficult the recovery, the higher the price of garbage bags.
As a result, South Korea ’ s recovery rate is higher.
As for the Taiwan region, in addition to adopting a regular garbage collection mode similar to Japan, in the area where there are no conditions to set up a garbage room, there is a garbage truck and recycling truck every night, and the song of the snow truck comes to the small area.
This requirement is even higher, and residents need to actively show up at a specific time, so recycling workers can more accurately and timely eliminate the "black sheep" that do not pack garbage according to regulations, and therefore refuse to accept or take other measures.
It is worth pointing out that I have only visited Japan, Korea and Taiwan on short trips, and only stayed in commercial hotels.
Therefore, details such as the garbage system in residential areas are indirectly obtained through online KOL sharing, live scene dramas and other channels.
Please note that there are errors.
From this, it can be seen that the problems existing in Hong Kong's current waste management system and the waste management experience of advanced regions abroad have produced the following suggestions that deserve serious consideration and reference by the Hong Kong Government and relevant departments:
1. Improve the behavior system of residents throwing garbage.
First of all, the public garbage room and the garbage disposal place in the residential area should no longer be allowed to throw garbage 7x24 hours.
To consider formulating standards, such as limited delivery time and designated delivery points, for the reference of the entire Hong Kong property management industry, the FEHD will implement them to prevent the "black sheep" from evading garbage bag charges.
2. Strengthen the management of "no matter" areas, standardize the premises and methods of refuse collection in areas where property services are lacking, and ensure that the refuse charging system can be effectively implemented even in these problem areas.
3, with reference to the practices of Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other places, after the successful implementation of the garbage collection system, it continues to optimize, the implementation of more detailed garbage classification management, according to different materials and recycling difficulties to carry out differentiated charges.
This will increase the willingness of the environmental protection industry to handle high-difficulty waste, while increasing the residents ’ enthusiasm for sorting and waste reduction.
Critics may think that the institutional construction of these areas requires a long period of time and a large amount of resources to invest, and may not be able to be directly replicated in the real environment of Hong Kong.
Moreover, the improvement of the relevant system requires no small investment of resources.
Perhaps this is precisely the original intention of the SAR Government to levy a "short and fast" garbage levy.
However, it is already clear that the "short and fast" has only attracted doubts, and even if it is forced to push forward, it will also be at the expense of the government's recognition.
Moreover, the "black sheep" can not be effectively eradicated in a timely manner, which will inevitably make the garbage collection system become "half suspended". Only a few able and willing citizens are willing to do so (such as cooperating with "green in the area", and working hard even in the hot sun at the recycling point to deliver their own recyclable plastic waste to the recycling point of respectable citizens). Go your own way, the system cost has been paid a lot, and the problem to be solved by the garbage levy is still the same.
No matter what kind of solution is adopted, the government will need some time to refine the design of the refuse collection system and promote it more vigorously.
The implementation of the principle of garbage collection in the European Union, Japan and Korea, and Taiwan is not completed in three or two months.
Garbage collection needs the long-term cooperation of residents, change the long-term behavior habits can be completed in a few months?
How can this be called good governance and good governance? If you cook for the government, you can't be anxious and work hard for the government for a long time, you can only make a well-intentioned system truly have the positive meaning it should have.
The author is a researcher at the Bauhinia Institute for Policy Studies.
The article is only the opinion of the author and does not represent the position of Hong Kong 01.
Please email us at 01view @ hk01.com.
Please attach the author ’ s real name and contact details.
If not applicable, no notice will be given.

Taiwan’s Resource Recovery 4‑in‑1 Program engages government, manufacturers, and consumers, backed by a waste levy.

Title:

Content: Waste management in Hong Kong starts early and matures late. How can we catch up with Taiwan, Shanghai, Korea and the tail lights of the starry cars?
Author: 01 Weekly Report
Published: Updated:
Hong Kong's environmental protection policy has not made great progress. For many years, it seems that it has remained at the stage of "blue waste paper, yellow aluminum cans, coffee plastic bottles", and there is no plastic reduction policy.
Last year, the mainland stopped the import of waste paper, and Hong Kong recyclers also stopped collecting waste paper.
When the Government is faced with Members' questions on plastic reduction and countless initiatives by environmental groups, it is always in a state of "discussion" with the retail and restaurant industries, "under consideration", lest it harm the economic interests of the industry, and would rather harm the environmental benefits than see any actual action taken.
On July 1, 2019, the Shanghai Municipal Domestic Waste Management Ordinance was officially implemented.
At Haihong Bridge Station on the railway line, volunteers are promoting a little knowledge of garbage classification. (Visual China)
On the other hand, after years of vigorous promotion, waste management is well organized and highly efficient: South Korea ’ s waste management system is at the forefront of Asia, with Seoul being the most effective.
The local municipal authorities have the responsibility to collect, recycle and dispose of domestic and commercial solid waste. Waste management in Taiwan once lagged behind Hong Kong, but due to the early introduction of the waste levy policy by the Taiwan government, and then formulated a complex and effective waste management system, the situation in Singapore is gradually reversed. Shanghai launched the “Shanghai Municipal Domestic Waste Management Ordinance ” in 2019. The complicated measures have caused complaints from the public. Over time, the results can be said to be immediate after the people have familiarized themselves with the regulations.
Looking at the situation in these four Asian regions, it is not difficult to imagine why there is no systematic waste management in Hong Kong today, when we look back at Hong Kong's garbage collection practices, which rely entirely on the people's consciousness to separate and unsupervised waste.
For more details, please read the 285th issue of Hong Kong 01 (4 October 2021), “What should Hong Kong look for in Taiwan, Shanghai, Korea and Star? ”.
Click here to try our weekly newsletter for more in-depth coverage.
285 issues of Hong Kong 01 e-newsletter Other exclusive highlights:
Pull gate limit or energy consumption double control? China North and South electricity shortage is the same and different
The Expectations of Lam Cheng's Final Policy Address: Regaining the Dominant Power of Development and Restructuring the Land Economy
"Left glue" opens up the land, imagines that the government is lagging behind the people.
Has the central bank 'pacified' the property market twice in a week?
Sixteen Years of Progress: The Delayed Garbage Levy Ordinance
After Meng Wanzhou's return to the motherland, the public opinion has been heated to examine Sino-US relations.
Lau Kwok-hoon: Regaining the "True Hong Kong Speed" and developing a new centre in New Territories North
Is the time for UK to relax regulation of gene editing agriculture coming?
An Interview with Chu Hsing-hsiang and Hu Kuo-hsien
Leave a comment...

Taipei’s “garbage does not land” approach and levy raised recycling from 24% to 61%.

Title:

Content: Point of view
Wong Woon-chung
Wong Woon-chung: Reflections on Hong Kong Garbage Levy
The waste levy is an economic measure of waste management that is effective all over the world.
In fact, the waste levy is not a new issue in Hong Kong. As early as the 2005 Policy Commitments on the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (2005-2014), the Government has proposed legislation to implement waste charging in 2007.
After more than 10 years of repeated research and consultation, the Municipal Solid Waste Charges (Waste Levy) Bill was passed in the Third Reading of the Legislative Council on 26 August 2021 and is scheduled to be implemented by the end of 2023.
Levy scheme is not equivalent to designated garbage bags
Garbage Levy In the media, the focus of public attention is on the price and quality of garbage bags, and how to use designated garbage bags.
Some waste larger than the designated garbage bag, such as the ground mop, has become the protagonist of the discussion from the supporting role, causing public concern.
In fact, more than 90% of the garbage in each household can be placed in the designated garbage bag, and the ground mop only accounts for a small part of the garbage.
Therefore, in the first stage, the Government should concentrate on educating the public about the meaning behind the refuse levy.
The waste levy is an economic incentive to encourage the public to reduce the generation of unnecessary waste from the source, and to recycle recyclables including kitchen waste as far as possible. In fact, the amount of waste left to be discarded should be much less than before the levy, so that the waste levy can be reduced and the waste can be reduced.
There is no one-step measure.
As policy implementers, we all hope that the measures proposed can be watertight.
However, there are many types of household waste, and there are always exceptions.
In fact, the waste classification policies of all countries and regions are constantly revised and improved with the actual implementation.
For example, Taiwan's implementation of the "garbage does not land" policy, requiring residents to regularly dump garbage on garbage trucks; but in the implementation process, according to the size and conditions of the city, counties and villages to adopt different programs and implementation time, after more than 20 years to make the public to litter to reach a consensus and habit.
The local government has stimulated the public to actively cooperate by setting up "gold collection points" and sending garbage bag vouchers, and promoting the collection of garbage charges with bags in combination with laws and regulations.
Therefore, when implementing the garbage levy, you cannot expect a solution and achieve the ideal goal.
The government needs to clarify the difficulties and pain points in the implementation of Hong Kong's policies, to support the first step, to speed up the improvement of relevant supporting facilities, expand the recycling network, and then improve law enforcement, and establish classification laws or regulations to urge and regulate law enforcement.
From the law enforcement point of view, in the early implementation of measures, should be lenient and exhorting methods.
Take Taipei City as an example, on the first day of implementation, the utilization rate of dedicated garbage bags has reached 97%.
Therefore, the Government of Hong Kong should have confidence in the public and wait for the public to adapt for a period of time before taking stringent enforcement action.
Garbage collection is mandatory.
Based on monitoring data from the 1980s to 2017, Hong Kong ’ s air, seawater, river water, noise and waste environment have continued to improve over the past 30 years, according to the “Environmental Protection and Ecological Conservation ” volume of Hong Kong Journal of Nature.
Since the implementation of the waste levy in Taipei, the recycling rate of resources has continued to increase from 24% before the implementation of the waste levy to 61%.
So, garbage levy as an effective way, such as arrows at the string, is bound to do.
There are still several months from August 1, the government should grasp the time, rationalize the recycling supporting facilities, and do a good job of demonstration publicity and education to the public to encourage waste reduction and resource recovery at source.
The author gave eight words to the responsible officials. The first four words are “simple and clear ” waste recovery guidelines.
In fact, the public only need to put large categories such as plastic, metal, paper and kitchen waste into their respective recycling bins. After different types of plastic are basically recycled, recyclers can use advanced screening systems to re-classify them, so that the public will be happy to sort them at source and reduce waste.
The other four words are the measures of "actual landing". I hope that the responsible officials and the EPD's outreach team will really observe the actual situation and understand the difficulties and doubts of the residents, and then work out a more feasible plan.
The Government, as an advocate of the waste levy scheme, is duty-bound, but stakeholders such as the public, property management and the business sector must also work together to take their own responsibility. The levy is a “deliberate ” action – the Government is committed to helping the public solve the problem, and stakeholders are committed to working together to improve the implementation of the levy.
The author is Professor Emeritus, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, and one of the authors of "Hong Kong Journal of Nature"
(Criticism of current affairs articles published by this website is aimed at pointing out errors or deficiencies in relevant systems, policies or measures, with the aim of correcting or eliminating such errors or deficiencies, and improving them through lawful means, with no intention of inciting hatred, dissatisfaction or hostility towards the Government or other communities)
[Wong Woon-chung]
Previous / Next News

Singapore achieved a 51.7% solid waste recycling rate in 2020 via a centralized system.

Russia aims to sort 100% of waste and halve landfilling by 2030 and disseminates best‑practice guidance, including a national album on separate MSW accumulation.

Title:

Content: Posted Today, 13: 34
Published Today, 13: 34
Modified Today, 13: 34
Updated Today, 13: 34
REO released an album of the best practices of separate accumulation of MSW
11 January 2024, 13: 34
Photo: 1MI
The Russian environmental operator presented an album with the most effective practices of separate waste collection, including municipal solid waste (MSW).
This album will help the regions improve their waste management systems.
The head of the Russian environmental operator Denis Butsaev noted that the promotion of separate waste collection is an important factor for the development of the industry of handling MSW and the formation of a closed cycle economy, according to 56orb.ru.
It is with the separate collection of waste that the entire technological chain begins to be built.
However, it is necessary to ensure the convenience and accessibility of separate collection for the population.
It is for this purpose that the Russian environmental operator has developed an album, which is dedicated to fractional separate collection as a further vector of development of the closed cycle economy.
The album contains the experience of various organizations, which will help many to understand how to build a comprehensive waste management system.
Butsaev also noted that the creation of the album was due to requests from the regions.
The album presents information about Russian manufacturers of equipment for separate collection of waste, including special containers and grids, modules, smart reception points, fandomats, boxes and urns.
In addition, the album reflects the practices of separate collection of other types of waste, in addition to MSW, which are accumulated by citizens.
The Director General of the Russian environmental operator noted that dual separate collection of waste - the separation of garbage into two streams - is the first good step to solving the problem of waste, which is already successfully practiced in 61 regions of the Russian Federation.
However, a significant part of the waste of the population can not be processed with the use of dual collection.
For example, textile waste and waste paper are no longer recyclable after pollution, and cullet is lost during sorting and sent to landfills.
Therefore, the main focus of the album is on the experience of fractional separate waste collection.
The album contains a selection of the most effective practices of 18 regional operators and presents various forms of separate collection of secondary resources: stationary containers, modules at container sites, eco-points and regular promotions.
Also, the album describes information and educational activities, there is data on the collection of secondary resources to assess the effectiveness of various approaches.

Reforms add Extended Producer Responsibility, unified reporting, new licensing, minimum recycled content, and green public procurement, with federal support for investment certainty.

Title:

Content: 27 April 2023, 14: 04
REO took part in the Days of Ecology in the Nizhny Novgorod region and the meeting of the State Council Commission
Read 360tv in
From 24 to 26 April at the Nizhny Novgorod Fair were held the Days of Ecology of the Nizhny Novgorod region.
The series of events is organized in preparation for the X Nevsky International Environmental Congress, which will be held in May 2023 in St. Petersburg.
The main topics of discussion were the improvement of the waste management system and the involvement of secondary resources in economic turnover in order to transition to a circular economy.
“One of the 42 strategic initiatives of the Russian Government is called ‘ Circular Economy ’.
This is a massive, cross-cutting task.
It is designed to solve fundamental problems in the field of waste management.
Today, the principles of the circular economy occupy a leading place in the global agenda.
With this economic model, the maximum amount of waste should be converted into recyclable materials – recycled and reused.
This is one of the main measures to reduce waste generation and the growth of landfills in the country, ” said Igor Zabralov, Director for Sustainable Development of the Russian Environmental Operator, at the session “Secondary Material Resources as a Source of Resource Saving and Transition to a Circular Economy ”.
Advertisement
Igor Zabralov also spoke at the meeting of the State Council Commission on Ecology with a report on the development of the secondary resources market and increasing the investment attractiveness of the waste disposal industry.
“In the field of treatment of MSW, investors are actively involved in projects, as they have a guarantee of return on investment through the tariff.
There is no recycling tariff.
This guarantee worldwide is the mechanism of extended producer responsibility (EPR).
Due to this mechanism, an increase in the share of waste disposal and the appearance of secondary raw materials should be achieved.
The current ROP model does not guarantee return.
A key role in increasing investment attractiveness is played by a bill aimed at reforming the existing mechanism of the ROP, which was submitted to the State Duma of the Russian Federation on April 25.
In addition, it is important to ensure the reliability of sales of products produced as a result of recycling.
In this direction, we are actively working through the stimulation of public procurement of goods made from recycled materials.
Last year, they adopted a revolutionary decree of the Government of the Russian Federation with a list of such goods, now we are working to expand this list, ” commented Igor Zabralov.
Advertisement
Advertisement

The UAE’s Zero Waste initiative targets a 43% cut in waste‑sector emissions by 2030.

Title:

Content: UAE launches ‘ Zero Waste ’ initiative
T + T - normal size
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and Tadweer announced the official launch of the “Zero Waste ” initiative at COP28, in a historic step aimed at unifying and strengthening the efforts of the countries of the world in the field of carbon removal from the waste sector and establishing a platform for the circular economy, reflecting the UAE ’ s commitment to achieving sustainability targets.
The announcement of this initiative during COP28 reflects the UAE ’ s keenness to enhance international cooperation and find innovative solutions to reduce the phenomenon of climate change, as Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Al Muhairi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, took the podium at the COP to announce the official launch of the initiative and assume her presidency to push forward its ambitious goals.
PARTNERS
Her Excellency said: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment was honored to work with Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer) to launch this initiative.
Today at COP28, we are reaching out to all partners to collaborate and operationalize scalable solutions to decarbonize the waste management value chain.
This is directly linked to one of the key implementation pillars of COP 28 – putting lives and livelihoods at the heart of the climate process.
The voluntary initiative, the first of its kind in the world, seeks to reduce the sector ’ s emissions in line with the Paris Agreement and circular economy trends.
In doing so, we aim to discuss all possible solutions, from reducing waste, to developing waste-to-energy infrastructure, to moving towards a circular economy.
An important step.
Ali Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and CEO of Tadweer, said: “This collaboration is an important step in our efforts to address the challenges of climate change, as the Zero Waste initiative is a platform for dialogue and raising awareness of the importance of finding solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector.
In partnership with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Ronald Berger, we look forward to bringing about positive change and contributing to a more prosperous and sustainable future for all.
Hani Tohme, Managing Partner at Ronald Burger Middle East, said: “This initiative is a milestone in our commitment to finding sustainable solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of the waste management sector. We aim to turn the global waste crisis into an opportunity for growth, innovation and resilience, especially in light of COP28, which is a platform to highlight the importance of innovative solutions.
We look forward to contributing to a greener and more sustainable world in cooperation with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Tadweer.
Discussion Sessions
Under the auspices of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Tadweer, the initiative will host panel discussions, workshops and awareness programs for various partners from all over the world to highlight the goals of the circular economy, sustainable resource management and the latest innovations in waste management and carbon reduction.
The initiative focuses on the challenges faced by the waste management sector, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and climate change, and will promote solutions to decarbonize globally by attracting investments in infrastructure projects, creating jobs, reducing dependence on natural resources, and strengthening regulatory frameworks.
This collaboration aims to highlight the waste management sector as one of the most important sectors that play a key role in reducing climate change in the world, as the initiative aims to call on the entire waste management system to raise its expectations and work to achieve positive and tangible results that contribute to achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, reducing climate change and contributing to a sustainable future.
Email

Dubai processes 1.9 million tonnes of waste annually into renewable energy.

Title:

Content: With the surging environmental challenges due to several activities and its impact on the climate and the ecosystem, society’s responsibility to adopt more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices has grown.

Amid these concerns, unsystematic waste disposal has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental issues due to the negative effects it may have, if not addressed properly.

With the developments in the industrial and economic sectors, the global percentage of waste disposal has also increased, following the changes in the production and consumption patterns of humans.

Challenges faced by cities globally

The implementation of a proper waste disposal system has become a major concern for many cities across the globe as it is related to the way individuals are managing it, and it requires finding innovative solutions and technologies.

In addition to that, the effects of the daily activities and lifestyle patterns points fingers at all residents. It should be noted that mostly low-income countries are facing this challenge.

Dangerous traditional ways

Many cities around the world use an open waste burning and landfilling method that has negatively impacted the soil and groundwater resources.

It has also contributed greatly towards air pollution, emission of harmful substances and irritating odour and the possibilities of soil slipping. Therefore, it has become necessary to develop more practical, less harmful, and cost-effective methods for waste disposal.

Innovative solutions

As part of its efforts to deal with the environmental challenges from the initial stages onwards, the UAE has sought to adopt sustainable technologies and methods that support the goal of shifting to more effective and less harmful methods.

In line with this goal, the country initiated the “UAE Energy Strategy,” which focuses on attracting investments to attain renewable energy sources while ensuring a balance between economic and environmental requirements.

The “Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050” was launched with an aim to produce 75 per cent of Dubai’s energy needs from clean sources by 2050 and reduce the proportion of solid waste and achieve the ‘UAE Net Zero by 2050’ target.

The UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative is a national drive to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, making the UAE the first Middle East and North Africa (MENA) nation to do so.

Dubai has launched several environmentally friendly projects that support sustainability goals. Dubai Municipality, by joining hands with the private sector companies, has commenced the “Dubai Waste Management Center” project at the Warsan Village, which is regarded as the most efficient and distinctive one.

The project supports Dubai’s integrated waste management strategy, which will help to get rid of landfills and to generate clean energy from it.

In addition, the project will contribute to the establishment of a sustainable and environmentally friendly system in the waste management sector and to showcase Dubai as the most sustainable city in the world.

Pioneering technologies and societal goals

The ambitious project will become operational in the first quarter of 2023, and it is estimated to handle about 1.9 million tonnes of waste per year, which means nearly 5,666 tonnes of solid waste can be managed per day.

The centre will convert the waste into renewable energy, and it can provide up to 200 megawatts per hour to the local energy grid, which will help the emirate to reach the ‘zero waste to landfill’ goal.

Dawoud Al Hajri is the Director General of Dubai Municipality

Shanghai’s 2019 ordinance accelerated waste‑sorting compliance and is a model for urban implementation.

Waste Law No. 201 of 2020 created a modern framework, integrated informal workers, and spurred infrastructure upgrades.

Title:

Content: Egypt News
Solid waste system The most difficult journey in the file of the environment began 2019..
Details
Thank you for reading the news about the solid waste system The most difficult journey in the file of the environment began 2019..
Details and now with the details of the news.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, stressed that the most difficult journey in the environment file was with the solid waste file, which began in 2019, and without the support and personal follow-up of the President of the Republic President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for this file from the beginning, we would not have achieved this breakthrough.
Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad said in private statements that the waste file faced many challenges, including funding, infrastructure, culture of society, technologies, diversity and difference of the system between the governorates, where there was a decision by the Egyptian state to start the municipal solid waste system with Egyptian funding, at a time when we were suffering from a lack of infrastructure of health landfills, intermediate stations and recycling plants. The private sector and the informal sector in the system.
Dr. Fouad added that since 2019, many developments and achievements have been achieved in this file, as the issuance of the Waste Law No. 201 of 2020, helped to achieve many successes, and with the support of the political leadership and the Egyptian hands, many infrastructure projects have been completed, facilitate the integration of the informal sector in the system, provide health and social insurance for them, and identify job titles on national cards.
The Minister of Environment pointed out that the implementation of the waste system in a country like Germany took nearly 20 years, and despite the many difficulties and challenges faced by the country in this regard, we succeeded in record time to lament the rules and a national strategy that turned the waste file from a challenge to an opportunity.
The Minister of Environment pointed to the bodies that participate in the waste management system, starting from the political leadership, the follow-up of the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Local Development, which is a key partner in the system, to reach the human resource, which is the most important role, stressing that working to change the culture of citizens towards dealing with waste, and instilling awareness in young people, through the most civil associations in the governorates.
You can follow the news of Egypt and the world from our website
Advertisements

Hong Kong’s waste charging scheme applies polluter‑pays using designated bags and smart food waste bins.

Title:

Content: Social commentary
Social commentary: Improve kitchen waste recycling package to reduce waste levy resistance
In August, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said that 70% of public housing estates in Hong Kong have installed 530 smart kitchen waste recycling bins. It is expected that full coverage will be achieved in August this year. The waste levy is an important opportunity to promote the development of food waste recycling and related green industries in Hong Kong. At the same time, the authorities must adhere to the levy and strengthen the promotion and education, improve the recycling package, and significantly improve the recycling rate of food waste. And...
Intelligent bucket full of trouble
Food Waste Recycling in Housing Estates
Food waste has always been one of the major sources of solid municipal waste in Hong Kong.
According to the Hong Kong Solid Waste Monitoring Report 2005, about 9,377 tonnes of solid waste were sent to landfills every day in Hong Kong, of which 3,154 tonnes were food waste.
In order to cope with the problem of food waste, the authorities adopted a "double track" strategy, promoting food waste while promoting food waste recycling. The image of "big waste" has reached the hearts of the people, which is one of the most successful publicity campaigns in the past 10 years. However, the amount of food waste in Hong Kong, like waste plastic and waste paper, is still increasing overall. Although incineration technology does not produce harmful substances such as dioxins, it will always emit greenhouse gases, and enhanced recycling is still the only way to reduce food waste, and waste levies can play a role in promoting it.
To tie in with the waste levy, EPD has stepped up efforts in recent months to expand the collection network of food waste, including support for industrial, commercial and domestic food waste collection.
The EPD said yesterday that there are now about 900 food waste collection points distributed throughout the territory, with a daily collection capacity of about 210 tonnes, an increase of 40% over the same period last year. The department is working with the Housing Department and the Housing Society to extend the food waste collection service to all public housing estates.
About 530 smart kitchen waste recycling bins have been installed in 70% (about 150) of public housing estates in Hong Kong. The authorities aim to install more than 700 smart kitchen waste recycling bins in 213 public housing estates in Hong Kong by August this year, covering about one-third of the population in Hong Kong.
The Department said that it will arrange for every 2 to 3 buildings (that is, 500 to 900 households) to share a recycling bucket to ensure that each bucket is fully used. However, the analysis of this newspaper found that the amount of recycling bucket and the proportion of households in each estate vary.
Take Lin Chui Estate in Chai Wan, which participated in the "first try" of the waste levy, for example, because there is only one building, about 300 households share a smart recycling bucket, the situation is of course more ideal, but there are many large housing estates, an average of 900 households only have a recycling bucket, Yau Lai Estate, Yau Oi Est, etc. It is closer to 1300 households share a bucket, whether it is sufficient or not.
Recently, photos have been circulating on the Internet, showing that there are kitchen waste recycling bins full in Yau Lai Estate, and there are more than 10 bags of kitchen waste stacked next to them, and some people have complained about the failure of intelligent recycling bins; a reporter of this newspaper recently visited three housing estates and found a similar situation.
According to the EPD, the nominal capacity of each smart kitchen waste recycling bin is 120 liters, but after being converted to weight, it is only about 50 kg. If the average kitchen waste generated by a family of 3 people per day is calculated, that is, each kitchen waste bin can receive more than 50 households at the same time.
Of course, the actual recycling situation is not a simple mathematical problem, it depends on the utilization rate, but also on the time period, and the frequency of cleaning.
If the recycling bin is only used by a small number of people, of course, there will be no problem with bursting, but this is obviously not what the authorities want.
In addition, residents sometimes work, the chance of the kitchen waste recycling bins filling at night must be higher, and multi-person operation must be prone to failure, and the possibility of speeding up the filling of other recycling bins in the estate, does not rule out that some residents do not want to "look for" to find the incomplete recycling bins, and simply put the kitchen waste on the side of the bucket.
The EPD pointed out that when each smart kitchen waste bucket reaches 70% full, the system will automatically notify the cleaning staff to replace the inner bucket. The department has also set up a forecasting system. When the kitchen waste recycling bucket cannot function properly for more than an hour due to the full bucket or failure, the system will automatically send information to the estate offices and cleaning contractors to “follow up immediately ”. However, it can be imagined that it is too late to" immediately follow up "if a bad situation occurs during the golden hour of food waste disposal. The authorities claim that big data shows that in general, more than 99% of smart kitchen waste recycling bins are operating normally, but if the bad situation is often concentrated in the golden hour, the impact can be significant.
In theory, it is true that there is no limit to the number of times cleaners empty the kitchen waste in the recycling bin, but in fact, many estate cleaning contractors are short of manpower. Even if they receive instructions from the recycling bin that is nearly full or a bad machine, it is questionable whether they can handle it quickly.
Get rid of "officialdom" thinking
Think more from the user ’ s point of view.
The government has promoted garbage levy for nearly 20 years, and it has failed to implement it, one of the main reasons is that the interests of the ego override the interests of the big one, and any measures that increase operating costs and weaken profits will inevitably attract opposition even if it is in the long-term interests of the society.
It is for this reason that the authorities should step up the implementation of supporting measures and properly handle the implementation of the details, so as not to allow some people to "drag the garbage levy to death" under the pretext of "disturbing the public" or "not supporting the measures".
The Government ’ s allocation of smart kitchen waste recycling bins to all housing estates in Hong Kong is a matter of affirmation. The problem is that the authorities have not divorced from the “officialdom ” mentality and have not considered the actual problems that may arise from the perspective of users.
It is necessary for the authorities to increase the number of smart recycling bins in some housing estates with high population density to reserve more “storage space ”. At the same time, additional resources should be allocated to support the hiring of more staff in housing estates to handle kitchen waste recycling.
There are still a small number of private housing estates with smart kitchen waste recycling bins. If the problem of kitchen waste recycling in the estate is rampant, private building corporations and property management companies may have more concerns, which will make it difficult to increase the recycling rate of kitchen waste.
It is necessary for the government to quickly step up efforts to resolve the problem of food waste recycling in housing estates.
■ Welcome to editorial @ mingpao.com
Previous / Next News