Hong Kong (HK)
Hong Kong is one of the world's most dynamic cities — a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China operating under the 'One Country, Two Systems' framework that preserves its common law legal system, independent judiciary, free port status, and separate currency.
Recycling & Waste in Hong Kong
Bin system, bottle deposits, special disposal, and common mistakes.
Hong Kong generates approximately 15,000 tonnes of solid waste per day — one of the highest per capita rates in the world. Only about 30% of waste is recycled. The government has been implementing policies to increase recycling through the 3-colour bin system (blue, yellow, brown), reverse vending machines (RVMs), and the extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for plastic bags (HK$1 levy since 2015). An MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) charging scheme was trialled briefly in 2024 and formally abandoned in September 2025 amid public opposition. Hong Kong has no bottle deposit return system.
The Bin System
Blue Recycling Bin
Blue藍色回收桶 (紙類)
- ✓Newspapers and magazines
- ✓Office paper, writing paper
- ✓Envelopes and cardboard boxes (flattened)
- ✓Books and notebooks
- ✓Paper bags
- ✓Cardboard packaging (flattened to save space)
- ✗Food-contaminated paper (pizza boxes with grease, tissues)
- ✗Wax-coated paper cups
- ✗Paper towels and toilet paper
- ✗Thermal paper (receipts)
- ✗Laminated paper
Yellow Recycling Bin
Yellow黃色回收桶 (金屬、塑膠及玻璃)
- ✓Aluminium cans (rinse clean first)
- ✓Steel/tin cans (rinse clean first)
- ✓Plastic bottles (PET, HDPE — rinse and crush)
- ✓Plastic containers (food-grade plastics — rinse clean)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (rinse clean)
- ✗Plastic bags and film plastic
- ✗Styrofoam/EPS foam packaging
- ✗Plastic straws and cutlery (consult your building's scheme)
- ✗Food-contaminated containers (must be rinsed)
- ✗Ceramic or pyrex glass
- ✗Lightbulbs and fluorescent tubes (separate disposal — see below)
Brown Recycling Bin
Brown啡色回收桶 (廚餘)
- ✓Cooked and uncooked food scraps
- ✓Fruit and vegetable peels
- ✓Leftover rice, noodles, bread
- ✓Meat and fish scraps (without bones in some schemes)
- ✓Coffee grounds and tea leaves
- ✓Egg shells
- ✗Plastic bags (even compostable ones, unless specified)
- ✗Bones (hard bones are not easily composted)
- ✗Packaging and wrappers
- ✗Cooking oil (in large quantities)
Plastic Bag Levy — Bottle Deposit System
Hong Kong does not have a bottle deposit return system. Instead, a plastic shopping bag levy of HK$1 per bag has been in place at most retail outlets since 2015. From April 2023, the levy was extended to cover all retail outlets including wet markets, pharmacies and smaller retailers. The levy is not a refundable deposit — it is a one-way charge to discourage bag consumption.
HK$1 per plastic shopping bag. Bring your own reusable bag to avoid the charge. Reusable bags sold at supermarkets (ParknShop, Wellcome) for HK$3–15.
No bottle deposit return system exists. However, some retailers and community initiatives collect glass bottles specifically: Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) operates bottle banks at selected bus termini. HSBC, CLP, and other corporates occasionally run glass bottle collection drives. Reverse vending machines (RVMs) for plastic bottles are installed at some MTR stations (e.g. South Horizons, Fo Tan) and shopping centres — they are not part of a deposit scheme but accept bottles for material value, crediting your Octopus card with a small amount (HK$0.10–0.20 per bottle).
Special Disposal
WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) collection points operated by EPD at community green stations (Yau Tong, Pak Shek Kok, Tuen Mun, etc.). Some electronics retailers (FORTRESS, Broadway) offer take-back schemes for old appliances when purchasing new ones.
Under the Producer Responsibility Scheme for WEEE, retailers of regulated equipment (TVs, computers, mobile phones, refrigerators, washing machines, printers) are required to collect old equipment when delivering new equipment. Request this service when purchasing.
Collection points at most DIY shops, some Green@ Community recycling points (operated by EPD). Do not put in general waste bins — they contain mercury.
LED bulbs: can be disposed of in general waste when broken or burnt out. Fluorescent tubes/CFL bulbs: must go to designated collection. Check EPD website for nearest collection point.
Green@ Community recycling points, SHKP malls, Citygate Outlets, Cityplaza. Many MTR stations have battery collection boxes. Some Wellcome and ParknShop stores have battery collection bins.
Do not dispose of batteries in general waste — they contain heavy metals. Even single-use AA/AAA batteries should go to collection points.
Return to any registered pharmacy. Hospitals have pharmaceutical waste collection. Do not flush down the toilet or dispose in general waste.
Unused or expired medicines can accumulate at home — return annually to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
Salvation Army collection bins (orange bins) at many housing estates. H&M garment collection in-store. Community second-hand shops (Crossroads Foundation). Oxfam HK second-hand shops.
Re-use and donation is preferable to recycling for clothing. Good quality items can be donated to Crossroads Foundation or sold on Carousell HK.
Yellow grease collection bins at Green@ Community recycling points. Some housing estates have cooking oil collection containers in the bin room. FEHD wet markets have cooking oil collection points.
Collected cooking oil is processed into biofuel. Do not pour cooking oil down the sink — it causes drain blockages and water pollution.
FEHD Special Waste Collection Service — telephone 1823 to arrange collection of large items. Some districts have scheduled bulky waste collection days at specific locations.
Do not leave large furniture at the bottom of your building entrance — this is illegal fly-tipping. Contact your building management office or FEHD. Green$ vouchers may be available for waste reduction initiatives.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ! Putting food-contaminated containers in the yellow bin without rinsing — contamination ruins the entire recycling load.
- ! Putting plastic bags in the yellow bin — HK's yellow bins accept rigid plastics (bottles, containers) NOT flexible film/bag plastics.
- ! Throwing e-waste in general bins — mobile phones, tablets, batteries require separate disposal.
- ! Ignoring the plastic bag levy and accepting single-use bags — keep a foldable bag in your work bag or backpack.
- ! Not using the brown food waste bins when available in your estate — food waste composting significantly reduces landfill burden.
- ! Assuming glass goes in the yellow bin in all areas — some older estates have a separate purple glass bin or no glass recycling at all. Check with your building management.
Fines & Enforcement
Littering fine: HK$1,500 (on-the-spot fixed penalty). Fly-tipping of large items: up to HK$25,000 fine and prosecution. Misuse of recycling bins (general waste in recycling bins) is not currently an on-the-spot fine offence but waste collectors may refuse to collect contaminated recycling loads.
Practical Tips
- → Check your housing estate's bin room — many estates have additional collection points beyond the standard 3 colours (e.g. separate glass, cooking oil, small electronics).
- → Green@ Community recycling stations are operated by EPD with a wider range of materials accepted — find your nearest at epd.gov.hk.
- → The MSW charging scheme (都市固體廢物收費) was formally abandoned in September 2025. The government now pursues a voluntary recycling approach — participate in estate-level and community recycling to support Hong Kong's 2035 zero-waste landfills goal.
- → Reverse vending machines at selected MTR stations and shopping centres accept plastic bottles and aluminium cans — the small Octopus top-up may encourage use.
- → Reduce first, reuse second, recycle third. Bring a reusable water bottle — HK's tap water is clean and drinkable after filtering. Avoid single-use plastics wherever possible.