Hong Kong’s unclassified landfill waste data gaps ‘undermine green efforts’

About 75 per cent of paper waste and 40 per cent of plastic items sent to landfills are unclassified, according to official statistics, with environmentalists warning that such unclear records will undermine Hong Kong’s green efforts.However, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said it was “unnecessary” to change its waste-tracking system, arguing that the government already “has an idea” of what fell under the “others” category and had taken steps to address it.The lack of detail was among several blind spots identified by advocacy group The Green Earth.“Comprehensive and accurate waste data is essential for designing effective waste reduction policies. We hope the government can increase information disclosure to allow the public to take part in the policy discussion,” said Steven Chan Wing-kit, assistant environmental affairs manager of the NGO.“Informing the public about which kinds of waste are being disposed of in large quantities without being recycled could also help the circular economy because it means opportunities for the recycling business.”In its 2023 report, the NGO found that nearly 75 per cent of all paper waste and 40 per cent of all plastic waste were classified as “others”. The share declined only slightly in 2024.