Councillors demand better styrofoam recycling policy

A group of district councillors on Monday called on the environmental authorities to step up recycling of styrofoam at wet markets after they complained that a large number of the non-biodegradable boxes had been sent to landfill sites over the Lunar New Year holidays.

They said undamaged polystyrene boxes would normally be picked up by cross-border truck drivers for reuse at mainland vegetable farms, but since they were on holiday, many of them had been left unattended and were instead sent to a tip.

Roy Tam, a Tsuen Wan district councillor, said the situation at Yeung Uk Road wet market on Lunar New Year’s eve was serious, noting that there wasn’t system for recycling or even collecting the polystyrene boxes.

“A mountain of polystyrene boxes. Even higher than myself,” he said. “The problem was really serious. Because time was really limited that day, there were so many people and rubbish around the wet market on the last day.”

“That’s why the only solution was to clear them all to the landfill because there weren’t enough time for separation and recycling,” said Tam, who’s also a environmental activist.

Tam also criticised the stall owners at wet markets, saying they should do their bid to help recycle the polystyrene boxes.

“The retailers think that if they just throw [the boxes] to the streets, then someone will collect them. And then there will be more boxes and rubbish. The responsibility of the retailers is not fulfilled,” he said.

The district councillors called on the government to set up a collection point at wet markets so that boxes that are in good condition can be reused while those that are damaged can be recycled.

In response, the Environmental Protection Department said it encourages businesses to reduce waste at source and to avoid using polystyrene boxes but containers that are more durable instead.

A spokesman added that the cost effectiveness of recycling styrofoam is low as a large amount of the material recovered and processed will only produce small amounts of plastic raw materials.

He said the department is open to discussing appropriate temporary storage arrangements for individual wet markets with local stakeholders.