CUHK
News Centre

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has been promoting waste reduction and recycling for many years.  The results are encouraging.  The amount of waste per headcount in the campus has been reducing over the past few years.  It has dropped 16.7%, whilst the amount of recycled waste has increased 7% in 2014/15 when compared to 2013/14.  In order to further reduce waste and increase waste recycling, CUHK has introduced new methods to implement and promote its waste management initiatives, such as the introduction of PET plastic bottles recycle bins and the use of RFID electronic tags to conduct waste audit.

PET plastic bottle recycling campaign

CUHK and Friends of the Earth (Hong Kong) jointly launched a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottle recycling campaign in September.  This is the first time a campaign like this has been launched in a campus.  The campaign aims to make the public aware that bottles made from PET have a no 1 code found on the bottom of the container.  The working procedures for handling recycled waste can be streamlined if PET plastic bottles are sorted out from other types of plastic bottles before being sent to the recycling waste companies.    

As of now, CUHK has placed around 40 PET recycle bins around the campus.  CUHK is also promoting the PET plastic bottle recycling campaign via posters, exhibitions, games and other activities. 

Jor Fan, Environmental Sustainability Manager at CUHK, said, “The three-colored recycle bins have been promoted in Hong Kong for many years.  A considerable amount of manpower is required for sorting out the plastic wastes into 7 types, thereby increasing the operating costs.  PET plastic bottles are the major type of plastic waste in the Campus.  The introduction of the PET plastic bottle recycling campaign can help reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of handling recycled plastic bottles.”

RFID electronic tag for waste audit

CUHK’s waste audit plan, which will commence in the fourth quarter of 2015, will be implemented in 3 stages.  Departments and Faculties of CUHK will be invited to join the plan.  Under the plan, CUHK and its vendor SSID will put radio frequency identification (RFID) electronic tags on rubbish bins and recycle bins, to trace and record the amount of rubbish.

The weight of the wastes can be measured and uploaded to a central system for record and analysis.  CUHK will improve its waste reduction and recycling strategy according to the data obtained.  The usage of the RFID electronic tag and a scanning device can reduce the amount of paper required to record the data and minimize human errors.

CUHK will continue to promote waste reduction and recycling by innovative ideas.  CUHK will also join hands with staff, students, green organisations and vendors to enhance its work in waste reduction and recycling.