GETTING STARTED: How To Set Up Your Recycle Sorting?
tips? Use different bins for each item to make it easier to have items collected and/or drop them off at your local recycling collections. Our favorite bins are the Ikea Sortera Waste Sorting bins. They can be kept outside and stacked to take up less space. FACT: Glass and aluminum can be recycled infinitely, plastics can only be recycled on average 7-9 times - reduce, reduce, reduce.
Recycling separating guidelines (note, these will depend on where you take your recycling):
One step that will never change is that all items need to be clean and dry. This is a MUST to avoid contamination.
Glass: Empty and remove caps/ lids
Drink and food cans: Empty and dry
Paper and cardboard: Remove all sellotape and stickers. Wrapping paper can only be recycled if it has no glitter or decorations stuck to it.
Plastics: There are 7 different types of plastic, and all collections are different. Once you decide where to take your recycling, make sure you separate your plastics according to their guidelines.
Styrofoam: Cut out any parts contaminated with food. Missing Link recycles styrofoam here in Hong Kong and is always on the lookout for volunteers.
Tetrapaks: Cut open, remove plastic lid, wash and dry. Here is a great video to show you how to do this.
Food Waste: Did you know that 30% of all landfill waste is food waste? Many of us in Hong Kong don’t have space for composting so luckily we now have HK Composting. Newly launched, they have different collection points around the city where you can drop off your food waste. If there isn’t one near you reach out to them, they would love to hear from you!
