Why is it important to recycle large home appliances properly?

Large home appliances might contain hazardous components that are harmful to the environment or human health if not properly treated or disposed of, for example, the refrigerant in air conditioners and refrigerators. They also contain materials such as metals and plastics which should not be wasted.

Ways to reduce home appliances waste

• When you are considering buying a large home appliance, see if you can find a second-hand alternative on platforms like Facebook Marketplace or dedicated FB pages, Carousell, and craigslist HK. You can always find products in good condition at a cheaper price!
• Find out if it’s repairable before throwing it away. Contact the manufacturer or check out the FB page Repair Cafe Hong Kong. HKUST students and faculty can check out REMAKE Repair Parties.
• Make sure you take good care of your appliances. Read the manual carefully when you purchase an item and follow the instructions carefully. 

Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS)

Around 70,000 tonnes of Waste Electrical and Electronic Waste (WEEE) is generated annually in HK. In order to facilitate proper recycling of WEEE, on August 1, 2018, the PRS on WEEE (WPRS) was fully implemented for regulated electrical equipment (REE). REE items include washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, televisions, computers, printers, scanners and monitors. All suppliers of these items must be registered with the EPD, and will pay a recycling levy as well as arrange for the free disposal of the customers used item (if applicable). 

We all know it’s bad to throw away batteries, because

• Batteries contain valuable metals like nickel, iron, and cobalt, which can be used for a variety of materials such as magnet alloy and stainless steel. 
• Batteries might contain chemicals that are toxic to the environment, such as mercury, cadmium, and lead. Inappropriate handling of batteries might lead to the leakage of such chemicals in soil and water, which is harmful to humans, animals and nature.

Why should you choose rechargeable batteries?

• Rechargeable batteries can be recharged up to 500-1000 times, which means that you can save a lot of money buying rechargeable batteries over single-use batteries.
• Rechargeable batteries are recyclable and therefore create less waste than single-use disposable batteries which are not recyclable in Hong Kong. The government says that it isn’t necessary to recycle disposable batteries because there are fewer economic and environmental benefits when compared to recycling rechargeable batteries. This may be true, but disposable batteries should not be disposed of in landfill or incinerated, and should be collected for separate disposal, if not recycling.

Why is it important to recycle printer cartridges?

According to a survey conducted by Greeners Action, there are over 2 million printer cartridges  disposed of every year in Hong Kong, most of which end up in landfill. However, some cartridges and toners are reusable up to three to five times on average. By reusing and recycling printer cartridges appropriately, we will not only save the natural resources used to produce such items but reduce the hazardous effect leaked printer ink has on the surrounding environment.

But first, check if the cartridge is actually used up yet…

Here are a few tips to increase the lifespan of your printer and toner cartridges:

• Shake it –  toner cartridges contains powder that might get clogged up over time. You could unclog and redistribute the powder evenly by removing the cartridge, covering it with a paper towel, and shaking it.
• Low ink warning ≠ no ink – when you get a low ink warning, don’t panic! The cartridge can still last for quite a long time when you get a low ink warning. Replace only when there are signs of ink running low like faded text.
• Double-check the nozzle – sometimes faded text does not indicate that the ink is running low. A clogged printer nozzle is also a possible reason when your document becames faint. Soak the nozzle in warm distilled water, wipe it dry with a cloth, and put it back in the printer. Your printer might work again! (Always read product information first.)

Why is it important to recycle fluorescent lamps?

Fluorescent lamps contain small amounts of mercury, which is hazardous waste for the environment. To avoid the effect of mercury emission on the environment, we need to dispose of mercury-containing light bulbs in a proper manner so the mercury and other useful material can be recycled and reused.

What’s the Fluorescent Lamp Recycling Programme(FLRP)?

The FLRP was launched in 2008 and it is funded by 11 members of the lighting trade, with the support of the EPD. The programme aims at providing households with free collection and treatment for all used mercury-containing lamps. The type of lamps they collect include compact fluorescent lamps, straight tube fluorescent lamps, fluorescent lamps of other shapes and high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps. They recycle such lamps of all conditions, whether they broken or intact. They have collection points all over Hong Kong, in retail shops, housing estates and within the community.

Click here to find out more about the programme.

How to recycle fluorescent lamps?

• For intact lamps: To avoid the lamps from breaking, please place the used lamps in the packaging of the new lamps before depositing them in the collection box. 
• For broken lamps: Do not use regular floor vacuums to collect the fragments. Instead, wear latex gloves and carefully collect the pieces into a plastic bag. Use a damp disposable paper towel to clean up small fragment pieces and mercury drops. Keep the area ventilated to disperse any vapor that might escape and wash your hand carefully afterward. When dropping the broken lamp to the collection point, remember to keep it in a sealed plastic bag and remind the staff of the condition of the lamp.