UK_Waste Management Policy | polstudentexchange

- By Jimmy Yeung (BSSPSA)

Exchange Study to University of Warwick, UK

2013/14, Semester A

What Hong Kong can learn from the British experience?

Both the British and Hong Kong governments adopt the approach of “source reduction, that is, “preventing waste from occurring” in their waste management. While the environmental education in Hong Kong concentrates mainly on the promotion of “reusable shopping bags”, the British government goes a step further; it encourages its citizens to “reduce”, “reuse“ and “recycle” waste.

Waste Management Policy in the UK

To ease the job of the government, the administration can simply put out different kinds of containers to collect the recyclable materials. However, too many containers will create inconvenience and confuse the users.

To gain public support, the arrangement for recycling has to be simple and user-friendly, which is critical for its effective implementation.

Too many containers will create inconvenience and confused the users.

Yet, from a managerial perspective, waste recycling has to be efficient too. Otherwise, it would create a financial burden on the government.

Besides, administrators have to be cautious that the recycling policy is in line with the legal procedural due process and is fair to all citizens.

Indeed, as David Rosenbloom (1983) points out, public administrators are faced with the dilemma of how to strike a balance between managerial efficiency, political responsiveness and legal equity.

Rosenbloom’s three approaches to Public Management

To strike a balance between managerial efficiency and political responsiveness, the British government adopts the following strategies to encourage recycling:

(1) a simple classification of non-recycling and recyclable household waste and the idea of “mixed recycling”

(2) a separate collection of glass for recycling, and

(3) innovative designs and strategic distribution of recycling bins or banks for recycling alternative recyclables, e.g. “music banks”, “office paper recycling point” and “Donation Point” for clothing, dolls, shoes and bags etc.

1. A simple classification of non-recycling and recyclable household waste and the idea of “mixed recycling”

A. Simple Classification of Non-recyclable and Recyclable Household Wastes

Citizens first separate their waste household into recyclables and non-recyclables. Then, they can put a mixture of recyclables (cardboard, plastics, glass and metal) all in one single bin.

B. “Mixed Recycling”

After collection, the mixed recyclables will be transported by vehicles to the recycling facilities.
The recyclables will then be loaded to the conveyors to undergo a series of sorting processes.
A machine called “Trommel” will separate the mixed recyclables by size, and remove all contaminates before the final process is completed.

The UK government pays much attention to glass recycling. Technically, glass, glass bottles and jars can be crushed down and then melted. They can be recycled indefinitely and its original quality will not be sacrificed in the process.

To reduce time and cost, the British Environmental Department designs different recycling bins to recycle bottles in transparent, green and brown colour separately.

2. Separate Collection of Glass for Recycling

3. Strategic Distribution of Recycling Bins and Innovative Design of “Music Banks” and other alternative recyclables

A. Strategic Distribution of Recycling Bins

The location and distribution of recycling facilities on the street or in the university campus are given “tactic consideration”.

In the university residential halls, for example, there are recycling bins in the kitchen to collect recyclables generated by meal cooking.

In addition, small recycling bins for “mixed recycling” are accessible in the corridor of each floor to maximize recycling convenience.

Besides, large recycling bins are placed at the recycling points in each student residence building. Moreover, there are also “donation banks” nearby.

Recycling bins with Clear Identification and User-friendly Designs

Recycling Bins with “water containers” outside the university library – This would facilitate the washing of plastic bottles before throwing them into the bins

Easily Accessible Recycling Bins in public areas

Recyclables located just outside the toilet.

Extra-temporary recycling points are available in memorial parks during weekends or when holding an activity.

Recycle bins located next to the vending machine selling snacks and beverages

B. Innovative Design of “Music Banks” and “Donation Points”

To reduce domestic waste, “donation banks” are placed at appropriate recycling points to collect good quality clothing, dolls, shoes, bags, books, records, DVDs, CDs and videos for the charities.

C. Paper Recycling Bins are accessible in libraries and administrative offices

D. The GreenBox Scheme (GreenBoxDay.co.uk)

A Service to remind citizens to arrange and put out their household waste and recyclables for collection via e-mails and text message

E. Use of Green Bags and Re-use of cardboard to generate Green "Life-long” shopping bags.”

Conclusion: What Hong Kong can learn from the British experience?

To be effective, recycling arrangements have to be user-friendly and acceptable by the public. Learning from the experience of other countries, the following measures which have been successfully implemented in the UK seem to be applicable to Hong Kong as well:

Mixed Recycling
Separate recycling for glass bottles and bars
Innovative designs and more educational programmes to encourage Reduce, Reuse and Recycling.
For effective enforcement, the policy of recycling has to be backed up by statutory laws.