Dear Fellow Residents,
On 1st April 2024, the Government is introducing a charge for the disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (“MSW”). The charge will be based on the principle of “user pays.” https://www.gov.hk/en/residents/environment/waste/management/mswcharging.htm
It will be expensive!
MSW is any solid waste that is NOT recycled. Accordingly, the MSW charge will not apply to current DB recycling scheme:
waste included in our
Metals
Paper & cardboard ü Glass
Food waste
Electric goods
The mechanics, logistics and details of this new scheme and its effects on Hillgrove Village and the Discovery Bay-wide garbage collecTon and disposal processes have yet to be determined. Importantly, the costs of the programme have not been revealed. But it is safe to say we should anticipate a hefty and growing MSW disposal cost for our village. One way or another we will have to bear these costs. Your VOC will work with City Management as to how best to do so fairly, based on a user-pays principle.
Obviously, we can limit the impact of the new scheme by improving our recycling efforts. Put simply: REDUCE – REUSE – RECYCLE. Each of us must re-examine the MSW we generate each day. PLEASE try to make greater use of the free recycling program we currently have. This will not only save you money in the form of reduced MSW charges, but benefits the environment.
There are recycling bins on the ground floor of all Hillgrove blocks and if necessary, we will provide additional bins and/or arrange for more frequent collections therefrom. We will ask City Management to add a special bin for battery recycling and another for fluorescent tubes.
For your use, here are MSW minimization suggestons:
- Separate your waste — metal, glass, paper, cardboard, food – and dispose of it accordingly.
- Only Food Waste should be put into the food compost/recycling bins. No Plastic Bags! Fruit, vegetable, and salad trimmings), chicken bones, fish bones, and similar items should go into the food recycling bins.
- Electronic goods: TVs, monitors, kettles, toasters, microwaves, chargers, phones, lamps, cables, etc. Save these for the periodic DB plaza recycle days every few months. FREE disposal at the Plaza on designated days is available. REMEMBER domesTc helpers know many friends who will gladly take these items for free, if you’re in a hurry.
- Furniture & large electric goods: Again, ask your helper/friends for free disposal sources. Otherwise call Winson 2987- XXXX
- Contact lenses & lubricants: Split the disposable cases etc., into plastic and foil elements and recycle accordingly
- Wine bottles, glass jars, and other glass bottles (e.g., olive/cooking oil, beer bottles, food bottles): Put the metal screw caps and metal foil in the recycle metals bins, the glass bottles in the glass recycle bins, and plastic lids in the plastic recycle bins.. Please rinse out the bottles and jars.
- Plastc bottles, shampoo bottles, plastic drink bottles, toothpaste and other plastic tubes: Separate and wash out components. Dispose of the plastics in the plastics recycling bins if labelling says recyclable with a triangle surrounding the number 1 or 2 plastic identifier
- Ready made home cook meals: Cardboard casing goes in paper/cardboard recycle bins. PlasTc containers with a triangular recycle numbered logo 1 or 2 in the plastic recycle bins. (Container film cannot be recycled)
- Food tins, beer cans, soft drinks cans: Wash out and put in metal recycle bins
10. Magazines, books, newspapers, and junk mail flyers: Into paper and cardboard waste. (Tear off and delete any personal private data.) Envelopes make great scrap pads – then recycle as paper.
11. Pots and pans: Detach handles if possible – otherwise recycle in the metal recycling bins. Please note that domestic china and glassware is not currently recyclable. It is considered MSW.
The VOC will keep you timely informed of future developments as it is best able. But again, I challenge you to start the process now and a big “thank you” to our current recyclers.
On behalf of several members of the VOC who participated in the editing of this letter
Ed Rainbow -Hillgrove Village Owners Committee Chairman