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The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, visited the Ma On Shan Ling Liang Primary School today (September 21) to have a look at its On-site Meal Portioning Project and various on-campus environmental facilities. He encouraged the school to continue promoting environmental protection through educational programmes so as to create a greener, more eco-friendly school.
Mr Wong first inspected the arrangements for on-site meal distribution and enjoyed a "green" lunch with students. During the lunch, Mr Wong took the opportunity to chat with students and learn about how the school reduces food waste and promotes healthy meals. He was also briefed by student representatives on ways to collect and treat food waste to promote green schools.
The Environment Protection Department launched the On-site Meal Portioning Projects in Schools through the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) in December 2009. Under the scheme, the ECF subsidises school conversion works and the retrofitting of basic facilities to help them implement on-site meal portioning and avoid using disposable tableware. Moreover, food can be served according to the needs of students so as to reduce the generation of food waste, and the freshness of food can also be preserved.
Since the launch of the scheme, the ECF has subsidised 94 schools in carrying out on-site meal portioning, of which 92 schools have completed the conversion works. It is estimated that the use of 62,000 disposable containers can be avoided every day and food waste generation can be reduced by 50 per cent.
Mr Wong said that of some 9,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste disposed of in Hong Kong's landfills everyday, over one third is food waste. Therefore, food waste reduction and its proper treatment is an essential element in implementing waste reduction at source, which in turn reduces the amount of waste disposal at landfills. He pointed out that the Government endeavours to promote food waste avoidance and reduction through various educational and promotional activities and turn unavoidable food waste into compost or other useful resources.
Mr Wong also visited the school's environmental facilities, which include a solar greenhouse, a rain water collection system, a solar weather station and lighting, and campus greening. He was briefed on the facilities by student representatives, who also told him about the school's educational activities, which include greenhouse planting and the environmental protection ambassador scheme.
Mr Wong was interviewed by school reporters at the end of the visit and he gave them some tips on environmental protection and greening. He encouraged the students to put green living into practice and to share the green message with friends and family members.
Ends/Friday, September 21, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:10
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