The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (November 20) announced that following an open tendering exercise, a 48-month service contract to set up and operate the yard waste recycling centre, Y‧PARK, has been awarded to Ming Hing-AEL Joint Venture.

     A spokesman for the EPD said, "Y‧PARK will offer an opportunity for the sustainable use of local yard waste. In the past few years, an average of about 170 tonnes of yard waste has been generated in Hong Kong every day. Of this amount, around 100 tonnes have been generated and collected by government departments, mainly from public works and daily vegetation maintenance duties. The Government is leading the way in promoting the recycling of yard waste and converting it into useful materials to help reduce filling the limited space of landfills, which can reduce not only waste disposal but also carbon emissions."

     Located at Tsang Tsui in Tuen Mun, Y‧PARK is expected to commence operation in the second quarter of 2021. It will initially receive and handle yard waste arising mainly from government departments and progressively expand its services to the private sector. Y‧PARK's scope of services will include screening, sorting and processing of yard waste collected to produce different useful materials, such as compost and mulch for gardening and planting, a bulking agent for composting, and substrate for mushroom cultivation. Large tree trunks and branches will be processed to produce wood boards or beams, providing a steady supply of wood materials to support related industries, such as furniture manufacturing, decoration, and wood art, etc.

     In addition, the EPD is developing a pilot plant for biochar, to which Y‧PARK will provide raw materials for future biochar production. Yard waste can be converted into biochar through pyrolysis, which can be used as soil conditioner, material for filtering pollutants, garden soil and animal feed additives. The use of biochar can retain carbon molecules and help reduce carbon emissions. A number of cities around the world are conducting research and development activities on the technology and uses of biochar, with a view to combating climate change.

     Guided tours will be provided at Y‧PARK to brief the public on related information about yard waste recycling, such as the collection and handling of yard waste, recycling processes and usage of recycled products. The contractor will also provide marketing and promotion services to secure local consumption and outlets for the recycled products produced by yard waste.

     The handling capacity of Y‧PARK will be about 11 000 tonnes in the first year, and will gradually increase to an annual average of around 22 000 tonnes.

Ends/Friday, November 20, 2020
Issued at HKT 11:46

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