Overview
Objectives
Advisory Committee on Recycling Fund
Secretariat
Background
The Government issued in May 2013 the “Hong Kong Blueprint for Sustainable Use of Resources 2013-2022”, setting out a comprehensive strategy to reduce waste and increase recovery and recycling. Effective and sustainable recycling operations are an essential component in our waste management system. In support of the sustainable development of the recycling industry, the Chief Executive announced in his 2014 Policy Address that $1 billion has been earmarked for setting up a Recycling Fund. With the approval of funding by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council in July, 2015, the Recycling Fund was launched in Oct 2015.
The Government announced in February 2021 the “Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035”. Setting out the vision of “Waste Reduction‧Resources Circulation‧Zero Landfill”, the blueprint outlines the strategies, goals and measures to tackle the challenge of waste management up to 2035, including support for the recycling industry on various fronts. To render continuous support to the trade, particularly the SMEs, in enhancing its operational capabilities and efficiency as well as coping with the latest needs of both the local and non-local markets and achieving reindustrialisation, the Government injected an additional funding of $1 billion to the Recycling Fund in April 2021 and has extended the application period of the Recycling Fund to 2027.
The Recycling Fund comprises two parts, namely the Enterprise Support Programme (ESP) and Industry Support Programme (ISP). The former provides funding support for individual Hong Kong enterprises to upgrade and expand their waste recycling operations in Hong Kong. The latter provides funding support for non-profit distributing organisations (NPOs), such as professional bodies, trade and industry organisations, research institutes and other industrial support organisations registered in Hong Kong to undertake non-profit making projects which can assist the local recycling industry in general or in specific sectors in enhancing their operational standards and productivity.
The Government has engaged the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) to be the Implementation Partner as well as the Secretariat for the Recycling Fund (the Secretariat) to assist in the development, promotion, management, operation and monitoring of the recycling fund activities.