Hong Kong to pulp waste paper locally from October

RTHK - Sep 28, 2026

Hong Kong will pulp all recovered waste paper locally at the EcoPark facility in Tuen Mun rather than relying on exports starting October 1, according to the Environmental Protection Department. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme on Monday, Steve Wong, assistant director of waste management, said the facility, which began operating at the end of July, is central to the city’s circular economy. "In the past, all the waste paper we collected in Hong Kong could only be shipped overseas for processing. Simply put, it was a transport and logistics matter," he said. "But now, we have this modernised paper pulping facility, with an annual capacity to process 720,000 tonnes of waste paper." Wong described the facility as an added-value green industry that turns waste paper into raw material for new paper products such as books and packaging boxes. According to the department, the move will expand accepted waste paper types beyond the traditional “three types of paper” — cardboard, newspapers and office paper — to include mixed paper such as paper bags, packaging boxes and wrapping paper. "Previously, lower-fibre items such as mixed paper, paper bags and packaging boxes could not be recycled, but now they can," he said, adding that long and...

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