A Cuisine Paradise Struggling to Tackle its Food Waste

By Shirley Xu Shumin
HKU Journalism and Media Studies Centre

In Hong Kong, the lunch rush transforms the bustling streets into a lively symphony of sights, sounds, and aromas. At a popular canteen in Aberdeen, the kitchen is a whirlwind of activity with chefs chopping, boiling, and steaming, while waiters move through tight spaces to serve diners. But behind the scenes, there’s unnoticed chaos. Overwhelmed staff, under the pressure of quick table turnovers, indiscriminately toss leftover chicken bones, half-eaten bowls of noodles, and tissues into black garbage bags. These bags, swollen with a mix of food waste and other refuse, are hurriedly dragged to the smelly back alley, to be tossed out as garbage. The energy of the rush masks a critical problem Hong Kong is faced with: valuable organic material – food waste – is lost to landfills, an unsustainable practice that the city is striving to change.

“We don’t have time to separate waste, especially during rush hour,” a waiter said, scanning the crowded dining area bustling with customers. “And I don’t even know where the nearest food waste bin is.”

In many restaurants across Hong Kong, food waste is often discarded without a second thought, presenting a disconnect between common practice and governmental ambition. Food waste accounts for 30% of the municipal solid waste that fills the city’s landfills, and the government is determined to do something about this problem. 

In an effort to tackle this issue, Hong Kong’s government introduced a waste charging scheme, initially set to start in April but postponed to August. However, on May 27, officials announced another indefinite postponement, acknowledging that the recycling facilities are inadequate and that more public education is needed. As part of the scheme, all wastes disposed of by residents and businesses  must be placed in designated garbage bags purchased based on the waste quantity. This scheme aims not only to reduce overall waste by charging people to discard it, but specifically to target the reduction of food waste.

But experts in the restaurant industry say many businesses are not ready. Firstly, they lack awareness about the scheme and understanding of the need to reduce kitchen waste. They and restaurant owners say they will face challenges including a shortage of manpower and a scarcity of space within restaurants to properly sort food scraps from other garbage. They also lack the money to hire additional staff to take food waste to recycling centers, and they complain about inconveniently located recycling bins. These ongoing challenges highlight a critical gap between governmental intentions and the current capabilities and practices within the restaurant industry.

“The catering industry is not ready yet because the scheme is complex, affecting many stakeholders,” said Simon Wong Da-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades (HKFORT)​​. 

Alarming statistics

According to data from the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), in 2022, approximately 3,300 tons of food waste were sent to landfills daily, with around 70% originating from households and the remaining 30% from commercial and industrial sources, such as restaurants, food manufacturers and supermarkets. To mitigate this issue at its source, the government has placed food waste collection bins in residential neighborhoods  to facilitate easier disposal and to encourage recycling efforts. For commercial and industrial premises, a variety of recycling schemes have been implemented to further address this waste management challenge.

However, there are complaints that there aren’t enough food waste collection bins in Hong Kong and it’s inconvenient for residents and restaurant staff to have to take their food waste for several street blocks to the nearest collection point in their neighborhood, if there even is one.

If recycled, food waste can be turned into biogas for electricity generation​​ and fertilizer for landscaping and agriculture.

Challenge: Insufficient manpower and financial constraints in post-COVID recovery

But many restaurant owners said they don’t have enough staff to sort out food waste for recycling and lack the budget to hire more workers for that task. 

Shou Kee seafood restaurant, which contains tanks of fish, shrimp, and other seafood near the entrance, generates a significant amount of shell waste, especially during the weekends. Andy Lam, the owner, is prepared to allocate more staff to waste sorting if necessary, but complains about the additional cost of hiring someone to do so. 

 “We might opt to buy extra waste bags rather than hire additional staff for sorting,” he explained. “Although purchasing designated bags will increase our operating costs, we have no other choice.”

Lam heard some restaurants in town have started adding environmental fees to bills to offset the costs of the new scheme. 

“We dare not arbitrarily raise prices in this challenging economic environment,” he said.

Anson Lai, the owner of Little Sweet Girl, said: “I think the policy is a bit harsh,” he said.

Located in the Tin Wan area of Hong Kong Island, Little Sweet Girl is a bustling restaurant, attracting around 100 customers for lunch. Lai must work as a cashier and also help serve customers during peak hours. 

“We don’t have the time and manpower to sort food waste out of the garbage,” he said. 

He explained that most people have only an hour for lunch, emphasizing the importance of quick table turnover.

Lai said that restaurants have been set in their ways for many years and cannot change all their habits immediately because of the new scheme. 

“It would be better if we had some time or middle ground to try to sort things out,” he added.

Like other restaurateurs, he would rather just pay the cost of the garbage bags instead of recycling food waste.

 “We don’t have a budget to hire additional staff for sorting, so purchasing more bags seems to be the only viable option,” Lai said.

The timing of the launch of the policy is also a problem, according to industry experts, as it comes just a year and a half after Hong Kong lifted Covid quarantine requirements, reopened its borders to tourism and began returning to normalcy. 

“When the economy is struggling, introducing environmental policies can further burden both the public and restaurants,” said Wong. 

He said the cost of designated bags could range from $7,000 to $10,000 per month for medium to large restaurants. Cleaners are not used to sorting garbage, so this new responsibility could potentially prompt frontline staff to quit due to the increased workload.

The government’s Environment and Conservation Fund supports large-scale restaurants in purchasing waste disposal systems. It turns food waste into slurry which can be kept refrigerated until someone can collect it for recycling.  However, most restaurants currently must buy the systems themselves. Wong hopes the government will provide free food waste disposal to assist restaurants.

District council member Allan Wong Wing-ho, who is also a member of the Food, Environment, and Hygiene Committee said that the scheme is an inevitable challenge that must be confronted. He emphasized that whether it is individuals or restaurants, failing to sort waste will impose a cost on society, but he agreed it will be challenging.

“Restaurants require a transition period, especially as the economy is just beginning to recover,” said Allan Wong.

Challenge: Limited recycling facilities

Besides increased costs, small restaurants face additional challenges in waste management due to insufficient recycling facilities. The lack of government-provided collection points forces many to transport their garbage to distant recycling centers. This logistical hurdle is compounded by limited time and manpower.

The main reasons we aren’t recycling food are the lack of space for storage and hygiene concerns,” said a chef of a a well-known restaurant chain, who preferred to remain anonymous. He said that restaurants, under the group he works for, located within shopping malls could manage food waste recycling due to better facilities. A waste collector comes to collect it twice every day. However, those located on the streets face significant challenges. The lack of space for storing food waste can lead to environmental issues like pests and odors, further complicated by the absence of regular waste collection services.

Charlene Hua, an African cafe owner, encountered similar difficulties. Located in Wong Chuk Hang in the Southern district, her cafe generates a substantial amount of glass bottles and cans. She explained that recycling these containers consumes considerable time. Additionally, she expressed a desire to recycle food waste but is hindered by the lack of a food waste collection point provided by her building management.

Paul Zimmerman, CEO of Designing Hong Kong Limited, is currently focusing on a project called Eat Without Waste.

“Food waste recycling in Hong Kong faces challenges as it is wet and smelly, attracting insects and rodents, r’ so it requires specific facilities and equipment for proper treatment,” said Zimmerman.

He explained that larger buildings with better facilities, like those owned by Swire Properties, could use food waste compressors for more efficient recycling. However, smaller residential units often lack the necessary space and facilities, making them less suited for effective waste management.

“Another solution for food waste is the ‘InSinkErator,’ a device installed under sinks to chop and dispose of food waste through the drainage system,” he said. He also explained that its suitability for widespread use is questioned due to potential drainage issues.

Private sector stepping in to help recycle food waste

The private sector has been stepping in, tapping into the increased awareness of food waste recycling. ECPAL, a nonprofit green organization and registered food waste collector, picks up food waste from designated bins in various neighborhoods in Hong Kong and delivers it to organic resources recovery centers such as O. Park1 and O. Park 2 to generate sustainable energy and compost.

Ivan Tai, founder of ECPAL, said: “With 20,000 restaurants in Hong Kong, it is difficult for the EPD to cover all areas. Thus, private recyclers are crucial to help recover more food waste.” 

He added that the industry initially collected around 100 tons of food waste daily when O. Park1 began operating. However, with recent discussions on the new waste charging scheme, the food waste collecting industry has indeed seen an increase in daily collected waste to around 200 tons. ECPAL plans to scale up collections but it depends on how many people sign up for the service.

Government trying to address the concerns

The EPD has set up food waste collection points at 71 refuse collection stations under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Nearby restaurants and residents can also use these facilities. 

But currently, around 500 restaurants have registered to recycle their food waste under  this scheme, but there are an estimated 18,000 restaurants in Hong Kong so that’s just a fraction of the total

When asked why the number of restaurants registered in the scheme is low, an EPD representative cited the same problem restaurateurs mentioned: “Restaurants don’t want to participate in the recycling program mainly because they lack the manpower to sort food waste. The most convenient method is to dispose of all waste in one bag.”

On May 9, Tse Chin-wan, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, stated in the Legislative Council that the total treatment capacity, including recovery centers O. Park1 and O. Park2, along with other facilities, is 600 tons per day. However, according to the EPD, the daily collection quantity of food waste is about 210 tons, indicating that only a third of the capacity is being utilized.

HKFORT’s Wong called for a clear blueprint to inform the catering industry about future development plans. He said that could boost the sector’s confidence in adapting to new environmental policies. Additionally, the government needs to come up with some measures to make the public and businesses not resist the ultimate goal of the scheme – which is to reduce food waste going into landfills, not simply charging people for waste disposal.

Successful case study provides hope

The restaurant Little Thai on Lamma Island provides hope. Bionee Longkhao and her mom Sabina Bee, who run this Thai restaurant, which is popular among locals, said there are no food waste collection points on the island, they manage their waste independently. Her mother uses a small garden near the restaurant to compost food waste. 

“My mum transfers food waste into the fertilizer which is for our herbs and vegetables at the corner and we also store the useless cooking oil into a tin but unfortunately nobody collects it on Lamma Island,” said Longkhao.

But most restaurants in Hong Kong do not have a garden for composting.

Leanne Tam, a campaigner at Greenpeace,recommended that restaurants consider reducing portion sizes, such as servings of rice, and lowering prices to encourage customers to opt for smaller portions. She also suggested minimizing food waste during food preparation.

Tam emphasized:”The key focus should be on reducing waste at the source, rather than solely relying on recycling.”

Experts say ‘Just go ahead!’ Problems can be sorted out later

In recent months, there have been various opinions about the new scheme. Zimmerman noted a general reluctance to adopt new waste management practices among both individuals and restaurants, driven by fear of change and the perceived increase in workload. 

“I think the government just has to go ahead, and the solutions will become very clear quite quickly,” he said.

He suggests the proposals include improving waste separation within restaurants and using recyclable or compostable materials for utensils to ease the recycling process.

Tam agrees that Hong Kong should not delay the scheme any longer, despite the challenges it faces in convincing restaurateurs to go along with it. 

“The waste charging scheme is beneficial as it raises awareness about the need for waste reduction. However, it requires a period of transition and adjustment, and it will take time for the public to change their habits,” Greenpeace’s Tam said.

Advisor: Cindy Sui