Waste Reduction and Recycling
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CUHK’s Waste Management Policy, based on a ‘waste management hierarchy’, emphasizes the ‘6Rs’ principle: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle. We accord top priority to waste reduction at source and encourage cyclical use of resources. Disposal is the last resort. Read more about CUHK’s Waste Management its Policy and Guidelines. |
| All colleges, faculties, departments and units within the University implement practices and procedures to minimise waste. Some examples for our key waste streams include: | |
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| Paper | Use of financial information systems for storing purchase orders and tender documents electronically. |
| Food Waste | Food Waste Pre-treatment System The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) has developed a food waste pre-treatment system, reinventing food waste recycling. The world’s first prototype is being tested on the CUHK campus. With this patented technology, food waste is converted into slurry on-site and is then delivered to the Tai Po Sewage Treatment Works for biogas production. Learn more Food Waste Collection |
| E-waste | Development of procedures to facilitate the proper treatment of regulated electrical equipment (REE), i.e. air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, computers (including desktops, laptops and tablets), printers, scanners and monitors, and non-REE, so as to minimize their impact on the environment. |
| Construction and Demolition Waste | This is generally reused, sold, or otherwise sent to public fill (inert wastes) to be used in land reclamation. |
| Used Furniture | Units with unwanted furniture are encouraged to post notices in their weekly mass emails to staff and students so that it can be reused by others. |
| Hazardous Waste | The handling of hazardous waste is strictly controlled on campus. For Guidelines, procedures and contingency plans for hazardous waste, please refer to the website of the University Safety Office. |
To raise the environmental awareness of its students and staff, CUHK also launches various campaigns to engage stakeholders in its waste reduction mission.
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Waste-free Campus Starting in January 2026, the “Waste-free Campus” initiative will encourage students and staff to embrace climate-positive behaviour that contributes to achieving carbon neutrality. This initiative includes programmes, measures and efforts that align with the university’s Waste Management Policy. |
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Waste-free Campus campaign logo |
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Bring Your Own Campaign and Water Dispenser Map Project Launched in 2013 to promote a less wasteful culture, this campaign seeks to discourage the use of disposable items such as bags, lunchboxes and bottles. Key elements of the campaign include:
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Water dispenser map in CUHK Mobile app |
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Love Food, Hate Waste @CUHK Launched in 2013, this campaign aims to reduce campus food waste disposal to landfills For details, please click here. |
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Love Food, Hate Waste @CUHK Campaign Poster |
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Green Office Programme (GO!) Launched in 2012, this programme revolves around a ‘GO! Checklist’ of green actions in which waste reduction is one of the nine action categories. ‘GO!’ encourages staff and students to take simple measures to make their workplaces greener, and provides a platform for sharing successful green practices. |
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GO! Green Award Ceremony |
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Our ‘Yard for Environmental Sustainability (YES)’ in central campus allows us to collect reusable and recyclable materials for reuse, recycling and up-cycling. Staff and students can visit the YES to drop off or pick up items that can easily be reused from the cabinets. Materials will be recycled only when they cannot reasonably be reused. |
Reuse and Recycling More than 200 strategic locations have been established to collect recyclables. Recycling bins for paper, plastics and metals can be found throughout the campus and in most buildings. In addition, collection points have been established for other materials such as glass, printer cartridges, used clothes, banners, rechargeable batteries and polyfoam packaging. Other facilities that encourage the recovery of waste materials include:
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