The Environmental Protection Department on Thursday announced changes to Hong Kong’s plastic waste collection system as a pilot scheme for housing estates ends soon.

Under the pilot scheme rolled out in 2020, three contractors collected plastic from housing estates in Eastern, Kwun Tong and Sha Tin districts.

Officials said there was an overlap of resources as GREEN@COMMUNITY operators gathered other types of recyclables from the same estates.

From January 19, GREEN@COMMUNITY will handle plastic collection from housing estates across all 18 districts.

Steve Wong, an assistant director with the department, said the new arrangement will reduce costs by 24 percent.

"We consider this is a situation of resource duplication and it is an opportunity to unify the arrangement to enhance the [scheme's] cost effectiveness," he said.

"The completion of the pilot scheme and taking over by GREEN@COMMUNITY station for the collection service will not only solve the resource duplication problem, but enhance the cost-effectiveness of the overall waste and recyclable collection services."

Wong also brushed aside concerns from green groups that some low-value mixed plastic waste will be left unprocessed after the pilot scheme ends.

"We understand that every plastic has its value. They can be turned into useful resources. Not only bottles, for example, plastic containers, they could be transformed into high-value eco-bricks or soundproofing facilities," he said.

"Regardless of the pilot scheme, or the future GREEN@COMMUNITY operation, every waste plastic is sought after and we will continue to enhance the plastic recycling rate."

Wong added that residents will not be affected and can continue to use recycling bins at housing estates or GREEN@COMMUNITY stations as before.