The Environmental Protection Department will extend hours for self-service operations at more than 800 waste-collection points in an attempt to improve the cost-effectiveness of a community recycling scheme.

Under the Green@Community initiative, people can earn points by submitting recyclables such as plastic bottles, metals, computers and small electrical appliances.

These points can later be redeemed for rewards like food and drinks.

The department's deputy director, Kenneth Cheng, said the extended self-service times could reduce the need for manpower and that the possibility of relocating certain recycling points to government properties as a cost-saving measure was being studied.

He also highlighted a 60 percent increase in the volume of recyclables collected last year compared to 2023.

“Despite the suspension of the waste-charging scheme in May last year, public enthusiasm for recycling and waste reduction has steadily increased, not declined," Cheng said.

“This is evident in the growing participation in the Green@Community initiative and the increasing amounts of recycled kitchen waste."

Cheng said the government’s “zero landfill by 2035” target still stands and stressed that the goal for now is to make the recycling trend in the community sustainable in the long term.

Yau Wing-kwong, founder of the Environmental Association, also said he was pleased to see an increase in support for recycling efforts over the years, noting some people didn't even exchange rewards.

The association has been the operator of a recycling store in Tai Po under the Green@Community initiative for about five years.

“I am very confident that the general public will continue to improve recycling efforts and clean recyclables well before submitting them,” Yau said.

“Over the years, we have seen a consistent year-on-year increase in the number of visits to our recycling store. Over the past two years we are talking about a 30-40 percent growth.”