SGREEN x We-recycle@School Awards Celebrate Student Efforts in Waste Reduction and Recycling at Ocean Park Ceremony

SEE attends SGREEN x We-recycle@School Competitions Award Ceremony

The SGREEN x We-recycle@School Competitions Award Ceremony, co-organised by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and Ocean Park Hong Kong (Ocean Park), was held today (July 5) at Ocean Park. The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, officiated at the event, commending schools, students and families for their outstanding performance in waste reduction and recycling during the 2024/25 school year.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Tse highlighted that the current-term Government has successfully reversed the long-term trend of rising waste disposal quantities over the years through promoting waste reduction at source and expanding the recycling network. The disposal quantity of municipal solid waste decreased by a total of 7.5 per cent from 2021 to 2024, while the waste recovery rate increased from 28 per cent in 2020 to 33 per cent in 2023.

Mr Tse congratulated all the awarded schools, students and families, expressing gratitude for their support of Hong Kong's waste reduction and recycling efforts. He said, "To achieve waste reduction at source, it is crucial to educate the next generation. In 2024, the EPD launched the We-recycle@School Activity, providing a variety of teaching materials and promotional support to primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong to assist schools and teachers in integrating waste reduction and recycling knowledge into daily teaching, encourage students to make good use of recycling facilities in schools and the community, and inspire their family members to practise resource separation and recycling together."

Since its launch, the We-recycle@School Activity has received an overwhelming response. Currently, around 550 primary and secondary schools have participated in the scheme, encompassing about 350000 students. Through the We-recycle@School Activity, the EPD has collaborated with the Ocean Park Conservation Alliance to jointly host the SGREEN Inter-school Recycling Competition this school year, which successfully encouraged more schools to engage in the activities of both sides. The Competition features seven awards to recognise participating schools, students, and families for their outstanding performances in waste reduction and recycling this school year. The list of award winners can be found in the annex. The awards are:

Supreme Recycling Award - School

Top Recycling Quantity Award - School

Best Participating School Award

Best Participating Family Award

Recycling Guru Award

Best Green and Low Carbon Action Award

Best School Recycling Corner Design Award

The award ceremony today also featured 21 booths where awarded schools and other participating schools shared their knowledge on waste reduction and recycling, low-carbon living and ecological conservation through interactive exhibitions and booth games, demonstrating how to practise green living in daily life.

The We-recycle@School Activity was launched on March 1 last year, inviting primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong to participate in the activity which includes various waste reduction and recycling competitions with awards to encourage students and their family members to actively participate in waste reduction and recycling. In the 2024/25 school year, the SGREEN Inter-school Recycling Competition and other We-recycle@School competitions together collected about 132 000 kilograms of recyclables in total.

SEE attends SGREEN x We-recycle@School Competitions Award Ceremony Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends SGREEN x We-recycle@School Competitions Award Ceremony Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends SGREEN x We-recycle@School Competitions Award Ceremony Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends SGREEN x We-recycle@School Competitions Award Ceremony Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends SGREEN x We-recycle@School Competitions Award Ceremony Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Notice on appointments to advisory and statutory bodies

A Government spokesman said today (January 12) that Mr Chan Kin-por recently sought approval from the Chief Executive to suspend his three public positions as appointed by the Chief Executive, until the completion of the work of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po (Independent Committee). Mr Chan made this request to allow himself more time to dedicate to the work of the Independent Committee. After due consideration, the Chief Executive has agreed to and approved this request. The three public positions are: (1) Chairman of Independent Commission Against Corruption Advisory Committee on Corruption; (2) Non-executive Director of Urban Renewal Authority Board; and (3) Member of Honours and Non-official Justices of the Peace Selection Committee.

On December 12, 2025, the Government established the Independent Committee to examine the causes of the incident and related issues, ascertain the facts, and make recommendations on preventing similar tragedies and on improvement measures. The Independent Committee is chaired by Mr Justice David Lok, with Mr Chan Kin-por and Dr Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen serving as members. The Independent Committee held its first meeting on December 19 last year and aims to complete its work within nine months of commencing operations.

Mr Chan Kin-por wrote earlier to the Chief Executive, expressing his wish to suspend the aforementioned three public positions until the Independent Committee completes its work, in order to dedicate more time and focus to the Independent Committee's tasks. The Chief Executive has agreed to and approved the request.

A Government spokesperson said that since the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, both the Government and the wider community have been highly concerned about the causes of the incident and the follow-up work. The scope of the Independent Committee's work is extensive, particularly concerning systemic issues related to bid-rigging and connected interests. Given the numerous issues involved and their complex nature, the Government will fully co-operate with the Independent Committee to ensure that it can complete its work and compile its report within nine months. The Government extends its gratitude to Mr Chan for accepting the appointment as a member of the Independent Committee and for his professional and conscientious approach to the Committee's work. When the Independent Committee's work is completed, the Government looks forward to Mr Chan's continuous contribution through his aforementioned public positions.

Source: AI-found images