Food waste recycling shows growth

Food waste is far from useless. With responsible recycling, it can be recovered and redeployed.

Going smart: The Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates provides funding to help private housing estates install smart recycling bins for easier food waste recycling. Image source: www.news.gov.hk

In recent years, the Government has continued to expand and improve its food waste recycling network, including enhancing recycling bin designs to encourage more citizens to recycle.

In 2025, an average of 350 tonnes of food waste was recycled in Hong Kong each day. Recycling of domestic food waste has surged from around two tonnes per day in 2022 to more than 120 tonnes daily in 2025.

Encouraging participation

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and the Environmental Campaign Committee rolled out the Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates in 2023, providing two years of funding to cover the installation, maintenance and repairs of the bins.

As of February 2026, 453 food waste smart recycling bins have been installed in 115 private housing estates under the scheme, serving more than 270,000 households.

“Participating estates have collectively recycled over 7,300 tonnes of food waste,” explained EPD Senior Environmental Protection Officer (Waste Reduction & Community Recycling) Benjamin Kwong.

Enthusiastic participant: Mrs So praised the smart recycling bin’s ability to collect hard food waste, such as bones, adding that their convenient location encourages more participation in the recycling scheme.Image source: www.news.gov.hk

Optimised design

Mrs So’s housing estate is taking part in the pilot scheme. Eight of the recycling units have been installed throughout her neighbourhood.

Praising the bin’s ability to collect hard food waste, such as bones, Mrs So noted that their convenient locations encourage more residents to take part in the recycling scheme.

The smart recycling bins are also connected to the GREEN$ Electronic Participation Incentive Scheme, allowing residents to earn GREEN$ points by recycling food waste. The points can be redeemed for gifts, such as daily necessities, or even supermarket gift vouchers, considered great incentives for participants.

The bins are also equipped with functions such as overflow prevention, deodorising and pest control, to help reduce environmental hygiene issues caused by food waste.

The housing estate’s residents' association chairman Vincent Liu said they are eager to continue participation in the scheme to further raise environmental awareness among residents.

Raising awareness: Vincent Liu welcomes the decision to continue using the smart recycling bins after the subsidy period ends, to help further promote environmental awareness.Image source: www.news.gov.hk

Expanding coverage

To broaden the reach of the trial and enhance its effectiveness, the Government adjusted the eligibility threshold for the pilot scheme in 2025. The requirement has been reduced from 1,000 households or more to 200 households or more, allowing more small and medium size private housing estates to participate.

At the end of 2025, the EPD rolled out the Trial Scheme on Food Waste Recycling Truck. The vehicle visits various locations nightly to promote food waste recycling.

Enhancing effectiveness: Environmental Protection Department Senior Environmental Protection Officer (Waste Reduction & Community Recycling) Benjamin Kwong (left) hopes lower eligibility requirements will encourage more small and medium size private housing estates to participate in the scheme.Image source: www.news.gov.hk

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Easter is around the corner, and it's time to start thinking about how to decorate your eggs.

Whether you're dying eggs for your table spread or planning to hide them for an egg hunt, it's important to follow food safety guidelines to minimize germs and maximize your egg quality.

Eggs are remarkably long lasting, so there needn't be a giant rush to eat them.

“Stores usually do turn over eggs pretty quickly, so the recommendations is you should consume eggs three to five weeks after you purchase them,” said Kara Lynch, food safety educator with Michigan State University Extension.

There is also a benefit in letting eggs age just a bit, as older eggs can be easier to peel. That's because eggs shrink over time within the shell, creating an air pocket between the egg and the shell.

Egg processors clean eggs before they reach store shelves, but it also is important to thoroughly cook eggs to reduce the risk of foodborne illness, especially salmonella. That bacteria lives naturally in the gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts of chickens, said Kimberly Baker, associate extension specialist at Clemson University.

To cook your eggs, place them in a saucepan, fill it with water and bring it to a boil. After that, put the lid on, turn the heat off and let it sit for about 12 minutes. Some also favor turning down the heat and simmering eggs.

You can vary the time in the hot water depending on a desire for harder boiled or slightly creamier eggs, but the yolk should be pretty solid to be safe. Boiling them for too long can risk creating green sulfur development on the outside of the yolk.

After that, Don Schaffner, food science department chair at Rutgers University, said there are two options.

You can run your eggs under cold water to reduce the temperature. From there, you can color them right away or place them back in the fridge until you're ready. Or, after you've boiled them, you can let them air dry until they've cooled.

The boiling process sanitizes the eggs, and as long as they are kept out of water, Schaffner said, they will remain safe to eat.

“You’ve boiled the egg, you’ve gotten rid of any bacteria that might be in the egg. And now you’ve air-cooled it, right? So it’s going to cool more slowly, it’s probably going to cook more,” he said. “But most importantly, you don’t have to worry about any bacteria from the water getting internalized into the egg.”

Either artificial or natural food dye is OK as long as the dye label says it's food grade. For those keeping track, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been updating its guidance and regulations regarding certain dyes.

And no, it's not a problem if the dye seeps through the shell.

“Eggs kind of naturally have their own abilities to absorb only so much,” Baker said.

As you're decorating the eggs and have the eggs outside, she suggested keeping your eggs in an ice bath, so they can stay at a cooler temperature while you're decorating.

Eggs should generally be kept at or below 40 degrees (4.4 degrees Celsius) to minimize the risk of contaminants.

Cooked eggs that weren't air-cooled should spend no more than two hours at room temperature. And that's cumulative, including the time spent decorating and the time spent hiding during the Easter egg hunt.

But if it's particularly warm, then that two-hour rule may be shortened to one hour, Lynch said.

Hard boiled eggs are generally good for about a week in the fridge.

Be careful with your eggs as you handle them.

One of the biggest concerns is making sure your eggs haven't cracked during an Easter egg hunt, making them vulnerable to contaminants. And once the egg has been hard boiled, there's no way to kill bacteria that get inside, Baker said.

“We don’t want to be putting them in the soil or in lawns where pets have gone to the bathroom,” she said.

Whether the eggs are hidden outdoors or in a corner of your home, you should rinse them in cool water before you peel them. And wash your hands, too, just in case the eggs have picked up something.

If the Easter egg hunt means your eggs will be at room temperature for longer than two hours, experts recommended using plastic eggs for the hunt instead of real ones to minimize food safety risk.

“If it’s an outdoor Easter egg hunt at any time, I would say go with the plastic eggs and be safe,” Baker said. “And use your dyed Easter eggs as your centerpiece on your table or your buffet, and enjoy them that way.”

FILE - Painted Easter eggs hang from an Easter Tree in Saalfeld, central Germany, March 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer, File)