{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Tackling Hong Kong\u0026#39;s growing waste problem' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c4fbd8eafeecae16cc73' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c4fbd8eafeecae16cc73' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nTackling Hong Kong\u0026#39;s growing waste problem\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eAP TelevisionHong Kong - 7 February 20131. Various of waste being processed by workers at landfill site 2. High pan across landfill site3. Mid of waste being processed 4. Wide of boat in Victoria Harbour, skyline in background5. Wide of...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eAP Television\u003cbr/\u003eHong Kong - 7 February 2013\u003cbr/\u003e1. Various of waste being processed by workers at landfill site \u003cbr/\u003e2. High pan across landfill site\u003cbr/\u003e3. Mid of waste being processed \u003cbr/\u003e4. Wide of boat in Victoria Harbour, skyline in background\u003cbr/\u003e5. Wide of Victoria Harbour skyline\u003cbr/\u003eAP Television \u003cbr/\u003eHong Kong - 10 May 2013\u003cbr/\u003e6. Wide of Tai Po Science Park\u003cbr/\u003e7. Mid of Biotech Centre entrance \u003cbr/\u003e8. Mid of flasks being shaken in machine\u003cbr/\u003e9. Mid of Carol Lin, Assistant Professor, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, looking at contents of flask with research assistant Ryan Lau\u003cbr/\u003e10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Carol Lin, Assistant Professor, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Everyday we have over 3,500 tonnes of food waste that is deposited into the landfill, so the idea for utilising this food waste through (a) bio-refinery concept is we can use, for example, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation processes which can convert our food waste into valuable products such as succinic acid and biodegradable plastic.\"\u003cbr/\u003e11. Various of Lin examining liquid in flask \u003cbr/\u003e12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Carol Lin, Assistant Professor, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong:\u003cbr/\u003e\"The good thing for this biodegradable plastic is that it could biodegrade and that means it won't stay in our environment forever and we don't need special treatment for it, once it goes into landfill or elsewhere, it will just degrade by itself.\"\u003cbr/\u003e13. Mid of machines processing waste in laboratory  \u003cbr/\u003e14. Close-up of Lin injecting bacteria into feeding tube \u003cbr/\u003e15. Close-up of bio-reactor\u003cbr/\u003e16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Carol Lin, Assistant Professor, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think in Hong Kong, this is one of the essential technologies that really should be implemented in Hong Kong, but right now, we don't have such facility or such expertise I would say in Hong Kong to develop this technology.\"\u003cbr/\u003e17. Close-up of waste being processed in bio-reactor\u003cbr/\u003e18. Zoom in on fungus inside Petri dish \u003cbr/\u003eAP Television \u003cbr/\u003eHong Kong - 8 May 2013\u003cbr/\u003e19. Wide of lorries queuing outside premises of Green and Associates company \u003cbr/\u003e20. Mid of entrance to company  \u003cbr/\u003e21. Pull focus from company sign to plant  \u003cbr/\u003e22. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ge Wah Lam, Creative Director, Green and Associates:\u003cbr/\u003e\"We have around over twenty different kinds of food waste stage recycled, most of the food waste is related to the daily life, like the coffee, like the tea, egg shell, apple, everything.\"\u003cbr/\u003e23. Wide of Green and Associates display room\u003cbr/\u003e24. Various of recycled brushes made from eggshells from custard factory \u003cbr/\u003e25. Wide of recycled crockery on display shelf\u003cbr/\u003e26. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ge Wah Lam, Creative Director, Green and Associates:\u003cbr/\u003e\"They (consumers) are willing to pay more for the product, (it) is new for them, it's very new for the market, the second is that (it is) not harmful to the world.\"\u003cbr/\u003e27. Wide of items on shelf\u003cbr/\u003e28. Close-up of bag made of milk fibre, reading: (English) \"This bag is composed of 50% milk fibre\"\u003cbr/\u003e29. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ge Wah Lam, Creative Director, Green and Associates:\u003cbr/\u003e\"The milk goes through a process, to make it in (a) solid form like the cheese, and then they will pick out some of the fibre and then mix (it) up with some cotton fibre to twist it to become the fibre, milk fibre.\"\u003cbr/\u003e30. Mid of books on shelf  \u003cbr/\u003e31. Mid of recycled yoyos\u003cbr/\u003e32. Close-up of coaster made from recycled coffee, with description\u003cbr/\u003eWith their landfills set to spill over with waste by 2020, the people of Hong Kong are in a race against time to discover new ways to recycle what they consider to be  rubbish. \u003cbr/\u003eScientists and businesses are discovering innovative ways of reusing a vast array of waste products including eggshells and coffee.\u003cbr/\u003eThis could be any city anywhere.\u003cbr/\u003eWaste from the city is creating mountains of rubbish which these workers are sorting in a massive Hong Kong landfill.\u003cbr/\u003eBut land space is running out and like many other cities around the world the people of Hong Kong are searching for new ways to process their rubbish. \u003cbr/\u003eJust two years ago the Environmental Protection Department said the city had produced 4.912 million tonnes of solid waste, but because its residents do not sort it,  their refuse ends up in landfills.\u003cbr/\u003eIn 2009, the Hong Kong government introduced an environmental levy of 50 cents on each plastic bag sold. \u003cbr/\u003eAccording to the former Secretary of the Environment, Edward Yau, fewer plastic bags have been used since the scheme was enforced.\u003cbr/\u003eHowever, that does not dispose of the problem of the existing plastic bags which continue to take up vital space in the landfills because they are not biodegradable.\u003cbr/\u003eEnvironmentalists believe the best solution is to reduce the amount of waste produced, rather than trying to find new space for the rubbish produced.\u003cbr/\u003eAssistant professor Carol Lin, from the School of Energy and Environment at the City University of Hong Kong, is trying to discover ways to produce something useful from waste. \u003cbr/\u003eLin has been developing bio-refinery technology which turns food waste into valuable products. \u003cbr/\u003eEach week Lin and her team collect waste from bakeries and restaurants.\u003cbr/\u003eThe aim is to help to create businesses, which can produce products from materials that would have otherwise been thrown away. \u003cbr/\u003e\"Everyday we have over 3,500 tonnes of food waste that is deposited into the landfill, so the idea for utilising this food waste through (a) bio-refinery concept is we can use, for example, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation processes which can convert our food waste into valuable products such as succinic acid and biodegradable plastic,\" says Lin. \u003cbr/\u003eHere in the laboratory water is added to the waste which is then processed by a bio-reactor with two types of fungus.\u003cbr/\u003eThe process in the reactor creates an enzyme which degrades carbohydrates and proteins into smaller compounds like sugars and amino acids. \u003cbr/\u003eThis mixture is put in another set of bio-reactors to enable further fermentation. \u003cbr/\u003eA biodegradable plastic is then extracted from the solid biomass after drying.\u003cbr/\u003e\"The good thing for this biodegradable plastic is that it could biodegrade and that means it won't stay in our environment forever and we don't need special treatment for it, once it goes into landfill or elsewhere, it will just degrade by itself,\" says Lin. \u003cbr/\u003eAccording to Lin, the this process is not yet cost effective because it is not being adopted by business.\u003cbr/\u003eUntil it is used on a wide scale outside the laboratory it will not be a cost effective method of recycling. \u003cbr/\u003eLin argues the money and expertise are not available to do this because private companies and the government are cautious about investment.\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think in Hong Kong, this is one of the essential technologies that really should be implemented in Hong Kong, but right now, we don't have such facility or such expertise I would say in Hong Kong to develop this technology,\" she says. \u003cbr/\u003eSome companies are managing to transform rubbish into commercial opportunities, among them is Green and Associates.  \u003cbr/\u003eAbout half of the products on display here are made from food waste from factories.\u003cbr/\u003eCreative director Ge Wah Lam claims that at least a third of the ingredients in each item here come from reused waste.\u003cbr/\u003e\"We have around over twenty different kinds of food waste stage recycled, most of the food waste is related to the daily life, like the coffee, like the tea, egg shell, apple, everything,\" he says. \u003cbr/\u003eLam agrees these green products are priced at around 20 to 30 per cent more than products made from cheaper materials, but he says their customers are willing to pay extra for eco-friendly products.\u003cbr/\u003e\"They (consumers) are willing to pay more for the product, (it) is new for them, it's very new for the market, the second is that (it is) not harmful to the world,\" he says. \u003cbr/\u003eLam argues people need to be better educated about the concept of environmentally friendly products. \u003cbr/\u003eHe believes this is essential to persuade people to consume less.\u003cbr/\u003eAll the waste used to make these brushes, pots, plates and bags is collected and processed in China. \u003cbr/\u003eIt is not possible to do this in Hong Kong because there is not enough space.\u003cbr/\u003eLam believes the most efficient way of reducing the carbon footprint of these products would be to move all the factories and processing to mainland China.\u003cbr/\u003eThis bag is made from milk fibre.\u003cbr/\u003e\"The milk goes through a process, to make it in (a) solid form like the cheese, and then they will pick out some of the fibre and then mix (it) up with some cotton fibre to twist it to become the fibre, milk fibre,\" he says.\u003cbr/\u003eThese pots and pans have yet to become a big industry, but according to Lam and Lin, they represent efforts which may one day help to protect the environment.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\"3.5 out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star-half-stroke text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt class=\"educator-rating-title\"\u003eEducator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"educator-rating-details\" data-path=\"/educator_ratings/rrp_data?resourceable_id=1126178\u0026amp;resourceable_type=Boclips%3A%3AVideoMetadata\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"not-yet-rated\"\u003eNot yet Rated\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eGrade\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd title=\"Grade\"\u003eHigher Ed\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSubjects\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\u0026amp;subject_ids%5B%5D=1216220\"\u003eAll Subjects\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eMedia Type\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=2\u0026amp;type_ids%5B%5D=4543650\"\u003eNews Clips\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSource:\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e2013\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='concepts-heading'\u003eConcepts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list concepts' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='concepts'\u003echina, living things, hong kong, east asia, business, fungi, waste management, asia, plants, plastic\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='concepts-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='additional-tags-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='additional-tags-heading'\u003eAdditional Tags\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list keyterms' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='keyterms'\u003efood waste, greater china, energy industry, alternative energy industry, product, landfill, process, degrade, fiber, industries, environmental education, environment, environment and nature, biofuel manufacturing\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='keyterms-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='educator-ratings-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title sr-only' id='educator-ratings-heading'\u003eEducator Ratings\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"all-educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"educator-rating-form-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Show resource details' class='rp-show-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nShow resource details\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Video player' class='player' id='player-wrapper' role='region'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='relative container mx-auto' id='lp-boclips-visitor-thumbnail'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"block\" data-html=\"true\" data-placement=\"bottom\" data-trigger=\"click\" data-content=\"\u003cdiv class=\u0026quot;text-center py-2\u0026quot;\u003e\u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/auth/users/sign_in\u0026quot;\u003eSign in\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold text-danger\u0026quot; data-posthog-event=\u0026quot;Signup: LP Signup Activity\u0026quot; data-posthog-location=\u0026quot;body_link_boclips\u0026quot; data-remote=\u0026quot;true\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/subscription/new\u0026quot;\u003eJoin Now\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: Tackling Hong Kong\u0026#39;s growing waste problem\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"resource-img img-thumbnail img-responsive z-10 lp-boclips-thumbnail w-full h-full lozad\" alt=\"Tackling Hong Kong\u0026#39;s growing waste problem\" title=\"Tackling Hong Kong\u0026#39;s growing waste problem\" onError=\"handleImageNotLoadedError(this)\" data-default-image=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" data-src=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" width=\"315\" height=\"220\" src=\"data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs\" /\u003e\n\u003cspan aria-hidden='true' class='flex justify-center items-center bg-white rounded-full w-16 h-16 absolute top-1/2 left-1/2 -mt-8 -ml-8 cursor-pointer z-0 border-2 border-primary drop-shadow-md lp-boclips-thumbnail-playBtn'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fa-solid fa-play text-primary text-3xl ml-1 drop-shadow-xl'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}