Environment minister cites calmer atmosphere in Hong Kong as he lifts recycling ban on glass bottles

Glass bottle recycling services will resume soon in Hong Kong, two months after collection was stopped because of anti-government protests in the city.

Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing revealed the decision during a Facebook live chat session on Friday, in which the minister took questions from the public about a range of issues including recycling, the city’s climate change strategy, and a long-delayed waste charging scheme.

“Now that the situation is relatively calm, we have asked our contractors to resume collection in safe areas such as housing estates and at government community green stations,” Wong said.

“Throughout the social unrest, many glass recycling bins were damaged. If the bins filled with glass were poured out into public spaces, it would have posed a danger to both residents and protesters.”

Glass bottles, mainly for beer and other alcoholic drinks, were used by protesters to make petrol bombs to throw at police. The unrest was triggered by a now-withdrawn extradition bill, but later morphed into a wider anti-government movement.