Waste

In 2022-23, HKUST generated a total of 1,828 tons of waste, an increase of 16% compared to the 1,536 tons of waste in 2021-2022. Waste per person was 0.12, increased by 11.8%. Compared to the base year (2014-15), waste generated reduced by 44.96%, while waste per capita reduced by 57.78%.

Moreover, HKUST's waste generation was 80% compared to the 75% target set to be achieved in 2028. This is due to the combination of effective strategies that focuses on four key areas, namely recycling, food waste, compostables, and reductions at source (i.e., preventing waste from entering the campus in the first place). Now we have more than 15 types of materials for recycling ranging from common paper, plastic containers, metal to polyfoam, animal bedding and landscape. We hope to divert as much waste as possible from landfill through this aggressive recycling program.

The recycling amount in 2022-23 has decreased by 3.75% compared to last year. Food waste was the biggest part in the recycling program, occupied 42% among all the recyclables. Landscape was the second highest recycled material, representing 27% of total materials diverted from the landfill. Paper was the third highest recycled material, contributing 11% to the total recycling amount. Due to the resumption of normal operations on campus, food waste increased by 9.67% in 2022-23 compared to the previous year.

In the 2022-23 academic year, the waste to landfill increased from 1,574 tons last year to 1,828 tons (16.1%), while the recycling amount decreased by 3.75% with a total of 1,077 tons recyclables collected. The waste diversion rate was 37%.