The growing challenge of how to reduce, reuse, recycle, and process waste is a global problem and a pressing environmental issue faced by developed cities like Hong Kong. To help tackle this problem, PolyU is committed to reducing all types of waste generated on campus. We have an established Waste Management Policy and a corresponding waste management strategy. We have also made a wide variety of recycling facilities and activities available on campus, like facilities to recycle paper, plastic, cans, metal, glass bottles, food waste, electrical and electronic equipment, rechargeable batteries, fluorescent tubes and lamps, and donating unwanted goods for reuse.
PolyU introduced reverse vending machines on campus since 2019 to promote recycling of beverage containers. These reverse vending machines are installed at different locations across the campus and are highly accessible to all campus users as they can be identified through browsing GreenMap@PolyU. With an attractive exterior design and easy-to-use interface, the machines catch the attention of users easily and make recycling on campus more convenient than before. Currently they accept plastic beverage bottles, aluminium cans, and tetra paks respectively.
As a medium to promote waste reduction and recycling, these reverse vending machines are part of the University’s campus-wide reward program – PolyU GreenCoin. By dropping clean beverage containers into these machines, the campus users are eligible to earn Coins, i.e., the virtual credits through a mobile app, which can be converted into e-coupons for use on designated campus facilities. They are the useful tools to entertain the campus community and inspire them to experience the consequences of their recycling actions. Students and staff will find their green and recycling behaviour even more fulfilling and worthwhile.
The campus community is encouraged to follow the clean recycling principle when they are about to drop the beverage containers into the reverse vending machines. Those plastic containers, cans and tetra paks don’t have to be dishwasher clean, but emptying them and a quick rinse can surely help. If any container is half-full of beverage, it will spill onto the other items inside the reverse vending machines and this can ruin the quality of the other materials. By making sure the containers are empty, clean, and dry we can help prevent odours and contamination.
