Restructuring municipal solid waste management and governance in Hong Kong: Options and prospects

From the chronological analytical review regarding municipal solid waste management (MSWM) and governance optimisation progress in Hong Kong since 2002, it is noted that the policy outcomes have seriously deviated from the original policy goals under the hitherto lack of effective development in bureaucratic and economic policy cultures in municipal solid waste (MSW) strategies formulation and related programmes implementation. The policy analysis specially stated that although the MSW recycling ratio (30%) is not particularly poor, the recovered percentage of plastics, glass and food waste in Hong Kong are extremely low. Based on the unfavourable outcomes and consequences for MSWM and governance in Hong Kong, a conclusion of negative correlation between the per capita MSW disposal rate and bureaucratic policy culture development, as well as positive correlation between recycling rate of low value items and economic policy culture development, can be made. With considering the key factors of benchmark indicators, socio-economic factors, driving force, and communication of MSW policy, conducive options and prospects are also developed for the attempt to provide insights to restructure MSWM and governance in Hong Kong in the next decade. First, the government can build up strategic innovation from a global benchmark case - MSWM and governance improvement from the South Korea case. Second, to create opportunities and conditions to develop high value biofuel from waste through flexible local environmental policies formulation and implementation. Third, shifting a front-line MSWM for governance structure reform.