Municipal Solid Waste MiningPILOT for Waste Separation at the Source

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Student Halls of Residence (Homantin)Period 17 March to 25 May, 2014 (10 Weeks)

Objectives of the Project of

Waste Separation at the Source

A. Demonstrate separation of waste at the source could increase the recycling rate and reduce the landfill usage rate.

B. The adaption of a social educational program:

• Methodology to initiate changes;

• Building new behavior for individual to handle waste;

• Monitoring and fostering the behavior;

• Rewarding the behavior;

C. To gather waste management information: • More insight and control in the waste management issues

• Preparing for future government policy

• Achieve cost saving in waste handling in the long run

Poster for the Recycling Competition

Individual and Group Awards

Level 1: Every two weeks, award coffee coupons to 100 most frequently

participated students ;

Biweekly Announcement of Which is the Winning Hall;

Level 2: The first 20 students who have been awarded with coffee coupons for

three consecutive periods (each two weeks is one period) will be awarded

with two meal coupons;

Level 3: The first 100 most frequently participated students will be presented with a

Winner Certificate for the project.

The Winning HALL (which has won most during the 5 periods) will be presented

with the PROJECT Award CUP and also a special prize (to be disclosed at the end

of the project).

Determined Separation Fractions

Paper, Plastic, Metal

Paper

Paper &

carton box

Plastic

Metal

How to Separate the Wastes

(Recyclable Materials)

How to Separate the Wastes

(Non-recyclable Materials)

Parties who are directly involved:� Individuals such as students and staff living in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Student Halls of Residence (Homantin)

� The Student Affairs Office, Health, Safety & Environment Office and the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University

� Security, Cleaning and Management Staff in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Student Halls of Residence (Homantin)

� Those who will be involved in the logistics of waste collection

� WSS representative

Pilot Project

Recycle Truck

Student Halls of

Residence (Homantin)

Students and Staff

Security Staff

Logistics Staff

The Logistics from Waste Production to

Waste Drop Off

Degradable bags/or ordinary plastic bags

Collect the bags & information flyers at

the Student Residence

Separate & pack the waste into plastic bags

When the bags are full of one particular waste

fraction , sealed it

Place the Student Card on the scanner

Push the handle upward to open the

inlet after scanning the card

Drop the bag into the inlet when it is open

according to different waste fraction

The full 240L binCleaner moves the bins to Central Waste Room

WSS to sample check if waste are properly

separated

WSS to mark the questionnaire for

fullness and quality of the separated waste

Valuable recycled fractions like paper,

plastic and metal will be kept

Cleaning company will transfer the waste

Transportation truck Transfer Station

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Service Provider: WSS supported by service provider

Equipment and tools:� Three 240L bins with Inlets housed into a tailor made cabinet

� Software of WSS

� Degradable recycle bag and ordinary paper or plastic bag

� A waste card (student and staff card)

� Color sticker for Paper, Plastic and Metal to the bins

� Meeting

� Posters/Flyers

� Display to show progress

� Competition/Awards

Methodology: Waste Separation at the Source

Front Panel View

Steps to drop the waste bags

1. Place the student card over the

scanner.2. Push the handle upward to open

the inlet slot.

3. Drop the bag into the inlet and

make sure that it won’t be too full

to obstruct the cover to close.

4. Pull back the handle down to its

original position to close the inlet

cover.

Outcomes (collected data) link to

• Reduction of Carbon emission level

Outcomes (collected data) link to

• Number of Trees are saved

Outcomes (collected data) link to

• Space in landfill is saved

Outcomes (collected data) link to

• Financial value generated from sale of the clean

separated waste

What Data Will Be Collected

• No. of students participating in the PILOT, who have scanned their card to open the inlet;

• Frequency of a particular student open the inlet;

• When did students open the inlet;

• Which Students have opened the inlet most;

• Which hall of students have opened the inlet most;

• What kind of waste are produced, in what quantity in volume;

The following from the Software

• The content level of the bags;

• Whether waste is separated correctly;

The following from Questionnaire

How to Measure the Level of Participation

Basis of the measurement

• Frequency of students opening the inlet with student

cards;

• Who were the students open the inlet most;

• Which hall of students have opened the inlet most

Data to be covered in the conclusion report

Waste separation at the source

� Increase of recycled fractions (paper, metal , plastic etc.) which brings in

financial value;

� Less space used in landfill, cleaner living environment; less poison and

bad implication to the next generation

� Reduce carbon emission, cleaner air and healthier living environment;

� Brings better air quality and living and HENCEFORTH raise the image of

the Hong Kong Polytechnic University

� Reduce cost of handling waste

� Produce waste management information

� Making money out of sale of the recycled fraction

WSSEquipment and Technology Sponsors

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University •Student Affairs Office•Health, Safety & Environment Office•Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering

Perfect GreenDegradable Bags Sponsor

Project Sponsors