Programme Story

Paper Recycling and Supporting the Paper Recycling Workers (Since 2022)

Despite its small size, Macau generates more municipal solid waste per capita than neighboring cities Hong Kong and Guangzhou. In 2022, Macau produced 109,644 metric tons of paper/cardboard waste, with only 22.5 per cent being recycled – in part thanks to cardboard collectors. These collectors are often elderly individuals supporting loved ones affected by illness or job loss. It’s tough though. They can lose what little they’ve earned when they’re fined for blocking the street with their cardboard. The narrow sidewalks also force them to push their carts amid traffic.

Seeing this, we and our partner launched the 'Project for Paper Recycling and Supporting the Paper Recycling Workers' in September 2022 to bring recycling companies, businesses and cardboard collectors together to boost recycling rates, reduce landfill waste, and increase cardboard collectors’ incomes. By building a network of cardboard collectors and learning about their work, we hope to create safer ‘recycling routes’ with recycling companies. They’d receive the cardboard at agreed times and lend carts to collectors while they wait for their cardboard to be processed, so they can gather more cardboard and increase their incomes.On the other hand, a series of supporting measures such as Cart Exchange Programme, Cardboard Storage Points.

We also collaborate with merchants, shops merchants and exhibitors to recycle cardboard and partially recycled by waste pickers directly.Building invaluable partnerships like this would create a win-win situation for people and planet.Up to now, our programme benefited over 6,000 persons. And we have connected nearly 100 paper recycling workers in Macau.

press release (Chi only)

Position Paper (chi only)