Waste Management
AAHK is committed to managing waste effectively and promoting circularity across our operations.
Waste management is a key environmental concern in Hong Kong and the Government’s Waste Blueprint for 2035 promotes the adoption of circular economy principles including reducing reliance on landfills for waste disposal. Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) fully supports these principles, focusing on efficient resource use and waste minimisation. A key aspect of our operations is the separation of recyclables at source and working to minimise waste sent to landfill.
AAHK has achieved a target to increase its recyclables recovery rate by 25% by 2025, compared to a 2018 baseline. Our practical target recognised that around half of the waste handled by AAHK’s waste collection system has negligible recycling value. Therefore, our recyclables recovery efforts primarily concentrate on waste materials with a reliable collection and reuse system in place (e.g., food wastes) or that have market value in the recycling industry.
Our Story
_r2.jpg){kind=spacer}
Food Waste Recycling and Surplus Food Rescue
Food waste accounts for about 20% of the waste handled by our waste management contractor. As food waste can be treated to generate biogas or energy, separating it at source is a key focus area for our waste management efforts. Our initiatives include:
Segregation and collection of food waste
AAHK has coordinated a food waste recycling programme since 2003. Through this programme, AAHK provides free recycling bags to terminal building tenants for the separate collection of food waste generated from their daily operations and funds the collection and transport of food waste from airport business partners.
Food waste collected from our buildings and business partners is sent to O · PARK1 for further processing to generate renewable energy. Residues from this process can also be turned into compost. In 2024, over 450 tonnes of food waste were collected from the airport community for recycling.
HKIA Food Rescue Programme
Launched in 2013 in partnership with local NGO Food Angel, this programme collects surplus food from restaurants and caterers at HKIA. Over the years, it has expanded to include several major airport business partners and tenants. The surplus food collected is transformed into hot meal boxes for distribution to those in need.
Food TranSmarting technology
In 2023, AAHK introduced the Food TranSmarter system in the HKIA Community Building. This food waste pre-treatment solution converts food waste into slurry for efficient storage and delivery to government facilities for biogas and electricity generation. The system processes both pre- and post-consumption food waste from several major food and beverage areas in our terminals and concourse, including food courts.
Driving Waste Reduction Inside Terminal Buildings
AAHK offers a variety of new and revamped facilities at HKIA to encourage waste reduction and recycling in passenger areas. In an effort to reduce the use of single-use plastic water bottles and to improve passenger convenience, more than 100 drinking water zones and fountains have been installed throughout the passenger terminal buildings, along with over 20 hot drinking water facilities.
Moreover, since early 2022, over 500 additional hand dryers have been installed in HKIA toilets under an ongoing toilet revamp programme aimed at reducing the use of paper towels. The upgraded toilets feature modern designs with "one-stop" hand-washing stations and integrated hand dryers within each basin unit to minimise paper towel usage.
Quick Facts
2003
AAHK launched the food waste recycling programme
2013
The HKIA Food Rescue Programme commenced to collect surplus food from restaurants and caterers at HKIA
2023
Introduced Food TranSmarter technology to enhance food waste collection
Completed an updated waste compositions survey to help guide waste management and recycling efforts
2023 - 2024
Explored feasibility of waste-to-renewable fuel facilities to support waste reduction and a circular economy
Partnered with Cathay Pacific Airways to drive recyclables separation on arriving aircraft
2025
Achieved a waste target which aimed at increasing AAHK’s recyclables recovery rate by 25% by 2025, compared to a 2018 baseline
Awards & Recognition
