MIL MILL MATTERS: 你今日真係⌈DUMP⌋咗佢？

“未來城市：Mil Mill的循環經濟香港走唔甩的未來”

—明報, 2022年09月25日

“Editorial : Ill-thought-out Policies Behind Mil Mill's Struggle” — Mingpao, 29 Sep 2022

“Hong Kong recycling row: operator Mil Mill says it will forge on with drinks carton collection, has not accepted 6-month lease extension from landlord” — SCMP, 30 Sep 2022

Over a week during the sweltering summer month of September,  local recycling plant Mil Mill came under intense public attention as the government-backed Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) announced it would not renew the plant’s lease when it expires in December 2022. 

This came as a surprise for many as Mil Mill has built its reputation not only  as Hong Kong’s sole Tetrapak carton recycler, but also one of its most well-known advocates for green innovation and the circular economy. 

In a city moving towards waste reduction by levying solid waste charges in the coming year, shouldn’t Hong Kong residents be more concerned in the future of recycling companies such as Mil Mill which are actively shaping Hong Kong into a zero-waste city? (link)  Moreover, isn’t supporting Mil Mill and other recycling plants also a step in the right direction for Hong Kong to reach greater economic success with a circular economy model? 

Presented by URBAN MATTERS from One Bite Design Studio, our data visualisation story on Instagram consolidated key issues raised in the media and hopes to offer more insights on the significance of Mil Mill and the wider recycling industry in Hong Kong. This Q&A essay offers more background information and further analysis.  

Q: Why do we need to recycle Tetrapak cartons? 

A: Vitasoy introduced the technology to Hong Kong in 1975. Since then, tetrapak cartons are found everywhere in Hong Kong and are synonymous with popular local drinks such as Vitasoy and Vita Lemon Tea. While convenient, they also create a substantial source of non recyclable waste.  In Asia, Japan has the highest recycling rate for such cartons, at 45 per cent, whereas in Hong Kong that number is close to zero. (link) Another report even claimed that 43,000 tonnes of cartons, or more than 3.5 million cartons, are disposed of in landfills every year! (link)

Q: What’s so special about Mil Mill’s recycling technology?

Contrary to popular belief, a Tetrapak carton is not just made of cardboard! It is made of six layers of materials, of which 74% is cardboard, 22% is plastic, and 4% is aluminium. Mil Mill was the first in Hong Kong to recycle Tetrapak composite materials in 2019. l It remains Hong Kong’s only drinks carton recycler and has recycled over 2000 tonnes of cartons produced locally in its 2000m2 plant. (link) Recycling tetrapak requires large hydraulic pulpers capable of churning out paper pulp and sorting out aluminium and other impurities. Most waste paper recycling plants do not have enough space to put in additional machines used by Mil Mill to recycle Tetrapak packaging. This means Hong Kong’s tetrapak recycling rate is finite and could be potentially detailed by Mil Mill’s closure.

Q: Can’t Mil Mill just move to somewhere else next year? 

A: Not all land can support the recycling industry’s long-term growth. It takes years for recycling businesses like Mil Mill to break even. Although the government does release several sites for short-term leases, investors are reluctant to pour in resources due to the uncertainty of lease renewal. This impedes long term development of the recycling industry. Furthermore, capital investment in developing recycling plants is pointless if no one recycles. Thus, Mil Mill requires a physical space sufficient also to focus on education to improve public awareness for a zero-waste city and build aspirations to achieve a true circular economy. 

Q: Why does the government need to support recycling?

A: Waste can be productive to the economy. Several Asian cities have already established green procurement targets to encourage their recycling industries’ growth. (link) Furthermore, a successful circular economy model can contribute to zero-waste too. When products reach their end of life, they re-enter the resource cycle as raw materials instead of becoming waste in landfill. Hence, recycling not only makes economic sense, it also extends the life cycle of materials, minimises waste production, and reduces the extraction of natural resources to mitigate its depletion. (link) However, recycling is not just about technical know-how and economic modelling. It requires the government to offer tangible financial and institutional support for Mil Mill and other recycling companies to succeed.