The disposal of mounting municipal solid waste (MSW) is an
imminent problem for Hong Kong society. Currently, Hong Kong
relies mainly on landfills for MSW disposal. In 2012, approximately
9000 tonnes of MSW were disposed of in the landfills every day. It
is anticipated that the current three strategic landfills in Hong
Kong, namely South East New Territories, North East New
Territories, and West New Territories, will reach their maximum
capacities by 2020 (HKEPD, 2013a). Of the 9000 tonnes of MSW
disposed of at landfills, about 3600 tonnes is food waste, representing
the largest waste component of MSW in Hong Kong. Food
waste in Hong Kong generally refers to the organic waste generated
during food production and processing, wholesale and retail
preparation, after meal leftovers, and expired foods. The food
waste per capita in Hong Kong is comparatively higher than those
of other Asian cities of similar economic status. For example, the
food waste per capita in Hong Kong is about 2 times higher than