Circularity & Waste Theatre

The Role of Waste Management in Achieving Sustainability and Carbon Targets in Hong Kong

12 Sep (Fri) Day 2 : 14:50 – 15:40

Waste management is no longer just about disposal—it is now a critical component of Hong Kong’s strategy to meet its climate commitments and sustainability goals. With waste management accounting for a relatively small yet significant portion of the city’s carbon emissions, improving how we handle, reduce, and recover waste is essential for lowering our carbon footprint and building a more resilient urban system.

This session will explore how an integrated and forward-looking waste management strategy can support Hong Kong’s carbon neutrality roadmap. From reducing landfill reliance and enhancing recycling systems to investing in low-carbon technologies and infrastructure, the panel will examine practical solutions and policy levers that can drive measurable impact.

Collaboration will definitely play a role in scaling these efforts. This session will bring together voices from different sectors of the society to explore how partnerships can unlock innovation, build capacity, and ensure that waste reduction efforts contribute meaningfully to the city’s wider sustainability ambitions.

Learnings

  • What role does waste management play in Hong Kong’s carbon reduction strategy?
  • How can advances in recycling, resource recovery, and waste avoidance reduce emissions?
  • What are the challenges across different waste streams, and how can they be addressed?
  • How can stakeholders—from government to community—work together to accelerate progress?

Post-event Actions

  • Evaluate current waste practices and identify areas for carbon reduction.
  • Connect with stakeholders to explore zero-waste and low-emission initiatives.

Speakers

Kitty Lee

Hong Kong Waste Management Association

Vice Chairlady

Kitty is an Associate Director of SMEC, an SJ Company. She is also a Chartered Environmental Engineer, committee member of HKIE Environmental Division, a Chartered Water and Environmental Manager, Engineering EIA Professional and a Certified ESG Analyst with 16 years of work experience. She has been based in Hong Kong and has worked on projects in Hong Kong, China, Australia, India, Malaysia and the US. She is specialised in delivering projects related to waste, hydraulic, water, drainage, sewerage, environmental and sustainability. She has been involved in several iconic projects such as IPark 1, OPark 2, Pillar Point Sewage treatment Works, Tai Po Water Treatment Works Phase 2. Kitty has worked through the project lifecycle including feasibility studies, conceptual design, detailed design and construction. She also demonstrated strength as project manager and project coordinator for multi-disciplinary projects. Kitty has served as committee member of Hong Kong Waste Management Association for years, and she is currently the Vice Chairlady.

Dr. Keith Choy

Hong Kong Productivity Council

General Manager of Green Living and Innovation Division

PhD, MPhil, BEng, General Manager of Green Living and Innovation Division in HKPC, has over 25 years of experience in environmental management and engineering, green technology research and development, with expertise in waste recycling and management, wastewater reuse/treatment, chemical technology, food technology as well as design and implementation of smart manufacturing process/technology for recycling industry and food industry. Keith has extensive experience in leading environmental policy research and studies, development and implementation, as well as stakeholders’ engagement on policies and initiatives of government and corporations.

Keith also has direct responsibility for managing large scale environmental management projects in the role of project director/manager. The clients for these projects include Hong Kong and Macau Governments, public organisations, environmental and building services consultants, industrial and commercial sectors. Particularly Keith is the Deputy Programme Director of the public engagement conducted for the Council for Sustainable Development on waste charging and control of single use plastics respectively as well as Deputy Programme Director for the implementation of the $2 billion Recycling Fund. He is also the team leader of several large scale trial projects for waste reduction scheme for Government and private sectors.

Dan Tsang

HKUST

Professor, Director of Research Center on Decarbonization Technology

Prof. Dan Tsang is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Pao Yue-Kong Chair Professor in the State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization at Zhejiang University in China. A trailblazer in environmental engineering and sustainability, Prof. Tsang has over two decades of research and professional experience. With more than 650 publications in leading international journals, over 75,000 citations, and an h-index of 152, he has been recognized among Stanford University’s Top 2% Scientists (lifetime) and Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers in both the engineering and the environment and ecology categories. He also holds fellowships from the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE), Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), and Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (FHKIE). In addition, with a strong commitment to advancing the engineering profession and contributing to public service, Prof. Tsang serves as the founding Editor-in-Chief of npj Materials Sustainability (Nature Portfolio), as well as Chairman of the Hong Kong Waste Management Association (2023–2025) and Waste Management Subcommittee Chair (2023 & 2024) of the Advisory Council on the Environment of the Hong Kong SAR Government.

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