The only recycler of paper-packed beverage boxes in Hong Kong was forced to move.

Mil Mill, the only recycler of paper-packed beverage boxes in Hong Kong, is facing the fate of being forced to relocate its factory in Yuen Long Industrial Estate.

Ye Wenqi, co-founder of Mil Mill, pointed out that when the factory was built, it took a lot of time to find a suitable place. The original lease term of the industrial estate was 3 years, but last year, the park told Mil Mill to renew the lease every year. about.

Ye Wenqi hopes to receive more grace time until 2025, when the EcoPark plant can be used for recycled paper-packed beverage boxes for a seamless transition.

Zhu Hanqiang, Director of Environmental Affairs of Green Earth, believes that Mil Mill has strengthened the habit of citizens to recycle paper-packaged drink boxes. If Mil Mill is to be out of service for a year, about 2 billion paper-packaged drink boxes will flow back into landfills. Confidence in the recycling industry will also take a hit, as will the confidence of recyclers.

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Ye Wenqi said that at present, the factory mainly processes paper-packed drink boxes, and can process about three tons of paper-packed drink boxes every day, turning them into fibers for papermaking. In addition, it also processes miscellaneous paper, recycling low-priced paper into fibers, and Exported to mainland China and other places, it also means that if the factory operates 24 hours a day, it can process 60 tons of paper per day.

Ye Wenqi hopes that the Science and Technology Park will seriously consider the situation, and hopes that there will be more grace period until 2025.

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Mil Mill was established in 2019. Ye Wenqi pointed out that it took a lot of time to find a suitable place to set up a factory, and the Innovation and Technology Bureau stated that the land in the industrial village had been vacant for a long time. The lease at that time was 3 years, and there was no development plan. Industry, the first factory in Hong Kong to introduce the recycling of paper-packed beverage boxes, and I feel that the park also supported the establishment of Mil Mill at that time.

Later, the science and technology park company wanted to develop microelectronics, and the positioning of the industrial village changed. Last year, it expressed to Mil Mill that the contract would be renewed every year.

Ye Wenqi said that considering that it takes nine months to build a recycling plant, he hopes to renew the contract, but this year, he cannot renew the contract and needs to move out.

Ye Wenqi also pointed out that the re-industrialization plan of the Science Park does not include the recycling of paper-packaged drink boxes, which makes him puzzled.

He pointed out that the factory is all heavy-duty technology, and it is the only recycling factory that uses related technologies.

Founder Ye Wenqi: EPD provides three short-term rental sites

The EPD then beckoned to them that there were three sites available for lease on short-term leases.

Ye Wenqi pointed out that it is necessary to carefully observe whether the place is suitable, and the original factory space is not enough, so it is necessary to find a suitable place.

Ye Wenqi hopes that the Science and Technology Park Company can seriously consider the situation, and hopes that there will be more grace time. In 2025, the plant of the Environmental Park can be used for recycling paper-packed beverage boxes for seamless handover.

Ye Xu said that there are more than 600 recycling points in the "Green Zone" and various districts. Nearly 1 million people have the habit of clean recycling. If recycling is suddenly interrupted, it is difficult to re-establish the recycling habit.

He also pointed out that the factory will continue to look for a place to build a factory, but it will take time and will study how to miniaturize the equipment and explore whether it can continue to operate in a factory with a smaller area.

Zhu Hanqiang believes that Mil Mill has strengthened the habit of citizens to recycle paper-packaged drink boxes. If Mil Mill is to be out of service a year, about 2 billion paper-packaged drink boxes will flow back into landfills.

(File photo/Photo by Huang Shuhui)

Huan Tuan: More than 2 billion paper-packed drink boxes have flowed into the landfill after the material recycling plant was shut down for a year

Zhu Hanqiang believes that Mil Mill has strengthened the habit of citizens to recycle paper-packaged drink boxes. If Mil Mill is to be out of service for a year, about 2 billion paper-packaged drink boxes will be re-flowed into landfills, which will damage the public's confidence in recycling. Industry confidence will also decline.

He said that the former Chief Executive Donald Tsang once said that environmental protection is one of the six major industries in Hong Kong, but the cooperation between the environmental protection department of the Hong Kong government and the Science Park has been disappointing again and again.

Li Jiachao: The Environmental Protection Department has provided a place to apply for the operation of another recycling factory. Why can't the government help?

Yuen Long Industrial Estate's Zhuanchuang Beverage Box Recycling Plant was forced to be relocated or shut down, beckoned by Singapore