More than 80% of Hong Kong students who eat lunch at school use environmentally-friendly lunchboxes, an Environmental Protection Department survey has found.

Covering 550,000 students at 1,200 primary and secondary schools, the survey found 51% used reusable lunchboxes, 30% used recyclable ones, while only 19% used disposable boxes.

Conducted last year the survey found that out of the 52 suppliers identified, 38 (73%) offered lunch in reusable boxes and 11 provided the more environmentally friendly central portioning for about 70 schools, as compared with only two suppliers providing reusable lunchboxes or central portioning in 2004.

The department estimates schools using disposable lunchboxes dropped from 70% in 2004 to 40% in 2007.

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