In the heart of the mainly residential area of Lam Tin a patch of green stands out against the blocks of flats. Lam Tin Estate’s community farm is tended to by its residents who are part of a Housing Department initiative aimed at encouraging green living.
Residents relish their role as city farmers, harvesting the fruit, vegetables and herbs they have grown in their own backyard.
Talking trash
The department launched a trial yard waste recycling scheme at the estate in July last year. Workers collect fallen leaves, leaf trimmings, twigs, stalks and grass clippings, and place them in compost bins.
The department has placed the bins in a corner of the estate. Workers chop up the yard waste and mix it inside the bins with some water. They return from time to time to stir the contents. After about two to three months the compost has turned into fertiliser.
The yard waste comes full circle when the fertiliser is used on the community farm and for landscaping the gardens and surroundings.
Assistant Housing Manager Yan Siu-yi said the scheme provides a green living environment for the residents.
"The compost helps the farm crops and garden landscaping to grow. More importantly, the recycling scheme is self-sufficient because the waste does not need to be transported to landfills, which also reduces the carbon footprint."
Last year Lam Tin Estate produced 500kg of compost made from yard waste collected at the estate.
Ms Yan's advice for implementing a yard waste recycling programme is to first make sure the building or estate has the right conditions. The composters must be placed in a well-ventilated location that gets direct sunlight and does not inconvenience residents.
She added that the Housing Department will consider extending yard waste recycling to other public housing estates - provided they have the space.
The department has also enlisted the help of two mascots: Waste Reduction Honey Bee and Slim Rubbish Bin to educate the community on reducing waste at source. They have been handing out leaflets at public housing estates to encourage citizens to develop good waste reduction and recycling habits.
"We hope that these icons can remind our residents to join forces diligently to achieve waste reduction, so that our rubbish bins will be 'slim'," Ms Yan said.
