Frequently Asked Questions

It refers to air-conditioners (including inverter air-conditioners), refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, computers, printers, scanners and monitors.

It will start from 1 August 2018.

From then on when selling new regulated electrical equipment (REE), the REE seller is required to arrange free removal of a used equipment of the same class for the customer. The seller also has to provide the customer with a receipt containing the prescribed wording about the recycling levy, and a recycling label.

The levy level is: $15 for each computer, printer or scanner; $45 for each monitor; $125 for each air-conditioner or washing machine; and $165 for each refrigerator or television.

The recycling levy is paid by regulated electrical equipment suppliers to the Environmental Protection Department directly.  To what extent the suppliers will pass on the relevant cost along the supply chain is a commercial decision of the suppliers and sellers concerned.

Consumers can request the sellers to arrange delivery of the new product and removal of a used equipment on the same day without the need to pay an extra fee to the sellers.

While throwing a used REE away at the refuse collection point is currently not prohibited, it is not the most appropriate way to dispose of the REE. Please support proper recycling of used REE for protecting the environment and turning waste into resources. This will also save you the effort for taking the used equipment to the refuse collection point.

You may call the collection hotline at 2676 8888 or WhatsApp (6081 5096) to make an appointment with the Government's recycling service operator for free collection. The schedule of appointment may take longer as the WEEE · PARK operator will accord higher priority to collection requests for statutory removal service. Based on the current booking position, the operator is able to arrange collection of the used items in about a week's time after receipt of the request.

The Government's recycling service operator is fully geared up and deployed additional manpower to attain its performance pledge for collecting the waste equipment three working days after receipt of service request from the sellers. The current booking position shows that it can fulfil this pledge.

If you have to dispose of a used regulated electrical equipment (REE) but are not buying a new REE, please call the recycling hotline 2676 8888 or WhatsApp (6081 5096) to make an appointment with the Government's recycling service operator for free collection. In this regard, the operator will make full use of its additional manpower to meet the service demand. Based on the current booking position, the operator is able to arrange collection of the used items in about a week's time after receipt of the request.

If the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) finds any suspected cases of non-compliance with the legal requirements on the part of the sellers or its staff, e.g. providing misleading information to the consumers in respect of the time required for arranging the statutory removal service, EPD will further investigate and take enforcement actions as necessary.

No. The seller is required to contact the designated collector(s) (including the Government's recycling service operator) named in its statutory removal service plan to arrange the collection service for its customer.

The seller should be able to arrange delivery of the new product and removal of the used equipment on the same day if this is to be arranged three working days after the day of purchase. The seller may however offer other value-added services at a charge. Consumers may choose a service that suits their needs.

After purchasing regulated electrical equipment (REE), the consumers should obtain from the seller a suitable recycling label for such equipment before/when receiving the new equipment.   The recycling label aims to help consumers identify REE that is distributed under the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. Consumers do not need to surrender a recycling label in order to request for the statutory removal service.

Consumers are not subject to the recycling levy for the REE purchased from abroad for personal use.  However, if the equipment is further distributed (i.e. parallel trading), the person is regarded as a supplier / seller under the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and is subject to the relevant statutory obligations.

Consumers using the statutory remove service should note that:

(a) the old item must stand alone, free from any installations, connections or obstructions to facilitate removal;

(b) the old item should be kept clean and tidy. In the event of serious hygiene problems (e.g. rancid foods, infestation of cockroaches and ants), the collector may refuse to remove such item and the consumer may not request for another free removal service again.

There may be some variations in the removal services arranged by different sellers. Consumers are advised to refer to the relevant terms of service before making a choice.

Consumers have the right to keep the old REE for their own use, for donation or other purposes.  If consumers eventually decide to dispose of the used REE, they can  send the used REE to licensed recyclers for handling, or make use of the Government's recycling channels including the Recycling Hotline (2676 8888) or WhatsApp (6081 5096) or Community Green Stations, so as to ensure the proper recycling of these equipment, achieving resource recovery and turning waste into resources.

Under the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance (Cap. 603), household refrigerators and other commercial refrigerator/ freezers with rated total storage volume exceeding 500L are not regarded as regulated electrical equipment (REE). Hence, suppliers are not required to pay the recycling levy, and sellers are not required to provide the statutory removal service for customers of such kind of electrical equipment.

Under the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WPRS), WEEE · PARK collects and treats REE items only. Members of the public can hand over non-regulated household electrical appliances, including household refrigerators with rated total storage volume exceeding 500L, to Green@Community Recycling Stations for proper handling. For details, please click here.

When the Typhoon Warning Signal No. 8 (or above) or Black Rainstorm Warning is in force, the WEEE · PARK operator's recycling hotline and collection service will be suspended. After the cancellation of the warning signal, the operator will contact affected users as soon as possible and reschedule the collection service to about 2 to 4 days later.

Please call EPD's enquiry hotline at 2838 3111 if you have any enquiries or want to file a complaint concerning the implementation of the scheme.