Letters | Food recovery in Hong Kong should be seen as infrastructure, not charity
Readers discuss a more integrated approach to food waste reduction, sustainability education, and how to bridge the gap between education and employment in Asia
Recognising food recovery as essential urban infrastructure is key to sustainable waste management and social support.
We strongly urge the Hong Kong government to provide stable, long-term funding for NGOs, legislate liability exemptions to protect food donors, introduce meaningful tax incentives and promote proactive cross-departmental collaboration. Food surplus and waste management are not solely environmental issues but intersect with social welfare and public health concerns. Only through an integrated approach will Hong Kong develop a coordinated, efficient and resilient food recovery system citywide.
Despite the clear social, environmental and economic benefits of food recovery, NGOs face escalating challenges including limited funding, complicated logistics and administrative burdens. Many food businesses often find donation more costly and complicated than disposal and consequently, perfectly edible food goes to landfills rather than to people in need.
International examples – from France and South Korea to Singapore – demonstrate that robust government policies and incentives, not charity alone, are crucial to scaling sustainable food waste reduction. Such policies may enable better resource allocation, reduce the pressure on landfill and improve community nutrition.