• Link kicked off the “Bid Farewell to Plastic Umbrella Bags” campaign across its portfolio in Hong Kong starting on 1 February in an effort to lessen the environmental impact of plastic waste
• Link will put in place blower fans and eco-friendly umbrella dryers and arrange additional cleaning labour to ensure a risk-free shopping environment on rainy days

Link Asset Management Limited (Link), the manager of Link Real Estate Investment Trust (Hong Kong stock code: 823), announced today (Friday) the official launch of the “Bid Farewell to Plastic Umbrella Bags” campaign, which began on 1 February, across its portfolio including 75 shopping centres in Hong Kong in an effort to reduce single-use plastics and lessen their environmental impact.

George Hongchoy, Link’s Chief Executive Officer, said:

“We are initiating the ‘Bid Farewell to Plastic Umbrella Bags’ campaign not only to catalyse action against single-use plastics but also to enhance public awareness on how our small habits for convenience can be detrimental to the environment over time. Addressing the issue of plastic pollution requires city-wide consciousness and collective efforts but someone got to lead the change.”

A survey showed that as many as over 14 million plastic umbrella bags were used and abandoned in a rainy season in Hong Kong. (Note)

To prepare for the rainy season, Link has invested an additional $1.3 million to purchase eco-friendly equipment to ensure a risk-free shopping environment:

• Blower fans will be placed at all main entrances as well as some high-traffic side entrances of all shopping centres.
• Carpets will be placed at all entrances and secured with tape during rainy days to avoid slippery floors.
• Umbrella dryers will be placed at all the main entrances of shopping centres and some high-traffic side entrances of designated properties.
• Additional “Beware of slippery floor” signs will be displayed at conspicuous locations during rainy days to remind shoppers.

In addition, Link has arranged with contractors to provide additional cleaning labour on rainy days.

“Sustainability is always at the heart of our business. We plan to roll out a series of other initiatives this year to promote a more sustainable lifestyle together with our stakeholders, with an aim to build a brighter future for our next generation,” added Mr Hongchoy.

A short video of the campaign and high-resolution pictures can be downloaded here.                                                                                                                                                                          

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Note:

The finding was revealed on 31 August 2018 by Greeners Action which conducted the survey in 2017. 

About Link

Link Real Estate Investment Trust (Hong Kong stock code: 823), managed by Link Asset Management Limited, is a leading retail-focused REIT in the world. Listed in 2005 as the first REIT in Hong Kong, Link has been 100% held by public and institutional investors and is a Hang Seng Index constituent stock. From its home in Hong Kong, Link manages a diversified portfolio including retail facilities, car parks, offices and logistics assets spanning China’s Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen), Beijing and Shanghai, the UK’s London and Australia’s Sydney. Link seeks to extend its portfolio growth trajectory and grasp expansion opportunities in different markets in pursuit of its medium-term target Vision 2025. For details, please visit https://www.linkreit.com.