Link is committed to reducing waste from tenant operations, shoppers, and construction/renovation.
We work closely with stakeholders to identify opportunities to reduce waste generation across our value chain. With a large retail portfolio, we are particularly focused on engaging with our tenants and shoppers to reduce waste to landfill or incineration through waste diversion and recycling. We also continue exploring the phasing out the use of single-use plastics across our portfolio.
We support transition to a circular economy and target to increase recovery and recycling of waste, minimising waste transferred to landfill or incineration. Our largest waste diversion programme is in organic waste, since we have identified this to be one of the most significant waste categories for our portfolio, particularly at our fresh markets. We will continue to improve and scale up our waste recovery/recycling efforts to improve measurement, increase efficiency to contribute to greater waste recovered/ recycled rate.
>50% general waste(1) recovered/recycled by 2035
100% of retail properties in Hong Kong(2) to provide organic waste diversion service by 2028/2029
(1)General waste includes organic, inorganic, and recyclable waste (including any tenant waste) handled by Link at properties where Link has operational control. Excludes construction waste and hazardous waste.
(2)Excludes properties <50,000 sq ft by IFA.
Achieved
On Track
Lagging Behind
Not Commenced
We require our tenants to reduce waste during fit-out, reinstatement and operations. Where possible, our leasing team will encourage incoming tenants to utilise existing fit-out elements from previous tenants, thereby reducing wastage. We recommend that tenants consider using recycled materials for their fit-out and to avoid excessive packaging in their operations. We regularly interact with our tenants to discuss and share best practices for waste reduction, including reduction of single-use plastics and food waste.
We strive to reduce single-use plastics by providing alternative solutions for our shoppers. Past efforts include piloting the use of biodegradable cassava bags at our fresh markets and a bring-your-own-box campaign at selected food outlets in our portfolio. We have ceased distribution of single-use plastic umbrella bags across our Hong Kong retail and expanded this practice to three Chinese Mainland retail properties, Link CentralWalk, Link Plaza Liwan and Link Plaza Tianhe in March 2023. To support this change, we added physical amenities such as eco-friendly umbrella dryers and blower fans, increased cleaning capacity, and launched an educational campaign for our shoppers.
In our development and asset enhancement projects, we adopt sustainable materials and methods to reduce material wastage and the use of natural resources. We partner with contractors to reduce construction waste materials.
All our tenants are required to comply with responsible waste management practices and encourage and support our tenants to conduct waste separation and recycling during fit-out, reinstatement, and daily operations. We also work closely with them to divert waste from landfill or incineration and have initiated programmes to divert organic waste, plastics, metal, mixed paper/cardboard, and glass.
We also work with the Environmental Protection Department in Hong Kong to expand our organic waste collection initiative to more fresh markets. Organic waste collected from our market tenants is delivered to O∙Park in Hong Kong for energy generation.
We provide recycling bins (paper, metals, and plastics) in the public areas of our shopping centres, encouraging shoppers to recycle. To further engage and encourage the community to recycle, we have installed plastic bottle reverse vending machines (RVMs) in our Hong Kong retail properties that reward recyclers for every bottle deposited. We also support the collection of other recyclables, such as glass bottles and used clothes, as well as lai see packets during Chinese New Year period.
