Environmental Footprint
Hazardous Waste
What is Hazardous Waste?
Hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health and environment. Hazardous wastes are materials that are known or tested to exhibit ignitability, reactivity and toxicity. Wastes of this kind (including chemical, clinical and radioactive) are unavoidably generated via our teaching, research and operational activities both on-campus and off-campus. The CDO and FMO manages the disposal of hazardous wastes according to established management procedures and statutory requirements. Examples: Batteries, Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and fluorescent light bulbs contain hazardous material such as mercury, cadmium and lead should be disposed in specific recycling bins.
Food Waste
What we are doing to minimize food waste?
CityU launched an 18-month “Zero Food Waste” campaign in early 2012 to encourage the University community to be more sensitive to food waste issues and to contribute to more sustainable ways of living. The campaign, the first of its kind among local tertiary institutions, was sponsored by the Environment and Conversation Fund. Other programs to minimize the food waste include:
- Food Waste Recycling Trolleys: Since 2011, food waste generated from all the catering outlets at CityU has been collected and converted to fish feed while that generated from staff residential quarters has been put into three mini electric organic waste decomposers for recycling into fertilizer for landscaping use on campus.
- "Less Rice, One Dollar Less": It helps to reduce food waste by ordering a smaller rice portion in canteens and get a reduction of one dollar.
General Solid Waste
How much we saved through recycling of solid waste?
The University saved over 374 tonnes of solid wastes through recycling and turned 7 tonnes of glass bottles into bricks in 2012.
- We promoted the reuse of used furniture and salvaged building materials and fixtures, recycling of recyclables (including food waste) and repairing of defective engineering parts / items to lessen the burden of our landfills and help save valuable resources of the University. The following are some examples:
Indoor Air Quality Control
How to control indoor air quality?
Good Indoor Air Quality ('IAQ') is important for our health. CDO and FMO regularly tests our indoor air quality. To attain "Good Level" on IAQ, CityU must keep the following pollutants at below specified concentrations: carbon dioxide, biological contaminants, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, and ozone.
Prevent Biological Contamination
To prevent biological contamination and improve ventilation, CDO and FMO disinfects air ducts, replaces carpets with vinyl sheets, conducts periodic microbiological tests and installs BioZone Air Purifiers and ventilators.
Water
What have been done on water conservation and consumption?
CDO and FMO operates many facilities to save and recycle water. Actions taken include:
Save Water Consumption
- using Waterless Urinal System to control odours by means of natural microbial technology in male toilets; and
- installing water saving aerators for washbasin taps in toilets.
Water Conservation
- setting up Rainwater Harvesting System in LAU Building for irrigation;
- using Grey Water Recycling System to collect, filtrates and disinfects wastewater for irrigating the Chinese Garden; and
- recycling discarded pool water after closure of the swimming pool for cleansing and flushing of toilets.
Energy
How to save Energy Consumption at CityU?
The University has put a lot of efforts to improve energy efficiency on campus. For example,
- substituting air chiller with water chiller;
- using thermal energy storage to adjust energy use at peak and off peak hours;
- setting up renewable energy systems, such as photovoltaic(PV) panel systems and solar landscape lighting in LAU Building;
- installing LED lamps, daylight sensors, and motion sensors; and
- joining forces with the HK community to save energy.
Electronic Vehicles Charging Stations
Energy Efficiency Improvement
Energy Saving Charter - organised by the Environment Bureau and EMSD, HKSAR
To encourage community-wide participation in saving energy we support the Government’s Energy Saving Charter.
