Talk of the town : New ways of dealing with food waste
【明報專訊】Most of the food waste in Hong Kong is disposed of in landfills along with other municipal solid waste (MSW). 11,358 tonnes of MSW was disposed away in landfills every day in 2021. The largest category of MSW was food waste, which made up about 3,437 tonnes and takes up about 30% of total MSW. Over 1,095 tonnes of the daily food waste dumped at landfills came from commercial and industrial sources like restaurants, hotels, wet markets, and the food production and processing industries.
A local ecologically conscious start-up, V-Surf, has brought a biosurfactant to Hong Kong named 'lactonic sophorolipid', which is made by food waste. The biosurfactant can be used to make many personal care products, such as soap, hand sanitizer, shampoo and fabric softeners. Besides, as lactonic sophorolipid is one of the antimicrobial surfactants, it can be used to make toothpaste and dental floss. The founder, To, points out that using food waste to make biosurfactants can ease the problem of landfill, as well as live up to the concepts of sustainable development.
However, the most important step in reducing food waste is to avoid creating it in the first place. The Environment Bureau set up the Food Wise Hong Kong Steering Committee in 2012 to promote food waste reduction, with the iconic figure "Big Waster" who symbolises food wastage. Apart from "reduction at source", donating surplus food and leftover to some food banks and non-governmental organizations for redistributing it to people in need is also a good way of dealing with food waste.
■Grammar Booster
"Live up to"
To achieve what is expected.
E.g. Students should live up to certain standards of behaviour.
■Gear up
Lactonic sophorolipid is an antimicrobial surfactant and it can be used to make toothpaste and dental floss.(True / False)
(Answer on next text)
■Game
Match the numbers.
(See the picture B)
(Answer on next text)
■Glossary
ecologically (adv)……生態的
biosurfactant (n)……生物表面活性劑
avoid (v)……避免
symbolise (v)……象徵
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[Smarties' Power English 第377期]
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