The Source Separation on Domestic Waste Programme has been successful in public housing estates with the monthly average volume of plastic bottles recovered in 2007-08 up 45.6% on 2006-07 and the daily average refuse load per person down 2.4%, Secretary for Transport & Housing Eva Cheng says.

She told lawmakers today 90 estates have joined the programme since its 2005 launch, accounting for nearly 60% of the total. Fifty-two estates have waste separation bins on every floor.

In the first half of 2007-08 the monthly average volume of plastic bottles recovered surged 45.6% on 2006-07 to 61 tonnes. The figures for waste paper and aluminium cans rose 14.7% and 4.1% to 1,244 tonnes and 23 tonnes.

The programme will cover all estates by 2012.