Public housing estates completed from September next year will feature a new refuse handling system for better and more cost-effective cleanliness and hygiene.

Compared with conventional manual refuse collection, the installation cost for the new system ranges from $230,000 to $380,000 per block, while monthly operation and maintenance costs range from $2,000 to $3,400, the Housing Authority says.

Estates comprising 2,400 flats or more will adopt the Central Compactor System for handling a daily refuse output of five tons or more, while others will adopt the Distributed Compactor System. Both are designed with control devices at the bottom of the refuse chute to prevent over-packing of bins and spillage in the collection and transportation process.

For the Central Compactor System, a storage chamber with motorised gates at the bottom of the refuse chute controls the volume of refuse loaded into bins.

Reduced volume

At refuse collection points, a central compactor reduces the refuse to one-third of the original volume for storage in a sealed container before being sent to refuse transfer stations or landfills.

For the Distributed Compactor System, a small-scale compactor automatically compacts the refuse to half the original volume and squeezes out the liquid content before loading into bins for transit to collection points. There, as compaction has reduced the volume of refuse to be handled by 50% to 66%, the size of the refuse handling area can be reduced to create more open space.

The Housing Department will also consider the feasibility of adopting the two new refuse handling systems in existing estates.