A 12-month pilot program on source separation of glass bottles was launched at six public rental housing estates in East Kowloon of Hong Kong on Saturday.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Hong Kong's Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau said the government will further consider arrangements to promote glass recycling in the rest of Hong Kong after reviewing the result of the pilot project.

Recycling bins have been installed alongside the three existing colored waste separation bins in the lobbies or near the entrances of each residential block in the participating housing estates.

The new recycling bins have a special internal design, which lessens the impact and noise generated by bottles being put into the bins.

The bottles collected from the participating estates will be recycled into glass sand, replacing natural river sand in the production of paving blocks.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2011)