20/06/2026
A huge thank you to all the dragon boat teams who took the time to keep their recyclables separate and bring them to us at the Stanley International Dragon Boat Races on June 19.
Together, we diverted a significant amount of beverage packaging from landfill:
* 2,891 plastic bottles
* 2,803 metal cans
* 125 kg of recyclables
That said, this is only part of the picture.
Despite having three Urban Spring filtered water stations on-site, 56% of the bottles collected were still single-use water bottles. We also observed many teams not separating recyclables at their tents, meaning a large portion of recoverable material was disposed of as general waste.
To capture what we could, our team sorted recyclables from mixed rubbish bags and bins, and spoke directly with participants to encourage separation at the point of disposal.
As a volunteer group, we only had one station with limited space for collecting and sorting recyclable beverage containers. If you feel there should have been more manned recycling stations, we encourage you to share that feedback with the event organisers and sponsors. But even with the best infrastructure, recycling only works if waste is separated correctly from the start.
** What teams can do **
1. Make reusable water bottles the norm for all team members.
2. Bring clearly labelled bags to keep recyclables separate from general waste
3. Ensure recyclables are delivered to a trusted collection point—or take them home if needed.
4. Ask organisers and sponsors to provide adequate water refill stations and expect transparent and reliable recycling systems at events.
** What needs to change system-wide **
1. Government should require event organisers to include clear waste management and recycling plans as part of licensing and to report post-event data.
2. Sponsors should support infrastructure such as water refill stations and proper recycling systems.
3. Companies should set expectations for staff representing them, including reducing single-use items and handling waste responsibly.
3. Individuals should take responsibility for their own waste, regardless of what others are doing.
Waste management at large events is complex, and no single group can solve it alone. But small actions—done consistently—add up. With better systems and shared responsibility, the impact will be significant.
We hope that in future, recycling management will be embedded from the outset as a core service of the event, not left to be addressed through last-minute volunteer efforts.
綠惜地球 The Green Earth Green Dragons HK Hong Kong Shark Foundation 香港護鯊會 Ocean Recovery Alliance Green.Hospitality 在山田海 Here in Nature 大便妹，學環保。 綠領行動 Greeners Action 撲水 - Water for Free Backchat on RTHK Radio3 The Brew on RTHK Radio 3 - Hong Kong South China Morning Post Hong Kong Free Press HKFP
Shangri-La Stanley Dragon Boat Association
