The Power of the Public, Environmental Groups, and Corporations Working Together
The World Green Organisation, along with A.S. Watsons Group, launched the “Plastic Container Recycling Programme” from July 2016. With an average daily disposal of 5.28 million plastic bottles, it comes to no surprise that Hong Kong’s 3 landfills are nearly full. Watsons has been active in its efforts to protecting the environment. WGO, in collaboration with Watsons and Baguio Green Group Ltd, instigated the “Plastic Container Recycling Programme” to encourage recycling to the public and to increase public awareness of environmental protection.
According to the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department (EPD)’s Monitoring Report on Solid Waste in 2014, people in Hong Kong dispose approximately an average of 132 tonnes of plastic bottles per day (this is equivalent to 5.28 million plastic bottles). In response to this, Watsons announced at a press conference that they are working along with WGO for their “Plastic Container Recycling Programme”.
Customers received e-points to participate in upcycling workshops
From July 2016, customers receive vouchers and electronic stamps upon the return of plastic containers of any personal care products and any water bottles at any of the Watsons stores and outlets in Hong Kong. When customers collected 10 stamps, they are able to redeem and join upcycling workshops co-organised by Watsons and WGO. Through this, we hope to encourage and teach customers to reduce the amount of waste plastic containers used.
Watsons and WGO invited designers to construct a beautifully crafted piece of art using Watsons’ distilled water bottles (used or scraped) to place at Watsons’ flagship store on Yun Ping Road in Causeway Bay to encourage the public to recycle plastic containers. 
Customers at the Watsons’ branch actively participating in the “Plastic Container Recycling Programme” to play their part to protect the environment. Watsons and WGO invited designers to construct an art piece using Watsons’ distilled water bottles to be placed before August 31st, 2106 at Watsons’ flagship store on Yun Ping Road in Causeway Bay. The water bottles used in the artwork were collected and supplied by Watsons. Along with environmentally friendly and energy-saving LED lighting effects showing recycling logo and sapling image, this artwork repurposed the plastic bottles in order to promote an environmental message creatively.
Ms. Jacqueline Cheung, Marketing Director for Hong Kong Watsons along with Dr. William Yu, CEO of WGO, together at a press conference to promote the “Plastic Container Recycling Programme” to the public. 
Ms. Jacqueline Cheung, Marketing Director for Hong Kong Watsons (second left) and Dr. Wiliam Yu, CEO of WGO (left), together with Ms. Clara Man, Marketing Manager for Watsons Water (second right) and Ms. Phyllis Ng, CEO of Baguio Green Group Ltd.(right) at the launch ceremony of Watsons’ “Plastic Container Recycling Programme” putting plastic containers in the recycling bin to show their support for the programme. At the conference, Ms. Jacqueline Cheung, Marketing Director for Hong Kong Watsons, said,
Watsons is a leader in the health and beauty market and is the first health and beauty chain in Hong Kong to implement a Hong Kong-wide recycling programme for plastic containers. This initiative will call all consumers to actively recycle.
Dr. William Yu, CEO of WGO, also shared his expertise of environmental protection and urged the public to support the “Plastic Container Recycling Programme” at the press conference.
The Watsons Recycling Programme has a huge network that will facilitate the recycling process throughout Hong Kong and encourage the community to recycle in order to be proactive in their endeavours to protect the environment.
About Us
The World Green Organisation (WGO) is an independent non-governmental organisation concerned with environmental conservation and environmentally related livelihood and economic affairs. Through science-based policy research and community projects, the WGO aims to enhance the quality of the environment, promote a greener economy, and improve people’s livelihoods. In particular, it will focus on the social concerns of underprivileged groups and on the creation of a green economy to help realise its vision of sustainable development.
About Watsons
Watsons is Asia’s leading health and beauty retailer, currently operating over 5,200 stores – more than 1,300 of which provide pharmaceutical services, in 12 Asian and European markets, including China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau), Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Korea, Indonesia, Turkey and Ukraine. Watsons operates over 220 stores in Hong Kong and Macau, of which over 50 have in-store pharmacies, making Watsons the No. 1 Pharmacy Network in Hong Kong.
For more information about Watsons, please visit,
http://www.watsons.com.hk/companyInformation
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