Business Sector Collection Initiative
Aviation Recycling Partnership with Cathay Pacific and Airport
Authority Hong Kong
In April 2024, a plastic bottle recycling partnership was introduced with Cathay Pacific, in collaboration with the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK). The initiative represents a practical step in bringing the aviation sector into Hong Kong’s circular economy, focusing on the recovery of single-use plastic bottles from inbound flights.
On all Cathay Pacific flights arriving Hong Kong International Airport, bottles are collected directly from the cabins. This captures a high-volume waste stream that would otherwise be difficult to recover. The collected materials are then sorted and consolidated at designated airport facilities before being transported to the recycling plant for local processing, ensuring they remain within Hong Kong’s recycling system.
2M+
bottles collected
Since its launch, the programme has collected over two million plastic bottles, demonstrating both scale and consistency. Operational support from AAHK, including the management of airside waste handling, plays an important role in ensuring the process runs efficiently.
Cabin Crew and passengers both play an important role in the programme. During flights, cabin crew would collect empty bottles from passengers.
>130 flights
Took part to support wider local recycling
June 2026
Launch of HK Express Inflight Bottle Recycling Pilot Programme
Scaling Aviation Circularity: HK Express pilots inflight bottle recycling
Building on this progress, HK Express launched a trial onboard bottle collection programme in June 2026. With the support of AAHK, bottles collected from participating flights are collected and transferred for local recycling.
HK Express’s participation marks a further step in expanding the initiative across the aviation sector. Through coordinated efforts between airlines and airport operations, the programme tests how everyday waste can be recovered and returned to use, supporting a practical and scalable approach to circularity in Hong Kong.
Our Participating Partners
