Recently, various districts in Hong Kong have seen the emergence of unidentified "no-name, no-contact, no-approval" used clothing collection bins placed roadside. These bins, operating under the banner of "environmental protection and charity," encourage residents to discard second-hand clothes inside for recycling or distribution to those in need. However, does the goodwill of our citizens ultimately achieve its intended purpose?
To uncover the truth behind these collection bins, a Wen Wei Po reporter prepared three used clothing items two months ago, placing mini electronic trackers inside the bag openings before depositing them into bins in three different districts. The clothes remained untouched, indicating that those responsible for the bins do not frequently collect the donated items.
"How did it end up in the Philippines?"
After more than three weeks, the tracker finally showed activity. As tracking continued, the whereabouts of these garments gradually came to light. After several months of tracking, one item placed in a particular bin was eventually suspected of being resold to a location called "Bay City Mall" in Batangas City, Philippines, before disappearing. Does this mean someone is exporting second-hand clothes for resale overseas for profit?
As for the clothing placed in another bin, the tracker showed it reached a warehouse belonging to a trading company on Kam Sheung Road before the battery presumably drained, and it vanished. Why would second-hand clothes end up with a trading company? The reporter decided to investigate the location and found it was a trading company run by South Asians. Besides an office built from shipping containers, there was a warehouse the size of two basketball courts, with several container trucks and large shipping containers parked nearby.
When the reporter visited, a staff member wearing a white robe looked surprised. Upon explaining the purpose was to trace the second-hand clothes, the staff member said, "We are just a trading company, mainly providing logistics services worldwide." He emphasized that their company has branches in Mainland China, Pakistan, Dubai, and elsewhere, focusing solely on logistics and not accepting second-hand clothes. He believed someone had shipped the reporter's clothes, along with other second-hand items, through their company to be resold in other countries.
The staff member noted that the relevant shipping costs are significant.
"For a 40-foot container shipped to the Philippines, the charge is about HK$20,000. For a 20-foot container, it's around HK$15,000, taking roughly over three weeks to arrive."
Declaring them as new clothes to avoid customs rejection
After quoting the prices, the staff member added, "Second-hand clothes are 'foreign garbage' and are strictly cracked down on by Southeast Asian governments. If shipped to the Philippines, there's a risk of rejection."
Seeing the reporter's puzzled expression, he lowered his voice and said, "Unless someone 'greases the wheels' beforehand, customs will likely reject second-hand clothes." He also mentioned hearing about people adopting a strategy of mixing new garments with old ones, declaring them as new during customs clearance to successfully smuggle them abroad for profit.
Suspected shipped to waste transfer station
The final destination of the clothing from the last collection bin is even more mysterious. The tracker last showed it was transported to the North West New Territories Refuse Transfer Station in Tuen Mun. Recycling industry insiders pointed out that waste is compressed at transfer stations before being sent to landfills.
Was the tracker removed and discarded at a garbage station after someone took the clothes? Or were both the tracker and clothes discarded as ordinary trash? It remains a mystery.
Unbranded clothing export price: HK$1,000 per tonne
Stephen Chan Chit-kwai, a former member of the HKSAR Environmental Campaign Committee, stated that these collection bins are mostly set up by South Asians or small recyclers. He indicated that the main outlets for non-branded second-hand clothing are: export for profit, processing for recycling, and donation to underprivileged groups. About 40% of second-hand clothes are exported to Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, becoming second-hand goods in local markets for profit.
Chan pointed out that the export price for these second-hand clothes is at least HK$1,000 per tonne, with shipping costs borne by the buyer. Shipping a single 40-foot container costs approximately HK$15,000 to HK$20,000. Due to high freight costs, recyclers typically consolidate large quantities of clothes before exporting to reduce expenses.
He revealed that the profit margin for the entire recycling industry isn't particularly high.
"For one tonne of clothes, a recycler needs to collect about 100 to 200 items. After deducting transportation and other costs, the net profit per tonne is only a few hundred Hong Kong dollars." However, recyclers can still achieve some economic benefit if they have access to stable export markets or processing channels.
The second outlet for such second-hand clothes is processing. Chan noted that about 20% of the total volume enters this stream, where they might be converted into fabric or used to make products like cloth bags. Only the remaining 20% of clothes take the third path: being donated to underprivileged communities or those in need, particularly low-income individuals in Southeast Asia.
Regarding the "no-name, no-contact, no-approval" bins appearing across Hong Kong, Chan said that these boxes are usually placed in public or private areas in rural villages without government approval, making their installation illegal.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Wenliyuan; English Editor: Darius)
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