The Hong Kong Jockey Club pledges to support Hong Kong as a Green Olympic City

2 January 2008

The Hong Kong Jockey Club demonstrated its commitment to the 2008 Green Olympics concept by taking local media to see how stable waste and manure from the Olympic equestrian venues at Sha Tin and Beas River will be recycled to produce environmentally-friendly, organic fertiliser.

During the tour of the Yuen Long plant on 2 January, the media group was very impressed by the recycling project, in which earthworm vermicomposting will be used to recycle the waste.

At the plant, John Ridley, the Club's Head of Racing Operations, and managers of the recycling firm explained the project and were interviewed by the press.

The Club has already been declared "Outstanding Contributor, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Equestrian Events" in recognition of the world class venues and facilities it has provided, but the Club is also fully committed to protection of the environment and making a Green Olympics for Hong Kong.

The stable waste recycling programme was first put into use during the Good Luck Beijing - HKSAR 10th Anniversary Cup eventing competition in August 2007, which served as a test event for the 2008 Olympic equestrian events.  Each day, 10 tons of waste from the Olympic stables was sent to the recycling plant where it was fed to earthworms and recycled into organic fertiliser.

During the Olympic equestrian events this coming August, all stable waste will go through similar recycling treatment. The Club has already pledged that 100% of the Olympic stable waste will be recycled and it is anticipated that more than 30 tons of waste will be processed on a daily basis.

The same initiative is also now being applied to horse racing in Hong Kong, with more than 30 tons of stable waste from racehorses being recycled each day.  By August 2008, 50% of racehorse stable waste will be recycled and the ultimate aim is to recycle 100%. 

The recycling process takes two to three weeks and the resulting organic fertiliser can be used on the turf and gardens at the Club's racecourses, as well as at local organic farms and households, completing the environmental conservation loop.