With the city’s continued development and population growth, waste management has become a major challenge for Hong Kong for many years. Since the latter part of the 20th Century, landfills have been the city’s main method of disposing of municipal solid waste. At the highest point, Hong Kong had 13 active landfill sites across the city. Most of these open-air landfills were sited in valleys or along the coast on the city’s outskirts, and employed the basic method of simply piling up and burying the waste. Notable examples of landfill sites include Jordan Valley, Ma Yau Tong Central, and Ngau Chi Wan.
However, as urban expansion brought residential areas closer to landfill sites, and as these landfills reached capacity against a backdrop of growing environmental awareness, the government closed many of them down in the 1980s and 1990s. In their place, three large-scale strategic landfills were established in Tseung Kwan O (South East New Territories Landfill), Tuen Mun (West New Territories Landfill) and Ta Kwu Ling (North East New Territories Landfill). After years of restoration work, these closed landfills have been put to other uses. Most have been rezoned for recreational purposes such as sports facilities, giving them a second life as public spaces for the community.
After a landfill is closed, the government still needs to carry out ongoing maintenance, managing landfill gas and leachate (polluted water), and maintaining the cap layer to ensure compliance with safety and environmental standards. As a result, landfill sites are large-scale structures or industrial activities and are typically planned for recreational or leisure uses.
Cross section of a typical landfill. Graphic by City Unseen. Source: Environmental Protection Department.
The large quantities of refuse accumulated inside a landfill will continue to generate landfill gas and leachate over a prolonged period. Therefore, during the restoration process, a leachate management system must be installed to collect and treat the contaminated liquid that seeps from the solid waste to prevent it from leaking beyond the landfill. A landfill gas management system must also be set up to capture landfill gas generated by decomposition (mostly methane and carbon dioxide) and channel it to a treatment/utilization facility. Then, a low-permeability cap is applied over the surface to prevent rainwater from infiltrating into the mass of refuse in order to limit the amount of leachate generated. Finally, groundwater monitoring wells are installed to monitor changes in water quality.
The stability of the ground presents a major challenge for future reuse. As the organic waste beneath the cap slowly decomposes, the ground will settle for decades. This makes it risky to build residential or commercial structures as the additional weight may exacerbate uneven settlement and lead to structural damage. Moreover, the gas generated by decomposition over a very long period can pose a risk of explosion if it becomes trapped in enclosed spaces.
Therefore, even after restoration, the options for repurposing disused landfills—which occupy considerable urban space—are limited. Using these sites for recreation, especially as sports facilities, has proven to be the most practical and beneficial option. Aside from meeting the public demand for open space, sports fields tend to only need simple structures and do not require deep foundations, making them compatible with the site conditions. Their open layout allows for better gas dispersal, reducing risks to safety. Additionally, since it is difficult to grow large trees on landfill sites, sports fields, which require wide open spaces, are well-suited.
This circular structure is likely a monitoring well for detecting gas or leachate leaks. Photo credit: Ng Cheuk Hang.
These sites, once seen as undesirable “noxious facilities”, have been transformed into community assets that enhance neighbourhood identity and foster social cohesion. By providing quality recreational facilities, the government aims to reshape residents’ perception of former landfills.
Since the 2000s, many restored landfills have been converted into recreational spaces. The Jordan Valley Park, formerly the Jordan Valley Landfill, was turned into a major recreational open space in Kwun Tong with football fields, jogging tracks, and children’s play zones serving residents of the surrounding public housing estates.
Part of the Tseung Kwan O Stage I Landfill has been designated as a campsite and green education centre. Named the “E-Co Village”, it is built and operated by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, and integrates leisure with environmental education, featuring a visitor centre, observation platform, and nature trail where visitors can learn about landfill operations and restoration.
Many of Hong Kong’s slopes are managed by the Lands Department, the Buildings Department, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, or the Highways Department. However, the slope at Sai Tso Wan Sports Ground is managed by the Environmental Protection Department. Photo credit: Ng Cheuk Hang, 2025.
Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground is a prime example of a restored landfill. The former Sai Tso Wan Landfill closed in 1995, underwent restoration, then sat idle for an extended period, until the early 2000s when the government began planning for its future reuse.
At that time, the Hong Kong Baseball Association was lobbying the government for a dedicated baseball field. Baseball is a relatively niche sport in Hong Kong with far fewer participants than mainstream sports like football or basketball. Due to the city’s limited land resources, baseball’s development had long been hindered by a lack of suitable venues for training and competitions. After assessment, the government determined that the former Sai Tso Wan Landfill’s site conditions and size met the requirements. First, the site was big enough to accommodate a standard baseball field, and second, baseball fields do not have high requirements for foundation bearing capacity.
The baseball field’s design took into account the landfill’s site limitations. Lightweight materials were used, and a drainage system was tailored to accommodate probable ground settlement. Additionally, several landfill gas monitoring points were set up for the sake of safety.
Opening in 2004, the Sai Tso Wan Baseball Field was the first in Hong Kong to meet official standards, and immediately became an important base for local baseball. The government allocates 60 training sessions per month for athletic training by the Baseball Association of Hong Kong. The pitch also serves as the venue for the Baseball National Squad of Hong Kong, China, and hosts local and international games.
Sai Tso Wan Baseball Field. Photo credit: Ng Cheuk Hang, 2025.
This project illustrates how the government allocates land under existing constraints to support niche sports. On the one hand, this approach promotes sports diversity, allowing people to find suitable outlets for a variety of interests; and on the other hand, repurposing restored landfills—usually considered “marginal” land—for niche sports prevents them from competing with mainstream sports for more valuable land.
Left: Jockey Club Hong Kong Football Association Training Centre under construction in 2017. Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Football Association. Right: HKFA Training Centre in 2025. The football pitches are arranged around the base of the landfill mound in a U-shape. Photo credit: Joshua Wolper, 2025
The site of the Tseung Kwan O’s football training centre was originally part of the Tseung Kwan O Stage I Landfill. When it was closed in the mid-1990s, it underwent a restoration process that involved laying a 1.5-metre-thick cap, installing a landfill gas collection system, and extensive landscaping work. In the early 2000s, the Football Association of Hong Kong (HKFA) began searching for a suitable location to build a centralized training facility. At that time, Hong Kong had a severe shortage of football pitches, especially ones that met international standards. After a comprehensive assessment, the Tseung Kwan O Landfill was deemed the most suitable site.
The project was approved by the Town Planning Board as early as 2005 and received support from the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), but no further progress was made for several years. It was not until Hong Kong hosted the East Asian Games in 2009 that the government launched “Project Phoenix” aimed at promoting local football. The proposal recommended that HKJC sponsor and manage a training centre, but construction was further delayed due to concerns over operational costs. In 2015, the government launched the “Restored Landfill Revitalisation Funding Scheme” to increase the supply of sports training venues, which eventually received a HK$200 million infrastructure funding grant from HKJC. Unlike the Sai Tso Wan Recreation ground, which is managed directly by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Tseung Kwan O Football Training Centre was funded by the Jockey Club and operated by the HKFA.
Covering approximately 12 hectares, the training centre officially opened in 2017. Facilities include six grass pitches, changing rooms, a gym, and administrative offices. About 35% of the available time slots are open for public rental. It serves the Hong Kong team along with several local professional clubs. Centralized training helps players avoid traveling between different venues, improving training efficiency, while standardized pitches help improve skill development.
However, as the venue is built on a landfill, there are certain constraints. The training centre occupies the low-lying perimeter of the landfill, as the higher areas are too sloped for use as sports fields. This affects the layout of the centre, which is in a U-shape with a single entrance, changing rooms and car park at one end, while the farthest pitch is almost a kilometre away, inconveniencing users.
A light pole in Kwai Chung Park appears weathered, suggesting it was installed some years ago. Photo credit: Ng Cheuk Hang, 2025.
Not all landfill transformations are successful, the prime example being the Gin Drinkers Bay Landfill. Although the government has invested a lot of resources into redeveloping it into Kwai Chung Park, actual use by the public has been far below expectations, with many calling it a “ghost town” or “failed project”.
Following the closure of the 27-hectare Gin Drinkers Bay Landfill in 1979, authorities planned to restore the site and transform it into Kwai Chung Park. However, just before the park’s opening in 1992, landfill gas emissions were detected, resulting in indefinite delay. Efforts to abate and monitor the landfill gas continued for many years, and it was not until 2000 that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) officially took over management of the site.
According to a report by the Audit Commission in 2013, basic facilities such as access roads, footpaths, lighting and an administrative office had been installed by the time the LCSD took over, but prolonged disuse had allowed them to deteriorate into poor condition. The SARS outbreak further delayed restoration work; in 2003, the Home Affairs Department concluded that the park’s facilities were too dilapidated, but a lack of resources stalled any improvements.
Between 2003 and 2009, the LCSD made several suggestions for reuse, including a community garden cum sitting-out area, a model car racing track, and a multipurpose lawn. However, for various reasons, none of these ideas were implemented. The LCSD also tried to carry out several small projects, but these were limited to the minor works budget, and little progress was made.
In 2006, the LCSD proposed to build a 4,100 sq. m cycling park within Kwai Chung Park, but the project was scaled down to 3,100 sq. m to meet the funding cap for a minor works project. However, as the project still exceeded the funding cap, it was scaled down further a year later. At that point, the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) advised that further reductions in the cycle park’s size would render the project cost-inefficient, and it proceeded no further. Finally, in 2008, in preparation for the East Asian Games, the government allocated 3.9 ha in the southwest corner of Kwai Chung Park to the Hong Kong Cycling Association to construct a BMX park using HK$22 million from the HKJC. This became Hong Kong’s first international standard BMX track.
Entrance to the BMX Park. Photo credit: Ng Cheuk Hang, 2025.
In spite of this, 23 ha of Kwai Chung Park remained unused and closed to the public. The Audit Commission critiqued the government for failing to provide adequate funding to improve the park facilities, resulting in a long-term lack of effective management. The LCSD subsequently proposed several more ideas, such as a cricket ground, a golf driving range, a football pitch, and various community facilities, but these were not implemented either.
In 2015, the government granted 4.5 hectares in the northern part of the park to Cricket Hong Kong to serve as a temporary cricket ground to fulfil the needs of Hong Kong’s mainly ethnic minority cricket players. Most recently in 2021, the Legislative Council approved HK$318 million to develop around 3 hectares of land within the park to provide a pet garden, multi-purpose lawn, jogging track, walking trail and a landscaped garden.
The temporary cricket ground on top of the former Kwai Chung landfill. Facilities are minimal, lacking toilets, water dispensers, floodlights, or shaded spectator benches. Photo credit: Joshua Wolper, 2025.
The cricket pitch's ground is uneven as landfill gas extraction wells and other facilities must be installed in the middle of the field. As a result, the Cricket Association cannot hold major matches there and currently uses it only for school competitions or lower-division games. Photo credit: Ng Cheuk Hang, 2025.
Construction on 3 hectares of Kwai Chung Park began in 2021 and is expected to be completed soon. Photo credit: Ng Cheuk Hang, 2025.
The Environmental Protection Department estimates that the South East New Territories Landfill will fill up by around 2025, the West New Territories Landfill by approximately 2030, while the North East New Territories Landfill may remain operational until about 2035. Since these three strategic landfills are expected to reach capacity within the next 10 to 15 years, Hong Kong must plan for the long-term reuse of these vast sites.
Compared to old landfill sites, these newer landfills are significantly larger; Tseung Kwan O spans about 100 ha, while the West New Territories Landfill exceeds 200 ha. The same problems and limitations that apply to smaller landfill sites will apply here at a much larger scale, therefore comprehensive planning will be required to balance different needs. Moreover, their remote locations not only make them less attractive to use, but also makes their development timelines longer and requires ongoing resource inputs for maintenance, all of which further increase operational costs.
Restoring and transforming Hong Kong’s landfills, especially the newer, larger, and more remote ones, pose technical, environmental, and management challenges that require extended restoration periods and inter-departmental coordination. While developing recreational facilities is a relatively viable option, it requires design solutions tailored to address the unique ground conditions, ongoing investment, and careful consideration of community needs to guarantee long-term sustainable land use.
Audit Commission, “Report No. 60-Ch.4 Development and management of parks and gardens”, 28 March 2013.
Environmental Protection Department, “Typical Restoration Details”.
Kwai Chung District Council, “Work Plan of Kwai Tsing District Office 2008-09” (Chinese version only), August 2008.
Legislative Council, “Submission from Kwai Tsing District Council on the ‘Follow Up the Outstanding Leisure and Cultural Services Projects of the Former Municipal Councils’” (Chinese version only), [CB(2)2073/04-05(09)], 19 July 2005 and 28 June 2005.
Working Group on Development of Kwai Chung Park, “Development Area and Proposed Facilities of the Park” (Chinese version only), WGDKCP Paper No. 1/D/2017, August 2017.
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