40 million visitors drive Macau waste higher than local levels, report says

Macau’s municipal solid waste exceeds typical local population levels due to the city’s unique socio-economic structure – a small resident base but high tourism volume of over 40 million visitors last year –  according to the Environmental Protection Bureau’s  (DSPA) latest “Macau Environmental Status Report.”

According to the report released yesterday, municipal solid waste in 2025 totaled 532,053 metric tons, an increase of 1.0% compared with 2024, with per capita municipal solid waste reaching 2.13 kilograms per day.

The top three components of the waste stream were organic matter, paper and cardboard, and plastics, together accounting for 85.6% of the total. The estimated waste resource recovery rate for the year stood at 21.1%, with total recovered waste volume rising 6.9% from 2024. Aluminum cans and tin cans recorded the largest increase at 19.9%, followed by plastics at 15.5% and glass at 9.3%. By weight, the most recovered resources were paper, electronic and electrical equipment, glass, and plastics.

Notably, by the end of last year, there were 10 “Eco Fun Stations” across Macau’s districts, some of which feature 24-hour recycling areas and smart food waste recycling machines. In addition, there were 62 community recycling points and 67 smart recycling machines. The total number of community recycling collection points across Macau has exceeded 4,000, with services covering paper, plastics, metals, glass bottles, food waste, electronic and electrical equipment, batteries, fluorescent tubes, and old clothing.

Regarding food waste, the report reaffirmed that the organic resources recycling center in Coloane is expected to be completed in 2027.

“It will then support a scheme primarily focused on recycling commercial and industrial food waste to enhance resource utilization rates,” it noted, alongside ongoing food waste recycling pilot schemes in restaurants and households to encourage public participation.

The report also noted that last year, special and hazardous waste amounted to 5,415 metric tons, while construction waste totaled 1,257 thousand cubic meters, including 543 thousand cubic meters of marine mud. Fly ash reached 27,166 metric tons, and bottom ash reached 106,268 metric tons.

The report concluded that the overall environmental quality continued to improve during the past year, with atmospheric pollutant concentrations registering declines – a positive trend attributed in part to a marked increase in electric vehicle adoption.

Electric motorcycle numbers rose approximately sixteen-fold compared with the period preceding the introduction of a subsidy program in 2022, while the proportion of new motorcycle purchasers selecting electric models increased from roughly 2% to 36.8%. Among newly registered vehicles in 2025, the share of electric light vehicles grew from approximately 4% in 2019 to 38.5%. Macau’s total motor vehicle fleet reached 254,393 in 2025, representing a 0.5% increase over 2024, while vehicle density declined by 1.5% year-on-year to 509 vehicles per kilometer.

According to the report, land transport-related air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 59,167 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025 – an amount equivalent to the annual carbon absorption capacity of 2.95 million trees.

Nevertheless, the report also noted that Macau’s average daily sewage treatment volume has exhibited an upward trend in recent years, reaching 265,357 cubic meters in 2025, an 11.0% increase over 2024.

Total billed water consumption stood at 93,514 thousand cubic meters, with per capita billed water consumption at 373.5 liters per day. Water consumption by district, ranked from highest to lowest, was as follows: the Macau Peninsula accounted for 59.7%, the Cotai reclamation area 20.5%, Taipa 13.3%, Coloane 5.4%, and the University of Macau’s Hengqin campus 1.1%.

Environmental noise monitoring results for 2025 indicated that noise levels during the 24-hour, daytime, and nighttime periods at most monitoring stations either decreased or remained stable relative to 2024. The total number of noise complaints received by the DSPA and the Public Security Police Force fell by 3.5% from the previous year, continuing an overall downward trend in recent years.

As noted, the most frequently cited categories of noise complaints were “activities in public places,” “daily activities and pets in residential buildings,” and “industrial, commercial, and service sector activities.”