Gold‑Miners of the Gutter: The Real Cardboard Buccaneers of Hong Kong
Meet Au Fung‑lan, a 67‑year‑old who has turned a lifelong habit of bending her fingers into a full‑time circus act. For two decades she’s been scooping up discarded cardboard from every corner of Hong Kong, and the thought of stepping off the treadmill of her life’s work is simply a thing of the past.
Why Cardboard Is More Valuable Than Plastic
- Hospitable stores, markets, and condominiums become treasure troves of empty shipping boxes.
- These boxes fetch a few dollars at local recycling depots.
- China imports up to 95% of Hong Kong’s cardboard—yet the valley hardly has its own recycling plant.
China’s New “Clean‑Up” Policy
Big Brother Beijing is tightening the net on rubbish, especially from semi‑autonomous Hong Kong. By 2020 all solid waste shipments are slated to stop. That means the cardboard economy on the streets is sliding toward liftoff.
But Au doesn’t let the looming horizon scare her. “I keep my feet in the water and my coffee in hand,” she quips, nodding toward her 14‑hour grind that lets her pay a caregiver for her husband—another 77‑year‑old collector.
Breaking the Daily Life of a Cardboard Collector
Au’s route is unwinding from pre‑dawn to dusk. She rips dozens of cartons, flattens them, and finally slips them into her trolley. On a typical day she may haul up to 300 kg and pocket HK$300 (about US$38) at $0.13 per kilogram.
- Average collector: HK$47.30 a day—Au’s daily haul is an astounding leap.
- Age? 67. Gender? 90% women over 60.
- Toys? A battered trolley, and a handful of fingerprints on the plastic treads.
Risks & Bailouts
It’s not all sunshine and cardboard. Au has once had a shoulder jammed in a collision, twice has her skeleton bowed by bus wheels. And the government hygiene inspectors have confiscated her load on a few mornings.
Still, she says I’m not afraid. I do it every day. Her secret? Freedom. No employer, no demanding “give up” from the crowd. Her freedom to earn keeps her fading away from despair.
South‑East Economy and the Push-Back
Unlike the legitimate workforce, collectors like Au have no legal recognition. They are simply under the umbrella of “unofficial freelance workers.” With China’s ban creeping closer, the informal economy will vanish—any fortune richer than the “average wage” will be on hiatus.
As across the city an elderly majority builds their “pension” out of piecemeal cardboard profits, the terrain is shifting. The economic gap is widening; the President says “cost of living” in Hong Kong was the 4th highest worldwide in 2018.
- World: 80% of collectors are women, 80% over 60.
- 70% have been out of work for 8+ hours a day.
- Speaks for the “grassroots residents” and their support structure.
The Waste Crisis: What Happens When Piling Paper Mates Out
Jacky Lau, director of a local waste‑and‑recycling syndicate, estimates that 193 tonnes of paper journey daily to the depots. With the China ban turning the pipes solid, ash piles would be the new skyline. “Landfills are already bleeding,” he warns—alright, that’s a hyperbole.
He hopes that Hong Kong can still export some of its waste. “China’s policies are still generous to a SAD SAR.” He told us he’d like to see an economic plan—to build a local recycling plant and beat out the “dust‑pandemic” of digestion.
The Personal Angle
Au and her husband own an apartment from 1975—a safety net that keeps their roofs from grounding. That means no subsidy, except a tiny monthly allowance for over‑70s.
Her children urged her to quit her cardboard hustle. “If you think I bring shame, stop calling me Mum,” she told them, and they said, “Okay, we’ll get along the rest of the day.”
She sees the cardboard as an investment in the “future”—a transparently less fragile plan than depending on the “family.”
