Government plans for waste reduction that will impact everyone in Hong Kong have been published today (9/2). Householder, business owner, institution administrator, every person is going to be hit mainly by the plan to charge us for our rubbish bags. You will not be allowed to use any rubbish bags other than the Government-issued ones that you will pay for. This is intended to change behaviour as the scheme to charge for plastic bags did. Legislation to introduce municipal solid waste (MSW) charging has been presented a number of times previously but rejected by the Legislative Council, but is now back before it.
The paper on tackling waste management up to 2035 published today encompasses, briefly:
- The aim to reduce per capita municipal waste disposal in the medium term by 40 to 45%
- Objective to raise the recovery rate of recyclables though MSW charging to about 55%
- Move away from reliance on landfills for waste disposal by boosting the waste-to-resources industry. A $1 billion fund has been set up to help finance this with most of the money already allocated.
- The community is to be consulted on a producer responsibility scheme for plastic bottles and other containers as well as control measures for plastic tableware and other disposable plastics.
Secretary for the Environment KS Wong said Hong Kong’s recycling network has been extended to 18 districts, strengthening the collection of recyclables. Groups such as Friends of Sai Kung take a jaundiced view of these government claims saying the pretty coloured recycling bins we see all around the district are quite useless. The rubbish all ends up in the same places: the landfills.
Secretary Wong said the long-term goal is zero use of landfills and this is achievable if the community gets behind these initiatives and the Legislative Council passes the new law on MSW charging.
If you want to go through the new blueprint on waste reduction go to www.enb.gov.hk/sites/default/files/pdf/waste_blueprint_2035_eng.pdf
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