Opinion | Waste levy dithering will leave government with a big mess to clean up

The Hong Kong government is certainly capable of expediting processes and procedures, such as with Article 23 legislation, when there is enough political will. That’s good news because officials now need to find the same courage and determination to deal with the impending waste charging scheme and the problems it is causing even before it is implemented.

The levy has been pushed back twice. It is now scheduled to come into effect on August 1 and expected to bring in HK$1.79 billion (US$228.9 million) for the government in the first year.

While the city’s home-grown national security laws have been said to only target a “small group of people”, the waste levy will target every single Hong Kong resident. We all produce waste every day, after all.

Since the levy was postponed for the second time, at the eleventh hour, what has the government done to address the concerns that led to that delay? Not much. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan has appeared on a few current-events shows since Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu halted the scheme in January.

But the fact is that the scheme needs more promotion. It’s about taking concrete steps to make recycling more accessible to residents. The point of the scheme is to change people’s mindsets and habits when it comes to how we treat waste.