Higher prices for electronic appliances on the cards, as Hong Kong rolls out recycling and disposal plan to combat dumping

A scheme requiring producers of some electronic appliances to pay for their recycling and waste disposal came into effect in Hong Kong on Wednesday, but retailers warned it would only be a matter of time before the added costs were passed on to customers.

Under the official “Producer Responsibility Scheme”, sellers are required to provide free, government-approved removal services for old and unwanted appliances to customers who buy new products of the same type.

Air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, computers, printers, scanners and monitors will have to be taken to a recycler licensed to process and store them.

Producers also have to pay a recycling levy of between HK$15 and HK$165 per item to the government every quarter.

Both industry players and the government have conceded that the extra costs could eventually be transferred to the customer.

Environment secretary Wong Kam-sing on Wednesday acknowledged that these were commercial decisions, but brushed off concerns that the new recycling charges producers must pay would be the only factor in price changes. Market competition would also prevent price gouging, he said.