Just half of residents at most sticking to rules on trial run of Hong Kong waste-charging scheme on housing estates
- Environmental Protection Department says garbage handling fees have added financial pressure to the operators of restaurants, businesses and nursing homes
- Compliance rate among residents living in public and private housing estates in first month of trial scheme was between 20 and 50 per cent, it also says
Just half of public and private housing estate residents at most followed new rules in the first month of a trial run for a twice-delayed waste-charging scheme, Hong Kong environmental authorities revealed on Friday.
The Environmental Protection Department also said the test run covering 14 types of premises found that garbage handling fees had added financial pressure to the operators of restaurants, businesses and nursing homes, despite a reduction in waste disposal and an increase in recycling.
Under the controversial waste-charging scheme, residents would be required to use designated rubbish bags available in nine sizes at a cost of 30 HK cents (4 US cents) to HK$11, but it has been postponed twice, most recently from April to August.
The trial run, which provides free garbage bags, covers premises including public and private housing estates, a government office block, shopping centres, care homes and restaurants, started on April 1.
In a written reply to the Post, the department said the compliance rate among residents living in public and private housing estates was between 20 and about 50 per cent.
The rate was even lower – only 10 to 20 per cent – at “three-nil” buildings which do not have property maintenance companies, owners’ corporations or residents’ organisations.
But nursing homes, restaurants and the government block had a 100 per cent compliance rate because of requirements from their management. The rate was around 70 per cent for shopping centres.
