Hong Kong authorities ‘set to shelve’ controversial waste-charging scheme after trial run results
- Suspension is ‘pragmatic and reasonable’ approach, insider says, ahead of discussion of scheme in legislature on Monday
- Pay-as-you-throw scheme, first proposed by authorities as early as 2004, has been met with backlash from politicians, residents and rubbish collectors
Hong Kong authorities will shelve a twice-postponed waste-charging scheme indefinitely after a trial run was marred by public confusion, concerns about affordability, and compliance rates as low as 20 per cent, the Post has learned.
Officials are expected to tell the Legislative Council on Monday that the city is not ready to proceed as planned on August 1 with the controversial scheme, which would have required everyone to use prepaid, government-approved garbage bags to dispose of trash from most residential and commercial premises.
A source said on Sunday that authorities had decided against rolling out the waste-charging scheme citywide on the date as planned, nor would they set a new one.
“A suspension is a pragmatic and reasonable approach,” the insider said. “As for whether a new [launch] date needs to be set, it is difficult to predict for the time being.
“It is unclear when there will be sufficient recycling facilities … We ought not to impose a certain implementation date.”
The pay-as-you-throw scheme, first proposed by authorities as early as 2004, has been met with a backlash from politicians, residents and rubbish collectors, despite its passage through Legco with almost unanimous support in August 2021.
