Editorial | Do not let Hong Kong’s waste plans simply go to waste
Months after Hong Kong shelved a levy to reduce municipal rubbish, there is still no timetable for reintroducing a better policy
Months have passed since a citywide levy to help reduce municipal waste was shelved amid confusion and criticism. Meanwhile, households and businesses toss away their rubbish as usual, assuming the scheme will not be reintroduced any time soon. The lack of a clear direction and a timetable on the way forward does nothing for one of the world’s most wasteful cities.
The public may be excused for having the impression that the waste charge has been suspended indefinitely after years of preparation and repeated delays. Little has been heard since a two-month trial earlier this year continued to expose compliance problems and forced officials to backtrack again on the implementation in August.
The latest step by authorities to hand out all the designated garbage bags in stock for nothing to public housing residents has raised questions on the way forward. The bags, which cost no less than HK$74 million to make, will not be used in any future programmes, according to authorities. Costing from 30 HK cents to HK$11 each, they were meant to encourage waste reduction. It is such a shame for the bags not to be used for their intended purpose.
Whether a similar pay-as-you-throw charging scheme will be implemented at some stage remains to be seen. The government only says it will continue to expand recycling facilities and study how to improve the scheme. A clearer direction probably will not come until the middle of next year.
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SCMP Explains: How does Hong Kong handle its waste?
If the government remains as committed as it says it is to waste reduction, a more proactive approach is needed to get the city ready for the challenge. As with the ongoing war against single-use plastics, the public will never be prepared until authorities get serious about enforcement. As the six-month grace period ends later this month, officials have rightly warned that businesses violating the plastics ban will be fined if they do not take action in 10 working days. This is a good example of how green measures may be implemented smoothly with proper preparation and strong political will.
