Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan stated during a radio interview yesterday (July 8) that preliminary public opinion surveys indicate most citizens do not support reintroducing the Municipal Solid Waste Charging Scheme (MSW Charging) at this stage, and any relaunch would require careful consideration.
The SAR government announced the suspension of MSW Charging implementation in May last year, and no timetable has been set for its reintroduction. Earlier, Wen Wei Po interviewed multiple stakeholders, including businesses and cleaning service providers who participated in last year's waste charging trial program.
Some merchants and representatives from the cleaning industry pointed out that current social conditions are vastly different from those when the legislation was passed several years ago. Particularly under unreasonable U.S. tariff pressures, the SAR government must inevitably focus its resources on economic recovery. They thus suggested the government continue suspending the charging scheme and instead promote waste reduction at source through non-mandatory policies.
"Environmental protection doesn't necessarily require punitive policies to advance - at this stage, softer approaches could be used to encourage waste reduction among citizens," they said.
During the radio program, Tse noted that initial surveys show many citizens have reservations about reintroducing waste charging at this time. While the waste charging scheme, discussed for years as a waste reduction tool, has demonstrated value and been implemented in many countries and regions, recent polls indicate public hesitation about implementing charges now.
"Against the backdrop of the current economic environment and complex international situation, the government will minimize impacts on economic development, citizens' livelihoods, and industry operations."
A Wen Wei Po journalist recently revisited Tai Po's Uptown Plaza, one of last year's waste-charging pilot sites, to gather feedback from these early adopters. Some merchants continue using the government-provided designated garbage bags remaining from last year's free distribution.
The mall management company has also established a recycling system, including designated collection points for merchant cardboard boxes, as well as facilities for food waste and glass bottles. Most merchants have developed some environmental awareness and voluntarily sort recyclables when possible. Many expressed that since recycling awareness has improved, they hope penalty mechanisms won't be introduced.
Chef: Owners want to avoid added costs
When discussing the trial program, a chef at a restaurant in the Uptown Plaza maintained reservations similar to those expressed a year ago.
"When the kitchen gets busy, the most convenient thing is to dump all garbage together without sorting into one big bin."
He noted that food waste collectors only empty bins a limited number of times daily. If too much food waste accumulates, bins overflow and create odors. "Someone privately told us we didn't need to be 'so meticulous' about food waste separation because they couldn't collect it all anyway."
He cited one restaurant's estimate that purchasing designated garbage bags would increase monthly costs by HK$8,000-10,000. If waste charging resumes, Chinese restaurants would likely face thousands in additional monthly expenses for waste and food waste handling.
"I'm not the owner, just kitchen staff. From our perspective, before we might have served two seatings during dinner service, but now we often only do one. Our lunch and breakfast output has also decreased compared to before, showing business isn't what it used to be. In this situation, you know, owners don't want to increase costs."
Shop owner: Charging may not be the best approach
A retail shop owner in the mall said the trial program's overall effectiveness fell short of expectations, though some recycling initiatives showed improvement.
"Sometimes theory and practice are two different things. We generate mostly cardboard and plastic waste here. Customers take most plastic packaging with them - we can't control whether they recycle it. We handle large cardboard boxes ourselves. The mall set up collection points where we can just drop them off without breaking them down, so we merchants are willing to cooperate."
The journalist later observed the cardboard collection point and saw many boxes discarded intact nearby. Reportedly, the mall arranges for recyclers to flatten boxes and remove tape before recycling.
Still, the owner believes charging may not be the best way to promote environmentalism. "If the government redirected all resources spent on preparing for waste charging - printing bags, publicity, enforcement - toward environmental education instead, the results might be better."
Staff: Environmental awareness taking root
A snack shop employee said their store's main waste is plastic packaging boxes, which she collects and disposes of in designated recycling bins.
"I think the trial program's greatest value was making people aware of environmental protection and recycling. Since the program was consultative, I previously had no such awareness at all. Now at least I actively recycle some items."
Cleaner: Work pressure increases
Na, who has worked at Lin Tsui Estate as a cleaner for several years, witnessed the entire waste charging trial from start to finish. Recalling last year's trial period, she said, "There was significantly more work then."
In her view, Lin Tsui Estate - having opened in 2018 - is one of Hong Kong Island East's newest and cleanest public housing estates, with mostly younger residents who learn quickly. But if even this estate couldn't handle the new MSW Charging well, she believes implementing it elsewhere would be even harder.
Na said she starts work at 8 am daily, with four cleaners jointly responsible for one building's waste. The 36-story estate has recycling facilities on each floor plus large garbage bins. Three cleaners handle the upper, middle, and lower floors separately before a ground-level worker consolidates everything.
Before the trial, processing waste took about 60 minutes daily for the four workers. During the trial, however, this increased to 90 minutes - a 50% rise. With total working hours unchanged, this compressed time for other duties like sweeping and cleaning outdoor areas.
While data showed little change in total recycling volume, Na believes the trial wasn't completely ineffective.
"From what I saw, residents developed recycling habits - fewer items went into wrong bins, less food waste and liquid spilled around containers, and some floors that previously recycled little now collect more. Younger residents here learn quickly... Having gone through this, if it's reintroduced later, implementation might go smoother."
She noted some residents recycled not out of environmental concern but for reward incentives, suggesting the government could boost recycling through economic incentives.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Tang Wen; English Editor: Darius)
Related News:
Deepline | Transform like Darling Harbour! URA studies building world-class bay in To Kwa Wan
Deepline | From finance to culture: HK expands Qatar partnership with visa waivers & 35 MOUs
Comment