Waste charging: Hong Kong gov’t-authorised trash bags go on sale, authorities vow to combat fakes
Hong Kong Free Press
Government-authorised plastic trash bags have gone on sale ahead of the recently-postponed, controversial, city-wide waste charging scheme.
The different-sized bags are now available in Circle K stores. They will be on sale in other venues including 7-eleven and supermarkets starting from February.
Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wa announced last Friday that authorities had decided to postpone the roll out of its already delayed “pay-as-you-throw” waste tax until August, citing public concerns about the scheme’s complexity.
The scheme requires Hongkongers to purchase government-authorised bags to dispose of their rubbish or risk a HK$1,500 fine. It aims to encourage the public to throw away less. Some government buildings will start a pilot scheme of the waste tax before August, Tse said.
On Friday morning, Tse met district councillors to explain the waste tax and the use of authorised bags. He also invited local councillors to help promote the scheme across the community.
The official said that the public should go to venues accredited by the Environmental Protection Department to purchase authorised bags. They should also be wary of fake bags, he said.
“The government will combat any places that sell counterfeit bags, ” Tse in Cantonese.
He added that authorities are considering which government buildings will take part in the pilot scheme.
According to the government, the bags will come in nine different sizes, ranging from three litres to to 100 litres, with each litre costing HK$0.11. They will be made available for purchase from 4,000 supermarkets, convenience stores, post offices, vending machines across the city, and online.
Four contractors
The Environmental Protection Department announced last August that four Hong Kong companies had won bids for nine contracts to produce the designated bags. Production started in October.
According to the government, the four contractors are Chun Hing Plastic Packaging Manufactory Limited, Enviro-Sense GreenTech Co. Limited, Nicole Universal Company Limited and Liveability Limited.
Ming Pao reported last August that each contracted supplier was expected to produce approximately 300 million bags, with a contract duration of 38 months.
According to the Environmental Protection Department’s website, the estimated contract value ranges from around HK$80 million to around HK$182 million per contract.
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