Hong Kong green groups ‘disappointed’ by further delay of waste charge scheme
Hong Kong Free Press
Environmental groups in Hong Kong have expressed disappointment over the government’s decision to further postpone a waste-charging scheme. A new implementation date must be set to demonstrate officials’ determination to reduce the amount of waste and improve recycling rates, a green group has said.
Delaying the municipal waste tax scheme once again without setting a new implementation date was “no different to an indefinite shelving,” Greenpeace said on Monday after the government announced that the citywide roll-out of the scheme would not go ahead in August as planned.
The policy was designed to reduce the amount of rubbish Hongkongers send to landfill by requiring people to pay for what they discard using designated garbage bags. But the policy was described as a “public disturbance” by residents who took part in a two-month trial run that began in April.
‘No room to slow down’
Greenpeace said it was “extremely disappointed” by the move, adding the decision implied a “lack of determination” in the overall waste reduction policy.
“The waste-charging scheme has been delayed for a long time and the waste volume has increased continuously. Society has no room to slow down its pace on the path of waste reduction,” Greenpeace said, added the government must set a clear implementation date and waste reduction targets and conduct regular reviews to demonstrate its determination.
Another environmental group, The Green Earth, also expressed disappointment over the further delay. The NGO said the government had failed to make good use of a years-long period to prepare for the implementation on the waste tax.
“The high volume of waste will definitely exacerbate the pressure on Hong Kong’s waste management,” the green group wrote on Facebook.
The government should provide a detailed timetable within a month for improving supporting infrastructure and education work, The Green Earth said. A mid-term work report should also be submitted before the full report that is set to be published next June, it added.
Described by the government as “the centre of our overall waste reduction strategy,” the waste tax was first proposed by the authorities in 2005. The scheme was approved by the legislature in August 2021 following several consultations and trials.
The full implementation of the waste tax was originally scheduled to roll out on April 1, but the government delayed the launch in January citing public concerns. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said then that the government needed “more time for preparations” and would try new ways of promotion, including “on-site demonstrations.”
‘Sensible decision’
Delaying the waste-charging scheme once again was described by a pro-establishment party as a “pragmatic and sensible” decision, as the plan had caused a disturbance and would place an increased financial burden on the general public and corporations.
“[U]nder circumstances where preparation was inadequate and the public did not support it, it would not be appropriate to implement the scheme forcibly,” a Chinese statement from the DAB read.
DAB legislator Elizabeth Quat said charging for designated garbage bags was not “the only way” to promote environmental protection. The government could consider optimising an existing reward scheme that allows residents to exchange rubbish for cash, or points that can be used to pay for government service fees.
She also called on the government to seize the opportunity to improve the promotion and education on recycling, strengthen recycling infrastructure and develop waste-to-energy facilities.
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