Everything You Need to Know About Hong Kong’s Waste-Charging Scheme
In an effort to cut down on the sheer amount of trash in landfills, Hong Kong’s waste charging will come into effect on the first of August after the idea’s conception 20 years ago.
With several months to go until the measure’s implementation, the public remains largely oblivious to the regulations, and there has been reported confusion on the details.
To make sure locals, expats,or travelers know what to expect by that time, this Pacific Prime Hong Kong blog post will go through the details of Hong Kong’s waste charging scheme.
Overview
The waste charging scheme is a measure that aims to reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfills, which involves requiring residents to buy government-approved garbage bags. The scheme will cover most residential and commercial areas.
From the effective date onward, Hongkongers must use prepaid, government-approved garbage bags to dispose of rubbish. Designated labels will also be available for larger items.
The Delay
This long-awaited waste charging measure was previously slated to come into effect on April 1st, after already being pushed back once last year, but was delayed to the first of August instead.
Hong Kong’s secretary for Environment & Ecology, Mr. Tse Chin-wan, announced the delay of the waste charging scheme on Friday. The postponement of the measure implementation is to allow more time for relevant publicity work.
The Secretary of the Hong Kong Institute of Housing, Mr. Wong Wing-lok, also believes the postponement of the measures will help reduce confusion when they take effect.
He pointed out that while the measures involve simple ideas such as the use of designated garbage bags and labels, people erroneously believed doing their part was as simple as buying these designated items.
Moreover, the extra management fees imposed on residents in private housing estates may have also contributed to the confusion. Insufficient recycling facilities and small garbage rooms also proved to be problematic for the implementation.
Demonstrations
In place of the original implementation date of the measures, though, government departments and selected buildings will conduct demonstrations to raise public awareness and understanding of the scheme.
These tests will also help identify and address any issues in advance, just in time for the implementation date in August.
Trash Bags: Where to Buy and Prices
Starting at the end of January, members of the public can buy garbage bags, which will be available in nine sizes, from around 3,000 supermarkets, convenience stores, and pharmacies.
Below are garbage bag prices according to their size:
- 3L: HKD $0.3
- 5L: HKD $0.6
- 10L: HKD $1.1
- 15L: HKD $1.7
- 20L: HKD $2.2
- 35L: HKD $3.9
- 50L: HKD $5.5
- 75L: HKD $8.5
- 100L: HKD $11
Retailers can also sell the authorized garbage bags at the checkout for customers to carry their shopping and encourage reuse, along with the option to buy a regular plastic bag or use their own bags.
Property management offices and residents’ organizations for housing estates can also buy the bags in bulk to sell them to residents, all of which they can apply to do so via an online platform managed by the Environmental Protection Department.
Since January 15th, there have been approximately 6,300 applications.
Paying Less
Because the scheme is based on a polluter-pays principle, the simplest way to reduce costs is to filter out recyclable materials such as plastic bottles and boxes, aluminum cans, and glass bottles, disposing of them in any recycling bin. You don’t need to use the aforementioned approved bags to dispose of recyclable materials.
Another way to reduce costs is to recycle food waste by separating it from non-food waste, draining the liquid, and disposing of it in special food waste bins at designated collection points.
Compliance and Consequences
After the scheme comes into effect, there will be a six-month grace period in which offenders will be given mere verbal warnings in response to failing to comply with these measures.
After this period, however, offenders who do not use designated bags or labels will face a penalty of HKD $1,500. Serious or repeated cases could result in prosecution, fines ranging from HKD $25,000 to $50,000 and imprisonment of up to six months.
Those who cause another person to commit the offense, such as employers instructing a domestic helper to dispose of waste in a non-compliant manner, will also be held responsible.
While the scheme mainly applies to households, cleaning contractors and workers can also be held responsible for failing to properly pack waste in authorized bags before handing them over to garbage trucks or collection points.
Large, Bulky Items
For larger, bulkier items that cannot fit into one of the authorized bags, they need to be labeled accordingly with a designated label (which costs HKD $11 each) before being taken to garbage collection points for disposal.
Conclusion
No country in the world wants a huge mess with piles of improperly disposed garbage everywhere, including Hong Kong. As we draw our look at Hong Kong’s upcoming waste charging scheme to a close, one thing remains clear: use the government-designated trash bags and dispose of the trash accordingly.
Whether you’re a local Hongkonger yourself, an expat looking to relocate there, or a traveler looking for a well-deserved vacation there, make sure to separate garbage as recyclable or non-recyclable and dispose of it properly to prepare for this upcoming change.
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Should you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, and we will be happy to assist you with impartiality, knowledge, and service-mindedness.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is waste classified in Hong Kong?
In Hong Kong, wastes can be categorized as the following:
- Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
- Construction and demolition waste
- Chemical waste
- Other special waste (clinical waste, animal carcasses, livestock waste, radioactive waste, grease trap waste, and waterworks/sewage sludge)
What are the types of recycling bins in Hong Kong?
Below are the types of color-coded recycling bins in Hong Kong:
- Blue: Paper
- Yellow: Aluminum tins
- Brown: Plastic
Where does food waste go in Hong Kong?
The EPD (Environmental Protection Department) launched a food waste-collecting programme using smart bins in public rental housing estates under the Housing Department and the Hong Kong Housing Society.
The collected food waste will then be delivered to the EPD’s food waste recycling facilities to turn into energy or resources.
How many landfills are there in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong currently has these three landfills: The West, the Southeast, and the Northeast territory landfills.
He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts, Media & Communication major (concentration: Creative Content) from Mahidol University International College (MUIC). During the compulsory major elective period in the summer of 2021 and voluntarily during the summer of 2022, he also interned as a video and photo editor at Mbrella Films.
He has experience working as an English Content Writer at a real estate buying/renting/selling platform in Thonglor. There, he crafted company blog posts on a multitude of topics. Topics include market trends, legal issues and disputes in property businesses, financial guides, expat guides, home insurance, home decoration and maintenance, and weekly real estate news quick-recaps. Occasionally, as part of the blog-writing process, he would also translate existing Thai blogs to English.
In his free time, Guy enjoys doing scriptwriting and storytelling for comic strips, watching movies, and listening to music (particularly film scores).
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