Hong Kong is set to double a levy on plastic bags in late December and charge producers or suppliers extra for glass beverage bottles in the first quarter of next year under a waste-reduction target.
Officials on Wednesday said they would launch the legislative process to strengthen the plastic shopping bag (PSB) charging scheme by amending the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance and expand the producer responsibility scheme for glass beverage containers (GPRS).
Both proposals are part of the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035, published last year and which sets out a vision to reduce waste.
“The proposed enhancement to the PSB charging scheme and full implementation of the GPRS will be another step forward in Hong Kong’s work on waste reduction and recycling, preparing for the implementation of municipal solid waste charging in the future,” the government said.
Environmental authorities proposed doubling the plastic bag levy from 50 HK cents to at least HK$1 following a 13-year freeze, and to stop granting exemptions for frozen, chilled food as well as food products with airtight packaging, under which plastic bags are currently offered to customers for free for hygiene reasons.
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