Time To Review Plastic Bag Levy: Wong Kam-sing

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2019-03-21 HKT 12:12

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  The secretary says as more curbs on plastic are rolled out, the levy introduced years back has to be reviewed. File photo: RTHK

The Environment secretary, Wong Kam-sing, said on Thursday it is high time that Hong Kong reviews its plastic bag levy and the scope of exceptions.

Wong told a plastic waste workshop that bags, along with other single-use items like bottles and tableware, account for most of the plastic waste in Hong Kong's landfills.

He said with the government set to roll out a deposit scheme for plastic bottles and looking at ways to tackle plastic cutlery, pressure is growing for a review of the HK$0.50 bag levy which hasn't been changed for a decade.

The secretary also described the implementation of a planned waste charging scheme as “challenging”, saying it needs to gain the public's support.

The Environment Bureau's municipal solid waste charging bill is still awaiting Legco approval despite it being submitted last year.