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Hong Kong environmental issues
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Waste paper collection resumes in Hong Kong as firms call off strike early

Trade group denies this was due to public pressure, apologises for impact on collection and cleaning workers

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Waste paper and boxes piled up at some locations over the weekend. Photo: Sam Tsang
Ernest Kao

A trade group of Hong Kong exporters has called off its stoppage of waste paper collection after just three days of industrial action.

Jacky Lau Yiu-shing, director of the Recycle Materials and Re-production Business General Association, said the group had made its point, and collections would gradually resume on Monday.

The stoppage, which began on Friday, was initially planned to last for at least a week. The group called on the local government to help lobby Chinese officials to fix an issue involving exporting waste from the city to mainland China for processing.
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“Many firms have let their staff go on leave because of the stoppage, so a full resumption will not happen until Tuesday. But we acknowledge that the government has been working hard ... and is grasping the seriousness [of the matter],” Lau said.

Cardboard collectors struggle as prices fall amid strike by waste paper exporters

He pointed out that the full impact of such a stoppage had not been felt as some collections had continued upstream, but added that he believed the move conveyed the consequences and complications of what a full stoppage would entail.

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