Voluntary schemes to cut back on use of plastic bags are working

Your correspondent Martin Brinkley ('Why government has to impose plastic bag levy', January 27), like the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), thinks that each Hong Kong person dumps 21 plastic bags every week.

He comes to this conclusion by judging the quantities of rubbish generated daily by his neighbours. Let's hope the methodology used by the EPD, in calculating the number of plastic bags that are disposed of every day, was more scientific.

However, the EPD has yet to disclose its methodology to the public - particularly the reliability of its findings. An exaggerated disposal rate would be misleading and legislation based on misleading information does not make sense. After rummaging through the bin used by his neighbours, Mr Brinkley reported: 'Not only do they dump plastic bags of all shapes and sizes. The bin is always filled with disposable tablecloths, plastic cutlery, lunchboxes, numerous styrofoam trays and packaging material.'

I do not think this is appropriate behaviour, with regard to his neighbours. But what he has taken note of is revealing - the bin is filled with other waste. Surely reduction of this 'other waste' is more effective in relieving the pressure on our landfills, rather than controlling the insignificant volume occupied by plastic bags in relative terms?

Mr Brinkley was correct to say the EPD survey refers to the disposal of plastic bags in general. But when the survey revealed that supermarket plastic shopping bags only accounted for 20.3 per cent compared to other sources, isn't it more effective to control the other 79.7 per cent instead?

He also said appeals to the public to reduce consumption on a voluntary basis have met with little success. This is contradictory to what was reported in 'Wellcome plans bar codes on plastic bags to track tax' (January 25).