Matthew Murchie, 17, St Joseph's College
Hong Kong generates millions of tonnes of rubbish each year, and produces more waste per person than any other economy. Moreover, we are rapidly running out of space to dump all the rubbish. It is forecast that by 2015, all our landfills will be full.
This troubling situation has prompted some people to suggest a rubbish tax as a deterrent against unnecessary waste. But, such a tax would not only be impractical, it would be ineffective too. With more than 7 million people living in the city, it would be almost impossible to monitor how much rubbish each person produces, and tax them. Even if it were possible, the resources and staff needed would be unacceptable.
Taxing residents according to the amount of rubbish they produce would also be unfair to certain households. For example, large families produce more rubbish, and forcing them to pay more tax would only increase their financial burden.
The key to solving the waste disposal crisis is to tackle the root of the problem. Instead of taxing people on their rubbish, we should focus on cutting unnecessary waste. For instance, the levy on plastic bags has proven to be hugely successful. Likewise, a similar charge could be imposed on items such as non-recyclable lunchboxes and disposable water bottles.
If we really want to reduce waste, a tax is definitely not the way forward. It would be far more damaging than it's worth.
Elise Choi, 16, Sai Kung Sung Tsun Catholic School