Plastic bag levy should be supported by all retailers

The legislation mandating a charge of 50 cents for each plastic shopping bag requested at Hong Kong shops will come into effect on April 1 for all retailers, instead of just the 3,300 registered retail outlets under the current phase of the scheme. It is the right step forward for us to minimise the use of such bags in our city.

Plastic bags may not be the biggest culprit in terms of the total weight of solid waste dumped into our landfills. Nevertheless, before the plastic bag levy was imposed in 2009, an estimated 8 billion such bags still ended up in landfills every year. Moreover, used plastic bags pose a threat to wildlife, especially for species living near the sea. Biologists often find bits of plastic waste in the stomachs of wild birds.

The legislation aims to encourage customers to bring a reusable bag for their shopping. A financial disincentive can be an effective way to help more people establish this good habit.

According to the Environmental Protection Department, the number of plastic bags given out was cut by up to 90 per cent a year after the legislation was introduced.

Now that more retailers are getting on board - over 100,000 shops in total, including department stores, shops selling electrical appliances and even hairdressing and beauty centres - we expect the use of plastic bags to drop even further. Moreover, subjecting all retailers to the same regulation will make the business environment fairer.

There are some who suggest providing recycling facilities for plastic shopping bags, instead of charging a levy. However, even if such facilities were available, it would not solve the environmental problem of plastic waste. In fact, it would only provide an excuse for retailers and customers to keep using as many bags as they wish. This suggestion is a gimmick, rather than a practical solution.