Plastic on Hong Kong’s beaches makes a strong case for a mandatory ‘bring your own bottle’ policy

The report noted that 328 of the 1,404 bottles that local non-governmental organisation Green Earth collected in its 14 beach clean-ups across the city belonged to the Coca-Cola brand, accounting for 23.4 per cent of the total. Vita comprised 21 per cent and Cool 11.4 per cent.

The green group said both producers and consumers who discard the bottles have a responsibility to protect the environment. The group suggested Coca-Cola Company return to packaging its beverages in glass bottles and other recyclable materials.

Apart from this, there is another way to reduce the total production of plastic bottles. Everyone who wants to buy drinks should bring their own bottles, which they can reuse. Drinks should not be sold to those who don’t bring their own bottle. This would be a better way to reduce the production of plastic bottles and it also does away with the need to produce glass bottles or other recyclable materials for packaging drinks.

Although objections might be raised to this scheme on the grounds of hygiene, it could succeed with people’s cooperation.

Mickey Yu, Tsuen Wan

Watch: Can Hong Kong consumers say ‘no’ to plastic?