Letters | In fight against plastic pollution, Hong Kong must learn from the best
- Readers discuss Hong Kong’s efforts to design an effective plastic bottle return scheme, a proposal to deal with illegal structures in the urban areas, and maintaining Hong Kong’s good image
Two weeks ago, drinks giant PepsiCo was sued by New York state for endangering the environment, the water supply and public health after many of its single-use plastic bottles were found polluting the Buffalo River.
In the same month, the UN committee tasked with developing an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution held its third round of negotiations in Nairobi, Kenya. During the contentious negotiation, a coalition of governments led by Rwanda and Norway favoured taking a holistic approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal. But some oil-producing nations advocated focusing on waste management.
It should be clear by now that if the plastic production rate remains unchanged, merely relying on waste management won’t be enough to resolve the crisis.
The Environmental Protection Department is expected to submit a draft bill to the Legislative Council by early next year.