Letters | Hong Kong’s waste charging scheme will fail without persistent efforts to educate

Readers discuss the role education plays in changing wasteful habits, supporting Hong Kong’s many counselling hotlines, and concern over China’s latest outbreak of respiratory illness

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A resident at Sham Shui Po brings recyclables to a nearby community recycling station on December 22. The drive to get Hongkongers to recycle won’t take off without dedicated efforts to educate people. Photo: May Tse

Published: 11:30am, 27 Dec 2023

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I lived in the US and mainland China for many years. Both are very aware of the need for recycling, especially America.

After coming back to Hong Kong about 13 years ago, and living in a Kowloon residential estate, I found that people’s desire to recycle was very, very low. I have communicated with property management many times about educating people and putting in place larger recycling containers, to no avail.

On my floor, I may be the only person who places items in recycling bins regularly. The bins provided are so small that it discourages recycling, giving the impression that they were placed there only for the sake of appearances. Some people have started to recycle a little, probably after seeing me doing it all the time, but not much.

We cannot beat people to submission, but we can influence them by first educating the property managers. When property managers’ approach to recycling is only for show, it is useless to force users to comply.

The municipal waste charging scheme taking effect on April 1 was designed by people who have no knowledge of the human heart. People do not change unless they are willing to do so out of their own will and desire.