EditorialFight against plastic must begin at home
- Global initiatives such as Plastic Free July are just one way Hong Kong can cut down on waste, because half-hearted government policies are set to have little effect
If there is any foreign influence that Hong Kong should fully embrace, the campaign overseas to reduce the use of plastic should be one of them.
Although Plastic Free July, a global movement originated from a small office initiative in Australia in 2011, has yet to become well-established in the city, it is gradually making a wider impact, thanks to the efforts of some local non-governmental organisations and businesses.
Last year’s challenge was said to have attracted some 120 million people from 177 countries. Participants said their household waste was on average reduced by 76kg per year.
The use of recyclables, such as disposable packaging, was also reduced on average by 28kg per household per year. As much as 490 million kilograms of plastic waste were saved each year, according to the Plastic Free Foundation, set up in 2017 to drive the campaign.
The achievement may seem insignificant when compared to the hundreds of millions of tonnes of plastics produced every year, but it underlines the importance of behavioural change at individual level.