The zero-waste challenge in Hong Kong: we try to live plastic-free for a week

It’s not easy to avoid plastic in Hong Kong. From umbrella sleeves to the shrink-wrap clinging to everything from fresh food to furniture deliveries, plastic is the universal packaging solution – and streets are littered with polystyrene.

Plastic may be cheap, convenient, even hygienic, but its disposal has potentially disastrous ramifications for the city’s marine life, beaches, rivers and trails. More than 2,000 tonnes of plastic is dumped daily, based on Environmental Protection Department figures from 2015. It’s a figure likely to remain stubbornly high, given that many Hongkongers don’t see the point in separating waste for recycling amid reports that it all ends up in the same landfill anyway.

With few government incentives for manufacturers or consumers to reduce waste, reuse packaging and recycle, the onus is on caring consumers to support alternatives. Some eco-warriors have completely shunned plastic, and I decided to try to follow their lead for a week to see if it was possible in Hong Kong.

Living on Hong Kong Island, with a wide choice of shops and markets, and recycling facilities nearby, I thought it would be easier living plastic-free there than for someone in a New Territories village.

But inner city living comes with its own challenges: the frantic pace, lack of time and cramped apartments can make sorting rubbish or tracking down vegetables that aren’t plastic-wrapped an exhausting ordeal, especially after a long commute.