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Waste fee plan set for delay as Hong Kong Legislative Council must still review possible bill
Environment Bureau says scheme to tackle city’s rubbish generation could still launch by end of 2019, but green groups argue no further review is needed
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A fee scheme to tackle Hong Kong’s waste crisis looks set for a delay as officials have just weeks to introduce a bill for lawmakers to read before their summer recess.
Environmental authorities moved to manage public expectations on Tuesday, saying they still aimed to launch the scheme in late 2019 but a successful roll-out would hinge on how talks progressed in the Legislative Council over the rest of the year.
The summer recess begins in mid-July, and Legco does not convene again until late September.
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The news came as more than 20 environmental groups delivered a petition to government headquarters on Tuesday to pressure Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and environment minister Wong Kam-sing to get the ball rolling on legislation – and quickly.
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Under the plan, 80 per cent of rubbish generated by housing estates, residential buildings and shops using government refuse collection services would go into bags priced at an average of 11 cents (US$0.01) per litre.
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