Hong Kong mulls measures to restrict ‘single-use’ plastic cutlery, chief executive announces in policy address

Disposable plastic tableware may be controlled or banned in Hong Kong as the government moves to curb a major source of pollution.

It will consider the results of a feasibility study expected to be completed by 2020 before deciding how far to go in the war these “single-use” items.

But first, civil servants will lead by example. All government canteens will stop providing plastic straws and foam lunchboxes from early 2019. Caterers will also be encouraged to avoid providing plastic forks, knives and spoons as far as possible.

These moves are part of a raft of measures targeting plastic waste announced by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in her policy address on Wednesday.

Plastic makes up about 20 per cent of the city’s daily municipal waste. About 154 tonnes of disposable plastic tableware – 9 per cent of plastic waste and 2 per cent of all municipal waste – went into the city’s overflowing landfills in 2016.

Hong Kong’s moves follow similar action by the European Union to look into banning single-use plastics, widely seen as a major contributor to microplastic and marine pollution.

“In view of the potential impact of disposable plastic tableware on Hong Kong and even the worldwide marine environment and ecology, we will study the feasibility, scope and mechanism of controlling or banning disposable plastic tableware,” Lam said in her policy address.