Refund for returning plastic bottles, levy for drink suppliers mulled in scheme to boost waste recycling in Hong Kong

Consumers will get a refund of 10 HK cents for every plastic bottle returned, while a levy of up to 65 cents will be imposed on drink suppliers for each such container, according to a scheme proposed by the government to help raise Hong Kong’s dismal recycling rate.

The proposals, outlined in a paper released on Monday for a three-month public consultation, also seek to require larger stores, with retail floor areas of more than 200 square metres, to provide space for plastic bottle returns and rebate redemption services, including setting up machines to let consumers feed in their used containers.

A licensing system will also be in place to regulate recyclers and ensure the bottles returned are properly treated.

Local environmental groups have welcomed the proposals, but some urged authorities to offer bigger refunds to make the plan more attractive. But the government argued that if rebates were too generous it could lead to cheating.

An Environmental Protection Department spokesman said: “As one of the key waste reduction measures, the proposed [scheme] requires relevant stakeholders to jointly share the environmental responsibilities of collecting and treating plastic drink containers to minimise their impact on the environment.