Are Hong Kong residents ready for waste charging? City leader instructs environment minister to ramp up publicity efforts

Chief Executive John Lee says large-scale and continuous efforts needed to enhance awareness of scheme that takes effect in April

But environment secretary Tse Chin-wan denies publicity efforts have been insufficient

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Pupils pick up designated bags for the waste-charging scheme during a promotional event. Photo: Eugene Lee

Published: 3:05pm, 16 Jan 2024Updated: 12:24am, 17 Jan 2024

Hong Kong’s leader has instructed the environment minister to devise “sharper and clearer” strategies to promote awareness of waste charging that takes effect in April, but the secretary denied the government has lagged in its efforts to get the public on board, saying it is “human nature” to be apprehensive about change.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday said large-scale and continuous efforts were needed to promote the scheme aimed at cutting the amount of rubbish residents threw into landfills.

“I have asked the secretary for environment and ecology to ensure the action plan [for the scheme] has its details worked out and clearly explained to all relevant parties,” Lee said, referring to property management companies, the catering industry and residents.

“All this information needs to be clearly explained, spelled out and easily available for everybody. So [the Environment and Ecology Bureau] will work harder on holding seminars, doing press conferences, explaining whenever they can with different stakeholders and also work out good [questions and answers] so that people can easily understand what their roles will be, their legal responsibilities and how things will work out.”

Chief Executive John Lee says large-scale, continuous and repeated efforts are needed to educate residents about the scheme. Photo: Eugene Lee

Starting on April 1, residents will be required to collect their rubbish in prepaid bags that will cost 11 HK cents (1 US cent) per litre.