ExplainerWhat you need to know about Hong Kong’s coming waste-charging scheme, from getting bags to saving money
- City’s long-delayed municipal waste-charging scheme to take effect from August 1
- The Post has prepared a guide to the scheme and what residents need to know
Twenty years after the idea was first floated in Hong Kong, waste charging will take effect on August 1, in an effort to cut down on the amount of rubbish thrown in landfills.
From this date, Hongkongers will be required to use prepaid, government-approved garbage bags to dispose of their trash, with the scheme covering most residential and commercial premises. Designated labels will also be sold for large or oddly sized items.
Authorities initially planned to implement the measure by the end of 2023, but delayed it to April 1, citing logistical reasons. On January 19, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan made an abrupt announcement to postpone it again to August 1, after the government decided there was a need for more publicity efforts.
The Post has prepared a guide to the scheme and what residents need to know.
1. Where can I buy bags and how much do they cost?
The government had announced that garbage bags would be sold from about 3,000 authorised sale points in stages from the end of January. These include places such as supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies.