Hong Kong trial run for waste-charging scheme has take-up rate as low as 20% from some participants
- Environment chief says city’s continued economic woes not anticipated when it was decided to push ahead with waste-charging scheme
- But environment and ecology secretary Tse Chin-wan denies government misjudged situation, despite two postponements of introduction
A trial run for Hong Kong’s waste-charging scheme has seen an uptake of as little as 20 per cent by residents in public housing, with the environment chief saying the government had not anticipated the city’s economic problems when it decided to push ahead with the proposal.
But Tse Chin-wan, the environment and ecology secretary, on Sunday defended the scheme’s implementation and denied the government had made a misjudgment despite its launch being twice postponed.
“The government has been mindful at every stage, and conducted extensive consultations,” Tse told a television programme on Sunday. “The Legislative Council was also very meticulous too, having discussed it for two years, so I don’t think anyone made any misjudgments.”
The scheme charging residents for their waste through special trash bags will become fully operational on August 1.
“Everyone assumed the economy would rebound very quickly once borders reopened after the pandemic and we believed it would be a good time to launch the scheme,” Tse said. “However, we are seeing now there have been big changes in Hong Kong’s business environment and economic atmosphere.”
He added the government was committed to tackling problems, but also to considering the opinions of the public.