https://www.scmp.com/rss/518055/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Holly Chik Holly Chik An estimated 93 million pieces of debris could be floating on the surface of the South China Sea, based on data collected by China in a projection of its marine monitoring and remote sensing prowess. Using technologies such as fixed-ship monitoring, underway surveys and satellite remote sensing, marine scientists and ecologists audited 26 spots in the central and southern parts of the disputed waters. In a report released this month, Beijing’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment said it... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347973/how-much-junk-south-china-sea-beijing-flexes-surveillance-muscle-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347973/how-much-junk-south-china-sea-beijing-flexes-surveillance-muscle-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:30:09 +0000 Joshua Kwok Joshua Kwok About 80 per cent of Hongkongers are unaware of the risk of ingesting microplastics when drinking tea and coffee, according to a survey by a green group that urged the government to follow Germany’s example and include a warning about it on food labels. Steven Choi Chun-pang, chief operating officer of the Green Council, said 70 per cent of respondents did not know how to identify products containing microplastics and only 20 per cent actively looked for them. There is no legislation in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3315512/beyond-brew-80-hongkongers-unaware-microplastics-tea-and-coffee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3315512/beyond-brew-80-hongkongers-unaware-microplastics-tea-and-coffee?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 10:51:13 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung Hong Kong restaurants may start testing alternatives to certain single-use plastics for items such as food containers in the next two months, the environment minister has said, as the government gauges the business sector’s feedback before expanding the scope of a ban. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan on Saturday gave the update on the second phase of the government’s plan to rid the city of disposable plastic items, after the first stage was introduced in April last year. “We... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3314449/hong-kong-restaurants-may-start-testing-alternatives-plastics-next-2-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3314449/hong-kong-restaurants-may-start-testing-alternatives-plastics-next-2-months?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Jun 2025 09:36:11 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong’s environment minister has cautioned against using mandatory measures to advance green policies given challenges the city faces arising from geopolitical tensions and economic transition, as he unveiled plans for the next phase of the ban on single-use plastics. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said on Saturday the government would carry out a trial run with the catering sector in the middle of this year to select suitable replacements before proceeding to the second... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3311668/hong-kong-environment-chief-says-voluntary-green-measures-better-given-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3311668/hong-kong-environment-chief-says-voluntary-green-measures-better-given-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 10:20:45 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification To tackle the plastic waste crisis, degradable plastic and non-plastic products have been widely promoted as an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic. Some businesses are even willing to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3309728/single-use-alternatives-plastic-distract-real-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3309728/single-use-alternatives-plastic-distract-real-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Olga Wong Olga Wong Six restaurants in Hong Kong have been fined HK$2,000 (US$257) each for repeatedly failing to comply with the single-use plastics ban since authorities started enforcing the new law in November, according to the city’s environment chief. Under phase one of the ban, which officially took effect on April 22, retailers and restaurants can no longer sell or use polystyrene tableware or plastic cutlery for takeaway and dine-in services. But authorities only started enforcement in November, after a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297012/6-hong-kong-restaurants-slapped-fines-flouting-single-use-plastics-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297012/6-hong-kong-restaurants-slapped-fines-flouting-single-use-plastics-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Feb 2025 06:14:32 +0000 Sammy Heung Sammy Heung The laboratory at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s department of chemistry is filled with the rich aroma of tea as Professor Ngai To and his students get down to work. They produce copious quantities of kombucha, the fizzy, fermented drink made from sweetened black tea which has become popular with claims of health benefits. But the team’s focus is not on the trendy drink itself or concocting new flavours. Ngai and his students hope an essential ingredient for brewing kombucha can create a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3294333/hong-kong-scientists-turn-kombucha-ingredient-plastic-substitute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3294333/hong-kong-scientists-turn-kombucha-ingredient-plastic-substitute?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jan 2025 04:00:34 +0000 Hong Kong finally published last year’s waste statistics on December 19, nearly a month after Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan shared some of the more positive developments in his blog on November 24. Why hold up the release of the full monitoring report until almost the end of the year? The sooner lawmakers and stakeholders have a full picture of the city’s waste situation, the quicker they can come up with the needed solutions. One positive finding is that the quantity of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3291798/what-hong-kongs-2023-waste-data-tells-us-and-what-it-doesnt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3291798/what-hong-kongs-2023-waste-data-tells-us-and-what-it-doesnt?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:30:09 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification The fifth and supposedly final UN meeting to negotiate a global plastics treaty ended on Sunday without an agreement to establish clear targets for reducing plastic production. However, it is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3289276/no-global-plastic-treaty-yet-hong-kong-has-work-do?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3289276/no-global-plastic-treaty-yet-hong-kong-has-work-do?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 03:30:08 +0000 In Chief Executive John Lee’s policy address earlier this month, he issued the clarion call for Hong Kong to become an international hub for “high-calibre talent”. We believe one set of critical talent are those related to Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. This seems clear from Lee’s policy address. Nevertheless, his speech did not specify exactly which type of high-calibre talent Hong Kong needs to cultivate. Take for example the government’s effort to attract family... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3284647/hong-kong-must-give-high-calibre-talent-reason-come?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3284647/hong-kong-must-give-high-calibre-talent-reason-come?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Nov 2024 03:30:07 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Hong Kong should do more to hold producers of single-use plastics accountable if it hopes to curb waste, a leading green group has said after finding a large amount of packaging from major drinks businesses in two of the city’s rivers. Greenpeace Hong Kong said on Saturday that plastic accounted for 97 per cent of the 3,263 pieces of rubbish it found in the Pui O River and Lam Tsuen River over a three-month period and 70 per cent of the items were packaging. Food packaging was the largest... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3283045/hong-kong-should-do-more-pressure-producers-single-use-plastics-greenpeace-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3283045/hong-kong-should-do-more-pressure-producers-single-use-plastics-greenpeace-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Oct 2024 09:07:30 +0000 Some Hong Kong restaurants and hoteliers, especially smaller operators, are still struggling to replace items such as disposable spoons and razors despite a grace period for a single-use plastics ban coming to an end in two weeks. The transition was also uncomfortable for an alternative utensil supplier, who lamented declining sales even as the government said most players in affected sectors had adapted to the new rules. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said on Monday that the new... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3282045/some-hong-kong-businesses-struggle-find-alternatives-single-use-plastics-ban-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3282045/some-hong-kong-businesses-struggle-find-alternatives-single-use-plastics-ban-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Oct 2024 11:00:14 +0000 Glow sticks are still widely available at traditional Hong Kong shops selling decorations for the Mid-Autumn Festival despite a ban on single-use plastics, as vendors rush to clear their stock while also battling economic headwinds. All seven shops the Post visited on Monday in Wan Chai and Sai Ying Pun were selling glow sticks, with one shop advertising them as “the last year” they could be bought. Only one staff member did not know about the plastics ban, with some shops either ordering fewer... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3278775/hong-kong-shops-still-selling-glow-sticks-mid-autumn-despite-single-use-plastics-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3278775/hong-kong-shops-still-selling-glow-sticks-mid-autumn-despite-single-use-plastics-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Sep 2024 23:00:20 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft A Hong Kong green group has found microplastics in 85 per cent of faecal samples from five wild land mammal species in a first-of-its-kind study for the city, with the NGO urging authorities to boost efforts to stop more plastics entering the ecosystem. Greenpeace said on Monday that it collaborated with university researchers in Hong Kong and Taiwan between June and August of 2022 to collect and analyse 100 samples from buffalo, cattle, boars, macaques and porcupines in the city’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3277784/greenpeace-finds-microplastics-85-faeces-collected-wild-animals-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3277784/greenpeace-finds-microplastics-85-faeces-collected-wild-animals-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2024 08:56:51 +0000 Hong Kong environmentalists want authorities to do more to encourage organisers of large events to clean up after themselves and recycle waste. Major sports competitions, music galas and international summits are all part of the government’s plan to boost the economy with mega events, but they produce tonnes of plastic, glass and other trash. Currently, event organisers applying for government support do not have to promise to reduce waste or recover recyclable products, and environment... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3268554/mega-rubbish-mega-events-hong-kong-should-make-organisers-cut-waste-recycle-ngos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3268554/mega-rubbish-mega-events-hong-kong-should-make-organisers-cut-waste-recycle-ngos?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jun 2024 04:00:30 +0000 The government is in the middle of a push to encourage residents to recycle, but just how easy is it to stop plastics and other items from going straight into the bin in a city such as Hong Kong? Official figures show the city’s recycling rate stood at 32 per cent in 2022. Local authorities in the years since then have renewed efforts to encourage the public to recycle more, even as the government last month opted to shelve a controversial waste-charging scheme originally slated to launch in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3267620/how-easy-recycling-hong-kong-post-reporter-puts-green-lifestyle-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3267620/how-easy-recycling-hong-kong-post-reporter-puts-green-lifestyle-test?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jun 2024 00:00:12 +0000 Is “business as usual” as bad as it sounds? Most CEOs in the Asia-Pacific think it’s worse. According to a recent PwC survey, 63 per cent believe their companies will no longer be viable in 10 years if they stayed on their current path. Only a radical mindset change will enable the business transformation they need. What is causing the concern? Climate-related regulation and the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) are among the biggest risks. But there are other drivers too:... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3266692/reinvention-must-start-now-if-hong-kong-businesses-are-survive-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3266692/reinvention-must-start-now-if-hong-kong-businesses-are-survive-change?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2024 08:30:09 +0000 About 70 per cent of Hong Kong restaurants have made the switch to eco-friendly utensils a month after the city launched the first phase of its single-use plastics ban, environmental authorities have said. But the Post observed that a small number of coffee shops and bubble tea places in a popular shopping district had yet to get rid of their throwaway plastic straws. The Ecology and Environment Bureau announced the uptake figure in a Facebook post on Wednesday, saying officials had visited... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3263699/hong-kongs-plastics-ban-70-restaurants-make-switch-eco-friendly-utensils-month-after-policy-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3263699/hong-kongs-plastics-ban-70-restaurants-make-switch-eco-friendly-utensils-month-after-policy-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 May 2024 15:09:14 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Earlier this month, HK Express announced changes to its cabin baggage policy. Passengers travelling on the “Ultra Lite” option (that is, the cheapest fare) are only entitled to bring on board a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3263071/new-hk-express-fare-option-gives-travellers-more-choice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3263071/new-hk-express-fare-option-gives-travellers-more-choice?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 May 2024 03:30:08 +0000 Nearly 70 per cent of restaurants are willing to take part in lunchbox lending for takeaway orders, a green group’s survey has found after Hong Kong authorities banned disposable plastics last month. Environmental group Greeners Action, which carried out the survey, suggested the government promote takeaway container borrowing services in the community as a further step to reduce plastic, despite a lukewarm response from a catering industry leader. “Although paper, wood and bamboo are easier to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3262401/most-hong-kong-restaurants-willing-lend-customers-containers-takeaway-orders-survey-finds-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3262401/most-hong-kong-restaurants-willing-lend-customers-containers-takeaway-orders-survey-finds-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 May 2024 02:00:37 +0000 Lilian Cheng Lilian Cheng Many of Hong Kong’s five-star hotels continue to offer free plastic amenities for guests, with industry leaders saying the operators want to avoid upsetting tourists by charging them for the items despite a recent ban. The approach differed greatly from arrangements put in place by some budget hotels, which the Post earlier reported were charging visitors varying prices for the amenities, sparking accusations the operators were simply trying to profit from the new rules. The hotel sector also... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3262302/hong-kongs-luxury-hotels-shun-single-use-plastics-ban-amid-worries-bad-experience-guests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3262302/hong-kongs-luxury-hotels-shun-single-use-plastics-ban-amid-worries-bad-experience-guests?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 May 2024 04:37:13 +0000 Over Lunar New Year and up to Easter, my local shopping centre was transformed into a cherry-blossom-festooned “Barbieland” providing infinite Instagrammable opportunities for shoppers, families and romancing couples. Yards away, the passageways to the shopping centre’s toilets and its underground car parks were cheered up by large walls of flowers and other plants. It got me wondering to what extent fake foliage was encroaching on, or even taking over, many communities’ increasingly fake... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3261450/whats-so-bad-about-artificial-flowers-and-fake-plants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3261450/whats-so-bad-about-artificial-flowers-and-fake-plants?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 May 2024 11:30:15 +0000 Yee Wah Global has churned out more than a hundred million styrofoam food containers in about 25 years on its journey to become the product’s largest manufacturer in Hong Kong, but a new ban designed to cut down on waste sparked a change of course for the company. Patrick Leung Hon-kit, the company’s marketing manager, said it wanted to transform the situation into an opportunity by research and investment into alternative tableware. “The whole world is walking towards reducing the use of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3261423/hong-kongs-biggest-styrofoam-tableware-maker-looks-eco-friendly-utensils-after-plastics-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3261423/hong-kongs-biggest-styrofoam-tableware-maker-looks-eco-friendly-utensils-after-plastics-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 May 2024 05:35:23 +0000 Just half of public and private housing estate residents at most followed new rules in the first month of a trial run for a twice-delayed waste-charging scheme, Hong Kong environmental authorities revealed on Friday. The Environmental Protection Department also said the test run covering 14 types of premises found that garbage handling fees had added financial pressure to the operators of restaurants, businesses and nursing homes, despite a reduction in waste disposal and an increase in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3261376/just-half-residents-most-sticking-rules-trial-run-hong-kong-waste-charging-scheme-housing-estates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3261376/just-half-residents-most-sticking-rules-trial-run-hong-kong-waste-charging-scheme-housing-estates?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2024 10:54:31 +0000 Hong Kong will consider whether the supply of eco-friendly utensils is sufficient, as well as their price levels before rolling out the second stage of a ban on single-use plastics, the city leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday he was glad that residents had changed their behaviour by bringing their own utensils since the first phase of the ban came into force “in a stable and orderly manner” last Monday. Under the first phase, styrofoam products and throwaway... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260888/hong-kong-consider-whether-eco-friendly-utensils-supply-enough-next-years-second-phase-single-use?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260888/hong-kong-consider-whether-eco-friendly-utensils-supply-enough-next-years-second-phase-single-use?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2024 05:33:42 +0000 Snacking on Hong Kong classics such as fish balls and siu mai have become a point of contention under the city’s plastics ban, with a Post reporter receiving conflicting answers on whether he could dine-in at three different 7-Eleven outlets. The inconsistent application of the ban added yet another complication after last week’s confusion over whether supermarkets were allowed to use plastic containers for pre-packaged sushi products sold to dine-in customers. The Post looks at what customers... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260818/confused-over-where-eat-takeaway-fish-balls-siu-mai-when-out-and-about-post-explains-store-policies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260818/confused-over-where-eat-takeaway-fish-balls-siu-mai-when-out-and-about-post-explains-store-policies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Apr 2024 11:29:08 +0000 Hongkongers have had to experiment with a range of eco-friendly utensils over the past week after a ban on certain single-use plastics took effect on Monday. Some residents aired their frustrations online over the alternatives with pictures of broken knives, soggy paper straws and flat wooden spoons circulating widely. Others argued an easy fix to the problem would be for everyone to bring their own cutlery. The first phase of the ban prohibits the sale and distribution of styrofoam food... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260654/hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-make-or-break-eco-friendly-utensils-post-tests-some-options?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260654/hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-make-or-break-eco-friendly-utensils-post-tests-some-options?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Apr 2024 01:00:16 +0000 Hong Kong’s environmental chief has stressed that a new plastics ban is not “unreasonable”, as he sought to address confusion among caterers and patrons over what counts as dining in or taking away. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said on Saturday that the policy’s main purpose was to educate the public on how to reduce waste, stressing it was not intended to inconvenience businesses. The launch of the ban’s first phase earlier this week met with backlash over a Japanese... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260615/hong-kongs-plastics-ban-minister-says-policy-not-unreasonable-amid-confusion-over-dining-takeaway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260615/hong-kongs-plastics-ban-minister-says-policy-not-unreasonable-amid-confusion-over-dining-takeaway?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Apr 2024 05:39:52 +0000 Hong Kong’s plastics ban has come under fire after residents were left confused over which containers should be used for pre-packaged sushi from supermarkets, prompting lawmakers to call for authorities to step up efforts to explain the policy. Critics also said the incident reflected the ambiguity and confusion resulting from the ban, with some residents unsure about which circumstances determined if an item was prohibited. The Post shines a light on the saga and explains what readers need to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260518/how-sushi-became-sore-point-hong-kongs-plastics-ban-post-unboxes-saga?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260518/how-sushi-became-sore-point-hong-kongs-plastics-ban-post-unboxes-saga?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Apr 2024 09:41:26 +0000 Suppliers of eco-friendly disposable tableware have asked Hongkongers to be patient after some residents complained the items offered as an alternative to banned single-use plastics failed to do the job. The companies on Thursday urged the catering industry to learn more about non-plastic tableware and use appropriate items for the food being served as they demonstrated their alternatives, although not without some hiccups. Among the representatives of the four companies was George Chen Dah-ren,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260365/hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-suppliers-eco-friendly-tableware-urge-patience-amid-concerns-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260365/hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-suppliers-eco-friendly-tableware-urge-patience-amid-concerns-over?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Apr 2024 10:30:36 +0000 Hong Kong environmental authorities have come under fire after saying supermarket sushi can be served in plastic boxes, with one legislator claiming the clarification contradicts the law governing a new ban and only further sows confusion. Lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon on Thursday raised concerns over the Environmental Protection Department’s explanation that supermarkets could still use the containers for dine-in purposes under the single-use plastics ban. A Facebook post on Wednesday on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260319/hong-kong-plastics-ban-takeaway-sushi-can-be-consumed-plastic-boxes-supermarkets-environment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260319/hong-kong-plastics-ban-takeaway-sushi-can-be-consumed-plastic-boxes-supermarkets-environment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Apr 2024 07:24:52 +0000 Choosing sushi in Hong Kong could become more hit-and-miss after a major Japanese discount chain started to put the treat into cardboard boxes following the city’s plastic ban kicking in. A check at the Don Don Donki store in Causeway Bay on Wednesday found that although some sushi products were packed in the usual transparent plastic boxes, others used cardboard packaging for people who wanted to eat in the shop’s seating area. Buyers only had a picture on top of the biodegradable boxes to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260176/picking-sushi-hong-kong-become-more-lottery-after-plastics-ban-kicks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260176/picking-sushi-hong-kong-become-more-lottery-after-plastics-ban-kicks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Apr 2024 07:26:48 +0000 This week holds great significance for plastic reduction efforts, both in Hong Kong and around the world. The initial phase of Hong Kong’s plastics ban came into effect on Earth Day, April 22 with restrictions on disposable plastic tableware. Meanwhile, in Ottawa, Canada, the fourth round of negotiations for a global plastics treaty will be taking place until next Monday. These events are taking on plastic pollution at local and global levels. Regulations regarding single-use plastics have... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3259978/action-plastic-pollution-shows-us-another-world-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3259978/action-plastic-pollution-shows-us-another-world-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Apr 2024 01:15:13 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has shrugged off criticism from some residents over a new ban on single-use plastics, voicing optimism that better replacement utensils will be developed as the market adapts. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday his administration’s main concerns were the steady supply of replacement products and affordability for consumers. “At the start, residents will need to adjust their behaviour to a certain extent. I think this is necessary in our common effort to push the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260011/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-shrugs-criticism-over-single-use-plastics-ban-says-market-forces-will-lead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260011/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-shrugs-criticism-over-single-use-plastics-ban-says-market-forces-will-lead?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Apr 2024 05:56:15 +0000 Hongkongers were quick to respond to Monday’s ban on single-use plastics in creative if not mocking ways, taking to online trading platforms to sell off unused disposable utensils made from the synthetic material. While major fast food chains switched to providing reusable non-plastic utensils for takeaways, some online traders moved swiftly to try and profit from the ban, posting items on popular trading platforms such as Carousell even before the prohibition started. A day before the ban, one... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259958/hk888888-set-plastic-utensils-hongkongers-have-some-fun-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259958/hk888888-set-plastic-utensils-hongkongers-have-some-fun-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Apr 2024 23:45:16 +0000 Some Hongkongers have chosen to get their hands dirty eating fried chicken rather than pay extra for disposable gloves as a single-use plastics ban begins. Customers using self-service kiosks at a KFC outlet in Causeway Bay on Monday were notified before checking out that plastic gloves were no longer available free of charge, but could be bought for HK$1 (13 US cents). But some patrons shrugged off the change, coming prepared with wet wipes or simply washing their hands afterwards at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3259895/hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-lovers-fried-chicken-ditch-gloves-kfc-jollibee-avoid-poultry-sum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3259895/hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-lovers-fried-chicken-ditch-gloves-kfc-jollibee-avoid-poultry-sum?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Apr 2024 07:56:02 +0000 Hong Kong’s ban on single-use plastics began with little disruption at restaurant chains on Monday. But Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said about 70 per cent of his organisation’s 18,000 eateries were yet to offer alternatives to the prohibited items amid a six-month grace period. Some small businesses also said they still needed to clear the last of their stock of plastic cutlery and styrofoam boxes. “We still have a few more bags of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259861/hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-smooth-start-many-opt-own-utensils-instead-forking-out-hk1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259861/hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-smooth-start-many-opt-own-utensils-instead-forking-out-hk1?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Apr 2024 04:15:08 +0000 Hong Kong catering businesses are taking different approaches to adapting to a citywide ban on single-use plastics, with polystyrene containers and throwaway cutlery beginning to be phased out slowly from Monday. The shift to non-plastic alternatives, most of which are paper- and wood-based, might translate to a few extra dollars on customers’ bills, but some eateries said they would simply stop handing out such cutlery. Environmentalists, meanwhile, encouraged residents to bring their own... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259793/hong-kong-restaurants-serve-variety-utensils-ban-single-use-plastics-set-take-effect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259793/hong-kong-restaurants-serve-variety-utensils-ban-single-use-plastics-set-take-effect?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Apr 2024 07:19:52 +0000 Hong Kong may extend the grace period for its single-use plastics ban beyond six months to allow restaurants and suppliers to clear their inventories, a minister has said days before the first stage of the policy takes effect on Monday. But an industry representative said an extension would be unfair to operators who made the effort to switch, with plastic alternatives typically costing more but shunned by patrons. The first phase will cover styrofoam products and throwaway utensils such as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259741/hong-kong-may-extend-6-month-grace-period-plastics-ban-starts-monday-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259741/hong-kong-may-extend-6-month-grace-period-plastics-ban-starts-monday-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Apr 2024 07:11:46 +0000 Hong Kong’s ban on throwaway plastics will cover meals served by local airlines and all other flights leaving the city once the policy comes into force later this month, environmental authorities have said. The Environmental Protection Department said on Friday that meals offered by city flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways and its budget arm HK Express, as well as Hong Kong Airlines and Greater Bay Airlines, would fall under the policy’s dine-in restrictions. The first stage of the ban will take... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3258851/skys-not-limit-hong-kongs-plastics-ban-policy-cover-local-airlines-and-all-outbound-flights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3258851/skys-not-limit-hong-kongs-plastics-ban-policy-cover-local-airlines-and-all-outbound-flights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Apr 2024 12:00:31 +0000 Hong Kong needs more innovative and automated solutions on top of government incentives to help its under-utilised, money-losing sustainability efforts, an industry expert said. Stronger legislation, and studying the efforts in Vietnam and Indonesia, may offer some guidance. High operating costs and inefficient logistics are factors undermining the financial viability of the city’s plastic waste recycling drive, said Max Craipeau, founder and CEO of Hong Kong-based Greencore Resources and... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3257995/hong-kong-needs-new-solutions-legislation-rescue-its-money-losing-plastic-bottles-recycling-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3257995/hong-kong-needs-new-solutions-legislation-rescue-its-money-losing-plastic-bottles-recycling-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Apr 2024 06:00:22 +0000 Viral images of a deformed paper spoon from a Hong Kong fast-food restaurant chain have sparked concerns over the safety and usability of alternatives to single-use plastic utensils ahead of a ban on their use later this month. A food safety expert said makers of eco-friendly cutlery should introduce a heat tolerance labelling system to reassure caterers of the products’ quality. “This kind of cutlery is basically not qualified if it will deform once exposed to heat,” said Vicki Fong Lai-ying,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3258059/soggy-eco-friendly-spoon-hong-kong-fast-food-chain-goes-viral-online-ahead-single-use-plastics-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3258059/soggy-eco-friendly-spoon-hong-kong-fast-food-chain-goes-viral-online-ahead-single-use-plastics-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Apr 2024 01:00:21 +0000 As Hong Kong prepares to launch the first stage of its single-use plastics ban on April 22, the Post looks at the policy’s potential pitfalls and how the public can adjust to the shake-up. Hong Kong green groups have warned some government-recommended alternatives to single-use plastics in advance of a ban can still create microplastics and other harmful chemicals and appealed to restaurateurs to take a cautious attitude when they restocked. The two NGOs also took aim at a pair of lists from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3258056/will-hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-recycle-one-problem-another-green-groups-warn-dangerous?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3258056/will-hong-kongs-single-use-plastics-ban-recycle-one-problem-another-green-groups-warn-dangerous?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Apr 2024 04:00:28 +0000 When it comes to managing our waste, Hong Kong has been a bit of a muddled mess for the past decade, and it looks likely to get worse in the coming months. With hotels and restaurants set to face a ban in just three weeks on many single-use plastics and the controversial pay-as-you-throw waste charging scheme expected to launch in August, we could be set for a summer of confusion and controversy. When so many other parts of the world seem to be making much smoother progress, one has to ask why... https://www.scmp.com/comment/hk-opinion/article/3257358/lack-clarity-sets-hong-kongs-environmental-plans-disaster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/hk-opinion/article/3257358/lack-clarity-sets-hong-kongs-environmental-plans-disaster?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Apr 2024 01:30:09 +0000 The first phase of Hong Kong’s ban on disposable plastic tableware and other single-use products will take effect in about a month, on Earth Day. Efforts to promote this plastic ban have started to appear more frequently on social and other media, including print and electronic media, and in MTR stations. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan recently told the Legislative Council that about 80 per cent of the 20,000 small and medium-sized restaurants surveyed by the Environmental... https://www.scmp.com/comment/hk-opinion/article/3256442/hong-kong-plastic-ban-lets-aim-reusables-not-green-disposables?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/hk-opinion/article/3256442/hong-kong-plastic-ban-lets-aim-reusables-not-green-disposables?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Mar 2024 01:30:24 +0000 Hong Kong is to introduce a ban on throwaway plastics just a month from now. Restaurants will not be able to offer styrofoam containers, disposable plastic cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers for dine-in or takeaway services. The catering trade will also be forbidden to provide dine-in customers with single-use plastic cups and boxes. The handout and sale of items such as glow sticks, thunder sticks and plastic-stemmed cotton buds will also be barred. The Post has summed up how different... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3256276/plastic-not-fantastic-what-are-new-hong-kong-rules-throwaway-items-be-banned-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3256276/plastic-not-fantastic-what-are-new-hong-kong-rules-throwaway-items-be-banned-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Mar 2024 02:00:34 +0000 Hong Kong restaurants are ready for next month’s ban on throwaway plastic tableware but are concerned about the costs of shifting to wooden and paper alternatives, catering sector representatives have said. Simon Wong Kit-lung, the honorary president of the Institute Of Dining Professionals, on Thursday poured cold water on claims made by the environment secretary, who highlighted a survey that found up to 80 per cent of small and medium-sized restaurants were not prepared. Wong said restaurants... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3255342/hong-kong-restaurants-are-ready-disposable-plastics-ban-next-month-concerned-over-costs-alternatives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3255342/hong-kong-restaurants-are-ready-disposable-plastics-ban-next-month-concerned-over-costs-alternatives?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Mar 2024 06:44:38 +0000 Most of Hong Kong’s small and medium-sized restaurants are not prepared for next month’s ban on throwaway plastics, lawmakers have been told. The environment chief said on Wednesday a check on thousands of members of the trade found that more than three-quarters were not ready for the ban, which will come into force on April 22. “We visited around 20,000 small and medium-sized restaurants to explain the new regulation and found that 80 per cent of them are not getting non-plastic products ready... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3255230/80-cent-hong-kong-restaurants-not-ready-disposable-plastics-ban-april-lawmakers-told?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3255230/80-cent-hong-kong-restaurants-not-ready-disposable-plastics-ban-april-lawmakers-told?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Mar 2024 09:25:24 +0000 Hong Kong’s catering trade has said it is struggling to adjust ahead of a ban on single-use plastics, with many restaurants worried they will have to pass higher costs to their customers, which could drive away business. Many agreed the ban was necessary but said the increase in cost, difficulties finding suitable alternatives, unclear guidelines and a desire to use up their stocks of plastic utensils were proving hard to cope with. Hong Kong will introduce its ban on single-use plastics from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3251624/hong-kong-restaurants-grapple-impending-ban-plastic-some-saying-it-costs-too-much-go-green?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3251624/hong-kong-restaurants-grapple-impending-ban-plastic-some-saying-it-costs-too-much-go-green?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Feb 2024 00:30:16 +0000 Hong Kong will impose a ban on single-use plastic products in two phases after lawmakers passed a bill last year, with the first stage set to take effect on Monday. Authorities said most major chain restaurants had already switched to paper- and wood-based alternatives, while the Post observed that smaller eateries and guest houses were still lagging behind given there would be a six-month grace period. Here, the Post explains what you need to know about the ban that is coming into force. 1.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3250204/what-you-need-know-about-hong-kongs-coming-ban-single-use-plastics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3250204/what-you-need-know-about-hong-kongs-coming-ban-single-use-plastics?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:49:19 +0000