How will Hong Kong use up 170 million garbage bags left over from now-shelved waste-charging scheme?
- Environmental Protection Department says it will start to arrange for retailers to return all unsold stock because of suspension of waste-charging scheme
- Environmental authorities last year granted nine tenders totalling HK$1.15 billion to four plastic bag producers, documents show
Hong Kong authorities have been left with 170 million garbage bags bought for HK$74 million (US$9.5 million) for a now-shelved waste-charging scheme, the government has said, after granting tenders totalling HK$1.15 billion last year for production.
The Environmental Protection Department on Monday said it would start to arrange for retailers to return all unsold stock because of the suspension.
The HK$74 million cost of bag production was on top of the HK$177 million the government spent over the previous three financial years on the scheme, including HK$30 million allocated to publicity work.
The decision prompted lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon to ask whether the suspension would constitute a breach of the contracts signed with the manufacturers and if any compensation would be involved.
“Every bag costs. Residents have to pay for them,” she said. “Will the government consider selling the bags at cost price? Can this help with the losses, at least a little?”
