Hong Kong’s plan to hand out 170 million garbage bags from now-shelved waste-charging scheme sparks questions about effectiveness

Green Earth says distributing designated garbage bags to public housing tenants merely effort to clear stock of 170 million bags produced for scheme

Authorities set to hand out 20 bags for free to every household in public rental flats each month for half a year, double number of food waste recycling facilities and add 100 mobile collection spots across city

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The government has shelved the waste-charging scheme, which was set to kick off on August 1. Photo: Eugene Lee

Published: 1:37pm, 28 May 2024Updated: 11:12pm, 28 May 2024

Hong Kong authorities must show that measures planned as a substitute for a now-shelved waste-charging scheme are effective and will improve recycling rates, experts and a former environment official have said.

Critics on Tuesday argued that one of the measures – the distribution of designated garbage bags to public housing tenants – would not encourage waste reduction and was merely a move to clear the stock of 170 million bags produced for the scheme.

The government on Monday suspended the controversial much-delayed scheme, which was due to take effect on August 1, citing public opposition.

Instead, it pledged to hand out 20 bags for free to every household in public rental flats each month for half a year, double the number of food waste recycling facilities and add 100 mobile collection spots citywide within a year. It will also extend opening hours and coverage of recycling facilities for other items.

No details were offered on when the scheme would make a comeback.

A resident disposes of a bag of garbage at a refuse collection point outside On Ning Lau, Moon Lok Dai Ha, in Tsuen Wan. Photo: Eugene Lee

Some residents at Oi Man Estate in Ho Man Tin, one of Hong Kong’s oldest public housing estates, said they were sceptical about the government’s mitigation measures.