The Hong Kong government has put the brakes on its pay-as-you-throw waste charging scheme, which was set to launch on August.
The scheme, which aimed to reduce waste and promote recycling, will not proceed as planned, and the government has yet to set a new implementation date. The decision comes as the Environment and Ecology Bureau prepares to submit a full report on the pilot program to the Legislative Council on Monday.
The pilot program, which covered 14 premises including public housing estates, restaurants, elderly homes, and the West Kowloon Government Offices, was launched to test the feasibility of the scheme. However, it appears that the government has decided to hit the pause button on the project.
In a move to ease the transition, the government will continue to distribute designated rubbish bags to public housing tenants for another six months, free of charge. The bags will also be given out to private buildings on certain conditions.
The government has also pledged to continue upgrading relevant recycling facilities to support the scheme.
The decision to delay the scheme comes as the government prepares to announce its plans for the pilot program. It is expected that the government will reveal whether it will roll out the scheme as scheduled during the report’s submission to the Legislative Council on Monday.
The pay-as-you-throw waste charging scheme aimed to reduce waste and promote recycling by charging residents for the amount of waste they generate. The scheme was designed to encourage residents to reduce their waste output and adopt more sustainable practices.
The delay in the scheme’s implementation is likely to raise concerns among residents and environmental groups, who have been advocating for more effective waste management practices in Hong Kong. The city’s waste management system has been criticized for being inefficient and wasteful, with a significant amount of waste sent to landfills each year.
The government’s decision to delay the scheme will likely spark debate and scrutiny from environmental groups and residents, who will be watching closely to see what the government’s next move will be.
