Cleaners raise concerns on possible legal responsibilities over waste-charging scheme

A union representing sanitation workers says most of them were still unfamiliar with the impending waste-charging scheme, with the cleaners raising concerns about a possible increase in working hours and legal responsibilities while handling illegal rubbish dumping.

Leung Tsz-yan, a committee member of the Cleaning Workers Union advocating for cleaners' rights, told a radio program Thursday morning that some of the cleaners were shocked to hear that they could bear legal responsibilities if they took in rubbish not disposed of in designated bags.

During a phone-in session, a cleaner who works for single private residential buildings said she was concerned that there would be a significant increase in their working hours should they have to check whether residents on each floor have used the designated rubbish bags.

She noted that some residents are not used to using rubbish bags, dumping their waste directly into the rubbish bin placed on each floor.

“There could be more work after the implementation of the waste charging scheme…I would quit my job if there is a possibility we could face legal responsibilities for carrying out such an obnoxious duty,” she added.

Meanwhile, Chung Shan-shan, Director of the Master of Science in Environmental and Public Health Management Programme at Hong Kong Baptist University, told the same program that it would be difficult for authorities to monitor as it is rather convenient for Hongkongers to dump their waste in the city.

She believes the installation of surveillance cameras at fly-tipping black spots could have a deterrent effect. She also suggested extending the opening hours of recycling spots in Hong Kong.