Sale of designated rubbish bags begins on Friday

Designated rubbish bags for the upcoming waste charging scheme will be gradually available for purchase at various retail points across the city starting Friday (Jan 26), including convenience stores, household goods stores, and online platforms.

Citizens have to buy specific bags and designated labels to comply with the government scheme that charges them for each bag of rubbish they throw, which is set to take effect on August 1.

King Chan, Senior Environmental Protection Officer at the Environmental Protection Department, stated that there would be no restrictions on the quantity of designated bags that citizens can purchase.

However, availability may depend on different retail stores' actual stock and circumstances. 

Citizens who encounter any damaged or defective bags can contact the respective retailers for replacements.

He estimated that the demand for designated bags would gradually increase over time.

The EPD also encourages retailers to offer the option of selling single designated bags at the checkout counter as an alternative to plastic bags, achieving a "one bag for two uses" approach. 

Additionally, the department emphasized that citizens should purchase designated bags and labels from authorized retailers.