Over 60pc believe switching to non-plastic tableware will not help reduce waste: survey

A survey conducted at the request of Greenpeace finds that the majority of the respondents doubt the effectiveness of using non-plastic tableware for waste reduction, with nearly 70 percent of them not even having their own containers for takeout.

The first phase of measures to control disposable plastic tableware was implemented in April of this year, prohibiting restaurants from selling and providing disposable plastic tableware.

In May, the environmental activist group commissioned the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute to conduct telephone interviews with thousands of citizens.

The survey showed that more than 60% of the respondents believe that recycling non-plastic tableware, such as paper or bamboo, would not help reduce waste.

Nearly 70% of the respondents also revealed that they did not bring their own utensils to buy takeout.

Greenpeace points out that chain restaurants are switching to disposable tableware such as paper or bamboo, and are just rehashing an existing idea and offering it as if it were a new one.

The group also believes that the government should reduce the use of disposable tableware from the source and set up a special fund to speed up the promotion of reusable tableware systems, such as reusing cups, to provide citizens with a chance to partake in waste reduction at the source.

In addition, Greenpeace will display an 8-meter-long whale art installation made of disposable tableware at the West Kowloon Cultural District for three consecutive days starting today, urging the government and chain companies to establish a reusable tableware lending and return service target and timetable.