Waste-charging scheme lacks consensus, says John Lee

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the Municipal Solid Waste Charging Scheme cannot move forward without broader support, even as the government remains committed to cutting waste and boosting recycling.

Speaking ahead of his weekly Executive Council meeting this morning, Lee described the scheme as a key instrument to achieve Hong Kong’s “zero landfill” target by around 2035.

He said the government had reviewed survey findings and gathered opinions from citizens and industry stakeholders, but had yet to reach a consensus.

Lee stressed that waste reduction efforts would continue regardless, outlining a multi-pronged approach that includes improving recycling systems, promoting waste reduction at source and strengthening public education and awareness campaigns.

He noted that progress has already been made: the city’s average daily disposal of solid waste has dropped by 7.5 percent over the past four years, while per-capita disposal has fallen by about 8 percent. The volume of recyclables collected has risen by one-third over the same period, he added.