Plastic bag levy to double as exemptions cut

Consumers will soon have to pay HK$1 - double the current levy of 50 HK cents - for each plastic shopping bag from December 31 while exemptions for carrying chilled food will be canceled, authorities say.

Only one plastic bag will be exempted for one purchase of food that is unpackaged, not wholly contained in packaging or in nonairtight wrappings, the Environmental Protection Department said yesterday.

It has submitted an amendment bill to the Legislative Council to improve the Plastic Shopping Bag Charging Scheme.

The department said since the expansion of the scheme in 2015, disposal of plastic bags that year dropped by 25 percent to 3.93 billion from 5.24 billion the year before.

Bit, it added, the figure has rebounded, showing a need to raise the current levy to maintain the waste-reduction effect.

The number of plastic bags used by Hongkongers rose to 4.07 billion in 2019 and increased to 4.18 billion in 2020.

The department said people buying packaged food, including eggs in boxes, blueberries in plastic boxes, potatoes and mangoes in bags, and fresh meat in boxes, will no longer get free plastic bags because their packaging could effectively avoid food leakage or spillage.

But exemptions will continue for food in nonairtight packages, such as fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood sold in wet markets, as well as bread wrapped in paper bags and cooked takeout meals, although the number of free plastic bags in each transaction will be limited. The department said: "After the passage of the legislative amendments, the government will prepare best-practice guidelines and allow some time for the trade and the public to get prepared for the new arrangements.

"The government aims to implement the enhanced scheme on December 31."

It also plans to charge manufacturers of glass beverage containers 98 HK cents per liter in the first quarter of next year.

A consumer said raw meat should not be placed in the same plastic bag as other food due to hygiene concerns and that the government should not take a one-size-fits-all approach.

Another said he would bring more plastic bags and boxes himself when going shopping in the future.

The chairman of the Institution of Dining Art, Simon Wong Kit-Lung, said authorities have told the catering sector that restaurants should provide one free plastic bag for each transaction. An extra bag can also be given to customers if there is too much food to fit in one bag.

Wong said the amendment of the bill does not target the catering sector and will not have a huge impact on restaurants.

Greenpeace welcomed the increase in the plastic bag charge. It urged the government to set a time frame with clear plastic reduction targets to assess its effectiveness.

"Greenpeace has to emphasize a comprehensive plastic-reduction plan and timetable for developing packaging-free and reusable packaging technology which are crucial to reduce plastic waste," it said.

"Solely banning or adding an extra charge on disposable plastic without providing a plastic-free alternative will only shift the usage to other disposable materials, and cannot achieve the ultimate goal of reducing waste at source."

The executive director of Greeners Action, Angus Ho Hon-wai, told The Standard that increasing the levy to HK$1 cannot effectively deter people from buying plastic bags.

The aim of the measure is to use financial concerns to stop people from using plastic bags, but most people would not hesitate spending HK$1 for convenience, Ho said. He added: "Nowadays, when people see a HK$1 coin on the street, they will not stop to pick it up." Ho urged authorities to raise the amount to more than HK$2 per bag.

Wellcome told The Standard it has always supported and worked toward sustainable development.

"We have guidelines to encourage our customers to bring their own shopping bags and reduce the use of plastic bags. We will keep abreast of the ordinance so as to make necessary arrangements."

Another supermarket chain, ParknShop, said it also supports the proposal, adding the government should be consistent in its regulation of retailers.

"During the consultation, we also reminded the government to consider people's actual needs," it said. "For example, the packages of frozen meat and seafood are not always sealed and a plastic bag is necessary due to hygiene concerns."

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com