Police asked to probe 'defamatory, slanderous' claims against garbage bags

The Environmental Protection Department will ask the police to probe "defamatory and slanderous" statements from a video clip that claimed the designated garbage bags for municipal solid waste charge can be easily damaged.

This came after the government postponed the implementation date of the municipal solid waste charge, originally scheduled on April 1, to August 1.

In a statement yesterday, the department said the bags shown in the video were not the designated bags that are not yet on sale.

"The designated bags to be put on sale soon have already passed all tests of relevant international or national standards and will not be easily damaged," it said, adding the tests include minimum tensile strength, minimum percentage of elongation, puncture and impact resistance.

"The government severely condemns such false news and reminds citizens that recently there were many rumors with malicious intent to undermine the quality of designated bags," the department said.

"People should be more vigilant to avoid being misled and deceived. The department will refer cases with suspected criminal elements to the police for follow-up investigation," it added.

On Saturday, the department also refuted online discussions concerning whether the designated bags are not degradable and will harm the environment.

Hong Kong landfills lack the conditions to completely degrade plastics and at least 20 percent of the designated bags are recycled plastic to protect the environment, it said.

On the contrary, some degradable plastic bags will pollute the environment when they break down, it added.

Meanwhile, the government recommended citizens to use designated garbage bags when shopping at supermarkets.

Tamar Talk, one of the government's social media accounts, suggested on its Facebook post that citizens should bring their own bags or buy designated trash bags to carry goods when shopping.

It said there is no need to buy plastic bags from supermarkets and the plastic bags they have stored can be used to carry recyclable garbage to recycling stations.

Hongkongers will have to buy designated garbage bags before dumping their domestic rubbish under the municipal solid waste scheme starting August 1 and the bags will be available for sale as early as Friday this week.

This came after the government announced postponing the waste charging scheme from April 1 to August 1.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said the extension is a "responsible act" to help the public and relevant sectors better know about the scheme.

"The key to successful implementation of the waste charging is that citizens fully understand and actively participate in the scheme," Tse said, noting that people have expressed various concerns about the new scheme.

He also said the government will take the lead by launching pilots in government buildings starting April 1.

"We will put forward demonstrations so that different people, different sectors and the public can actually see how waste charging will function, how it is operated and if we have some minor problems, how they will be resolved," Tse said.

Tse added that sales for designated bags will go as planned in 3,000 retail outlets in the city.