Don't let this turn into a rubbish joke

Come April 1 and a landmark pay-as-you-throw scheme aimed at reducing waste kicks off following many months of waiting.

It's no April Fool's Day joke - from then on, people will be held responsible if found to be not using paid government-designated bags or labels to dump waste or other items that they no longer want.

The Municipal Solid Waste Charging Scheme has been passed for awhile and its implementation is overdue, given the amount of waste disposed at landfills each year.

Environment Secretary Tse Chin-wan and his predecessor who initiated the charging scheme knew it would need the public to change their habits. Its success would depend on how far society at large could adapt to the change - and they have opted for a cautious approach.

The public education period has been long enough and, fortunately, it will soon be time for action.

In contrast to the level of awareness at the time the law was passed to clear the way for the Municipal Solid Waste Charging Scheme, public awareness has increased significantly - although clarification of some details may still be needed if the scheme is to launch smoothly on April 1.

The community is already prepared for the change - not only psychologically but also through action.

Ahead of the launch and following the convenience of the Chinese tradition, households have been performing major house cleaning ahead of the Lunar New Year to close the Year of the Rabbit and usher in the Year of the Dragon.

This is the last time they can do so without having to pay for the bulk being disposed of.

Given the increased level of awareness achieved since the law was passed in 2021, it can be imagined that everyone is better prepared for the scheme than before.

Nonetheless, there are still a few minor details that should be clarified before April 1.

While there is no question that most estate residents know they must dump rubbish in pre-paid government-designated bags that will be available in various sizes, cleaning workers in the frontline are being tasked with checking that the garbage is being dumped by households lawfully.

A number of questions arise as a result.

First, do these cleaning workers need to check whether all the bags in an estate's storage areas are legal - that is, government designated bags purchased from approved outlets?

Second, how would these workers possibly know which households the bags came from?

Third, does it also mean that the cleaning workers should not deal with these bags and leave them where they are - for example, in the storage areas - rather than throwing them together with other lawful bags?

Following so many months of public education, residents have become clearer than before about what they are expected to do - which may not be the case as far as cleaning workers in the frontline are concerned.

Unless it is better clarified, April 1 could turn out to be April Fool's Day for those serving in the frontline.