Hong Kong authorities are taking a “pragmatic” attitude to the citywide launch date for a controversial waste-charging policy, the environmental chief has said, stressing the need to wait for the outcome of a trial run before deciding the next step.
Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said on Saturday that the government must be prudent about the launch of the pay-as-you-throw scheme, which had triggered a highly polarised response among the public.
“This is a very important policy affecting 7 million people in Hong Kong. We need to be prudent about what we are going to do for the next step as some people hope we can postpone the scheme, while others think we should stick to the timetable,” he told a radio programme.
“That is why we need to conduct a trial run to examine the experience of the participants and their difficulties to see if Hong Kong is ready for the levy or not.
“We hope that through the trial run, we can see its actual impact on society. The government will examine the situation in a pragmatic manner and decide the next step forward.”
The scheme has already been delayed twice and the government now aims for it to be rolled out citywide on August 1 following the trial run, which starts on Monday.
He added it was “too early” to decide whether to alter the implementation process and any changes produced from public feedback would boost the government’s credibility.
Authorities are facing mounting calls from the public to delay the plan or even scrap it for good over concerns such as residents’ unpreparedness, its complexity and the city’s inexperience with waste charging and recycling.
Sales of approved garbage bags in Hong Kong off to slow start
Sales of approved garbage bags in Hong Kong off to slow start
The trial will cover 14 locations, including a government office block and two public residential buildings.
Authorities are expected to provide all selected premises with designated rubbish bags and labels free of charge during the period, as well as collect operational data.
Other selected locations include two shopping centres, four restaurants and two private blocks in Sham Shui Po, which do not have owner corporations or property management companies.
The idea for a waste-charging plan was first floated by authorities more than 20 years ago.
