Hong Kong sustainability officials are asking authorities to ban single-use plastic products as part of efforts to reduce the amount of material going to landfill.

According to a report by the Hong Kong Council For Sustainable Development (CSD; www.enb.gov.hk/en), around 2,300 t of plastics went to landfill sites every day in 2020, including plastic bags (plastic shopping bags and other plastic bags included), plastic beverage bottles, plastic/polyfoam dining wares and other products.

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The report recommended that the current charge for shopping bags of HKD 0.50 (EUR 0.06) be increased to HKD 1 or even HKD 2. It also outlined plans to increase controls on single-use plastics and other legislative measures to reduce their spread, along with new publicity campaigns to educate people about using less plastic, recycling more, and encouraging the sale of greener merchandise.

The council said, “Imposing a ban on the sale of certain single-use plastic products is a powerful control measure suitable for single-use plastic products with readily available alternatives, or products that are not essential. The government should review the effectiveness of relevant control measures from time to time and make adjustments where necessary.”

The pandemic has exacerbated the plastic waste problem across Hong Kong, with strict quarantine rules meaning meals are delivered to homes and hotels in plastic bags that are thrown away rather than recycled.

A Reuters report quoted a government spokesperson as saying officials were aware of a surge in disposable waste since the pandemic began and are urging people to adopt a green lifestyle as much as they could.