【明報專訊】THE FIRST PHASE of regulation of disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products came into effect yesterday. Products such as Styrofoam tableware, disposable plastic cutlery and plastic straws are banned for distribution and can no longer be sold.
Plastic waste accounts for over 20% of Hong Kong's municipal solid waste, with only food waste making up a higher percentage. According to 2022 Monitoring of Solid Waste report by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), the average daily amount of plastic waste dumped in landfills in Hong Kong reached 2,369 tonnes, an increase of 1.6% from 2021. Though inexpensive and widely used, plastic is difficult to decompose naturally. If disposed of in landfills, plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose. If incinerated, plastic releases harmful pollutants.
Over the past few decades, plastic pollution has caused increasingly serious harm. Scientists have found microplastics in both live fish and drinking water. In recent years, governments around the world have launched measures to go plastic-free or reduce the use of plastics. In mainland China, for example, the government banned the production and sale of Styrofoam tableware and cotton buds with plastic rods in late 2020. As for the Macao government, it banned the import of Styrofoam, before outlawing the import of disposable plastic tableware as well.
In Hong Kong, although the SAR government began the gradual implementation of a plastic bag levy in 2009, there was not a major measure to eliminate plastic products for many years. It was not until 2021 that the authorities launched a public consultation exercise on legislation on the regulation of disposable plastic products. Supported by over 90% of opinions, the relevant bill was passed by the Legislative Council in October last year. The measures are to be implemented in two phases. The first phase officially came into effect yesterday (22 April), i.e. World Earth Day.
The specific measures include the prohibition of the sale or provision of a variety of disposable plastic tableware to customers. It will also be illegal to sell items such as plastic cotton buds and umbrella bags, or to provide them for free. As for disposable plastic cups, plastic bowls, etc., in the first stage restaurants are only prohibited from providing them to dine-in customers. The ban will be extended to takeaway customers in the second phase, its goal being making all disposable tableware completely plastic-free. The government stresses that there will be an adaptation period of six months. In the initial stage of implementation, only warnings will be issued, and the law will not be enforced strictly.
Going plastic-free and reducing the use of plastics is a global trend. The mainland is actively promoting the cause, and there is no reason for Hong Kong to remain on the sidelines. The implementation of the first phase of plastic restriction measures yesterday was an important milestone. The EPD states that it visited about 20,000 small- and medium-sized restaurants between January and April this year, and about 21% of them have switched to non-plastic alternatives. The Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants & Related Trades estimates that if large restaurant chains are included, about 30% of Hong Kong restaurants have switched to non-plastic tableware.
A developed and affluent society, Hong Kong is absolutely capable of doing more to protect the environment. Whether the municipal solid waste charging scheme will be implemented in August is full of uncertainties, and the government does not have a clear timetable for the implementation of the second phase of the "plastic-free" scheme. It is hoped that the government will not go back on its commitment to environmental protection policies simply because of opposition from some business circles and citizens.
明報社評2024.04.23：「走塑」踏出重要一步 環保政策盼莫「走數」
首階段管制即棄塑膠產品措施昨天起實施，所有發泡膠餐具、即棄膠刀叉、膠飲管等，全面禁止供應，亦不能銷售。
廢棄塑膠佔本港都市固體廢物逾兩成，比重之高，僅次於廚餘。根據環保署2022年固體廢物監察報告，本港廢塑膠每日平均棄置於堆填區的數量，達到2369公噸，比2021年棄置量增加1.6%。塑膠成本低用途廣，但難以自然分解，若以堆填方式處理，分解過程隨時要上百年；若焚化，則會釋出有害污染物。
過去數十年，塑膠污染所帶來的禍害愈來愈嚴重，無論活魚還是飲用水中，科學家都發現微膠粒。近年各地政府紛紛推出措施「走塑減膠」，例如內地2020年底起便禁止生產和銷售發泡膠餐具和膠柄棉花棒，澳門亦先後禁止進口發泡膠和即棄塑膠餐具。
香港方面，雖然特區政府2009年開始逐步實施膠袋徵費，但遲遲未見重大「走塑」措施出台，直至2021年，當局才就立法管制即棄塑膠產品諮詢公眾，超過九成意見支持，相關法案去年10月由立法會通過，管制措施分兩階段推行，首階段定在昨天，即4月22日「世界地球日」正式實施。
具體規定包括禁止發售或提供多種即棄膠餐具，另外亦會禁止銷售及免費供應膠棉花棒、雨傘袋等；至於即棄膠杯、膠碗等，首階段只禁止食肆向堂食顧客提供，第二階段才擴展至外賣顧客，屆時目標是所有即棄餐具全面無塑。政府強調設有半年適應期，實施初期只會警告，不會馬上從嚴執法。
「走塑減膠」是全球大趨勢，內地也在積極推動，香港沒理由作壁上觀，首階段管制措施昨天實施，是一個重要里程碑。環保署表示，今年1月至4月走訪約2萬間中小型食肆，約21%已轉用非塑膠替代品，餐飲聯業協會方面則估計，若包括大型連鎖飲食集團，全港約三成食肆已轉用非塑膠餐具。
香港是發達富裕社會，絕對有能力為環保多出一分力。垃圾徵費能否8月落實充滿懸念，第二階段「走塑」何時落實，政府也沒有明確時間表，期望政府莫因部分商界及市民反對，在環保政策方面「走數」。
■ Glossary 生字 /
decompose : to be destroyed gradually by natural processes
incinerate : to burn something until it is completely destroyed
affluent : having a lot of money and a good standard of living