The Government welcomed the passage of the Waste Disposal (Charging for Municipal Solid Waste) (Amendment) Bill 2018 by the Legislative Council today, noting the bill’s passage is a milestone in waste management in Hong Kong.

The Government noted that municipal solid waste (MSW) charging is a common economic means adopted internationally to motivate the public to reduce waste and a driving force that fuels the downstream recycling industry.

The MSW charging also advances the vision set out in the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035 and forms an integral part of the development of a circular economy in the city, it added.

The Government will put in place a preparatory period of 18 months as a basic arrangement to enable it and various sectors of the community to get prepared.

It will also devote resources to strengthen recycling support in the community, launch an education and publicity campaign, support different sectors through outreach services and take enforcement action to back the scheme.

The Government will communicate closely with legislators and stakeholders, and welcome their suggestions regarding the varied preparatory work in taking forward MSW charging.

It will also maintain close ties with stakeholders and sectors including property management companies, frontline cleaning staff and waste collectors to provide relevant practitioners with information and training, and draw up guidelines to prepare for MSW charging’s implementation.