The Legislative Council today passed the Product Eco-responsibility (Amendment) Bill 2023 for regulating disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products. The Government proposes to implement the first-phase regulation from April 22 next year.

Disposable plastic tableware

The bill prohibits the local sale of nine types of disposable plastic tableware, and prohibits catering premises from providing customers with such products, with the implementation carried out in two phases.

The nine types of products include: expanded polystyrene tableware, straws, stirrers, cutlery (forks, knives and spoons), plates, cups, cup lids, food containers and food container covers.

In the first-phase regulation, the sale of expanded polystyrene tableware and four other types of disposable plastic tableware that are small in size and difficult to recycle or to which there are mature alternatives will be banned. The provision of such tableware to takeaway customers will also be prohibited.

Moreover, the provision of all nine types of disposable plastic tableware to dine-in customers at catering premises will be outlawed.

In the second phase, for all nine types of products, the ban will be expanded to cover the sale to end-customers as well as the provision at catering premises to both dine-in and takeaway customers.

Other plastic products

The bill also regulates, in two phases, the manufacture, sale and distribution of a series of disposable plastic products.

In the first phase, the sale and provision of cotton buds, balloon sticks, inflatable cheer sticks, glow sticks, party hats, oxo-degradable plastic products, umbrella bags, food sticks and plastic toothpicks will be prohibited.

At the same time, hotels and guesthouses will not be permitted to provide disposable toiletries and in-room plastic-bottled water for free, while distributing non-medical use transparent gloves and plastic-packaged tissue paper for promotional use will also be banned.

Additionally, the manufacture, sale and free distribution of oxo-degradable plastics products will be prohibited.

Furthermore, in the second phase, the Government will not allow the sale and free distribution of multipack rings, table cloths and plastic stemmed dental floss or the free distribution of ear plugs.

The Environment & Ecology Bureau proposes the implementation of the first-phase regulation to take effect from April 22 next year, which is Earth Day, noting this would also allow for the trade to get prepared.

The second-phase regulation is tentatively set for 2025. The effective date will depend on the availability and affordability of the relevant non-plastic or reusable alternatives.

To facilitate the trade’s adoption of non-plastic tableware, the Environmental Protection Department has commissioned the Quality Assurance Agency to set up the Green Tableware Platform for reference by the food and beverage trade, tableware suppliers and the public. Currently, over 400 non-plastic disposable tableware products are listed on the platform, which also provides information on tableware rental and cleaning services to encourage restaurants to adopt reusable tableware.

In addition, the department is establishing an information platform on disposable plastics to share with the public the characteristics and the pros and cons of different alternatives for them to make well-informed choices.

The department also launched the Bring Your Own Containers Eateries Scheme last month, to encourage citizens to develop the good habit of bringing their own containers when ordering takeaways. There are now more than 350 participating restaurants.