Hong Kong’s ban on single-use plastics is going smoothly, Chief Executive John Lee has said, despite confusion surrounding how the rules are being implemented and poor compliance.
Speaking at his weekly press briefing on Tuesday, the city’s leader said more people were purchasing reusable alternatives, suggesting that Hongkongers were beginning to change their daily habits.
“Generally speaking, from what I can see, [the single-use plastics ban] has been smooth and orderly,” he said.
Lee’s comments came a week into the city implementing a limited ban on single-use plastics.
Under the new rules, restaurants are prohibited from providing plastic tableware such as utensils and straws for both dine-in and takeaway. For items for which the government classifies as having few viable alternatives, such as food containers and their lids, restaurants are still allowed to provide them for customers taking their food out.
Businesses have a six-month grace period to adapt to the requirements. Authorities will not enforce the rules during this time.
Since the ban’s implementation, there has been confusion surrounding how the rules apply in non-restaurant premises that also serve food. The public has raised questions about what counts as dining in and taking away, as the rules differ.
Local media have reported mixed instructions from staff at convenience stores and supermarkets – some of which have on-site snack stalls – about whether they are allowed to eat their food there if they were served in a plastic container. HKFP also found that many eateries have been slow to adapt to the new rules.
There has also been debate about whether eating at a food court is considered dining in, as the premises where people sit down and eat may not be owned by the restaurants themselves.
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said on Thursday that there are dining areas in food courts and the business model is “basically the same as that of regular restaurants.”
“[H]ence food stalls in food courts are required to comply with the regulatory requirements on tableware for dine-in service,” the department said.
The department has also said that supermarkets can still sell pre-packaged food in plastic containers, as this “business model is considered takeaway.” The clarification came after a photo of sushi packaged in a paper box at Japanese retailer Don Don Donki went viral.
Lee said on Tuesday that he recognised that the public wanted the rules to be made clearer. He said the EPD had already made statements to explain and would continue to do so.
Second phase
The current rules are part of the first phase of the city-wide single-use plastics ban. The second phase is tentatively set to begin next year, with more items – including plastic boxes for takeaway – set to be banned.
The sale of plastic cups and food containers will also be prohibited from being sold. Under the first phase, there is already a ban on the sale of plastic utensils, plates and straws.
As to when phase two may begin, Lee said on Tuesday that it would depend on the availability and cost of alternatives on the market.
Last week, restaurant owners told HKFP that they were struggling to find replacements to plastic that were cost-effective. It has also been difficult to find viable alternatives, some owners said, pointing to paper containers that were unable to withstand moisture and high temperatures.
Many of the restaurants HKFP spoke to were still using plastic for the time being to clear their stock before purchasing replacements.
Environment Secretary Tse Chin-wan, however, said on Saturday that authorities had visited about 1,700 retail and catering premises in the past week. He added that almost all of the large chains, and about half of the smaller restaurants, had begun using eco-friendly alternatives.
Chin also said he expected that the cost of alternatives would fall over time.
“People’s behaviour will drive the development of the alternatives, as well as drive down the price of those alternatives,” he said.
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