We hope this circular finds you well. We are writing to inform you about the passage the Product Eco-responsibility (Amendment) Bill 2023 for regulating disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products, and for enhancing two existing producer responsibility schemes (PRS).
The Hong Kong Government has consulted the Panel on Environmental Affairs of the LegCo and will implement Municipal Solid Waste Charging (MSWC) on 1 April 2024. The Environmental Protection Department has also compiled various Best Practice Guides (BPGs) on implementing MSWC for reference by different sectors in mid-2023.
The Government’s tobacco control policy has evolved with time through a multi-pronged approach with legislation, publicity, education and promotion of smoking cessation. The Government has set a target of lowering the smoking prevalence rate to 7.8% by 2025 in the Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control NCD in Hong Kong. The latest public consultation document focuses on four major tobacco control strategies
The Hong Kong Government has consulted the Panel on Environmental Affairs of the Legislative Council and will implement the municipal solid waste charge on 1 April 2024. In mid-2023, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) also formulated good practice guidelines for individual trades on the implementation of waste charging.
To reduce the use of disposable plastic products at source, so as to reduce the impact of plastic pollution on marine ecology and human health and mitigate climate change, the Government plans to legislate for phased control of disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products, and the relevant bills are currently under consideration by the Legislative Council. The first phase of control will commence 6 months after the passage of the Bill into the Legislative Council (as early as early 2024).
The Federation is pleased to invite Environmental Protection Department(EPD) to present the Waste Management Initiatives. The briefing session includes the topic of the Food TranSmarter, Food Waste Collection, and the upcoming initiatives. Details are as follow:
The HKSARG has been reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) by imposing control on the sulphur contents of fuel with a view to improving air quality in Hong Kong. The Air Pollution Control (Fuel Restriction) Regulations (Cap.311I) currently set a sulphur content limit of 0.005% (by weight) for industrial diesel. Nevertheless, since 2019, the People of Republic China government has fully implemented the requirement for supplying diesel meeting China VI standards (i.e. having a sulphur content not exceeding 0.001%) in order to achieve the "three-oil integration" (三油並軌) of motor diesel, ordinary diesel and oil for some marine vessels having the same sulphur content limit.
The Hong Kong Government is formulating the “Product Eco-responsibility (Amendment) Bill 2023” which related to our hotel industry. The proposed framework for disposable plastic tableware and amenities are attached at the appendix. According to the paper, the Phase 1 of regulation is proposed to be implemented as soon as the fourth quarter of 2023, and Phase 2 is proposed to be implemented in 2025 at the earliest.