Plastic shopping bag charging will be fully implemented on April 1 to encourage people to bring their own bags when they go shopping.
From that day, all retailers, irrespective of scale of operation and business nature, will have to charge customers 50 cents for each plastic bag provided in the sale of goods, save for situations where there is exemption.
In the first month, officials will first give verbal warnings to retailers who contravene the requirements. Enforcement action will follow if they fail to rectify the non-compliance. No prior warnings will be given from the second month.
Environmental Protection Department officers will conduct random checks at retail shops. Violation of the new rule would result in a $2,000 fine.
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