The Government today announced that the legislative process for making subsidiary legislation for enhancing the Plastic Shopping Bag Charging Scheme and full implementation of the producer responsibility scheme on glass beverage containers (GPRS) has been initiated.

The Government proposed to amend the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance to enhance the Plastic Shopping Bag Charging Scheme in place, including to remove the present exemption for plastic shopping bags carrying frozen or chilled foodstuff items.

The enhancement also includes tightening the scope of exemption such that free plastic shopping bags can only be provided when purchasing foodstuff items without packaging or not wholly contained in any packaging, or food and beverage takeaway items in non-airtight packaging, subject to the basic principle of one free plastic shopping bag per single transaction.

It suggested to increase the charging level per plastic shopping bag from the current amount of at least 50 cents to at least $1.

After the passage of the legislative amendments, the Government will prepare best practice guidelines and allow some time for the trade and the public to get prepared for the new arrangements. The Government aims to implement the enhanced scheme on December 31.

Moreover, the Government also proposed to make the Product Eco-responsibility (Regulated Articles) Regulation to provide for the operation details for the implementation of the GPRS, including setting the level of the recycling levy at $0.98 per litre. The Government aims to fully implement the scheme in the first quarter of 2023.

The Environment Bureau published the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035 last year, setting out the vision of Waste Reduction ‧ Resources Circulation ‧ Zero Landfill.

The Government noted that the proposed enhancement to the Charging Scheme and full implementation of the GPRS will be another step forward in Hong Kong's work on waste reduction and recycling, in preparation for the implementation of municipal solid waste charging in the future.