Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan today inspected some of the premises under the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Charging Demonstration Scheme which starts on April 1, to understand their preparatory work.

At the West Kowloon Government Offices, Mr Tse inspected the designated refuse collection point and recycling area on one floor of the government building’s south wing as well as the central refuse collection point in the basement.

He was briefed on the progress of the co-ordination with other departments in the building and the publicity work in regard to the demonstration scheme.

Mr Tse also visited a fast-food restaurant chain in Admiralty Centre, Admiralty, to observe how they handle waste in the kitchen.

He listened to the views of the restaurant’s person-in-charge on MSW charging and the problems that may arise during the implementation, in addition to the practical arrangements and requirements of the operation.

“The premises under the demonstration scheme we visited today advised that they are fully prepared for the implementation.

“We believe that the experience and outcome of the demonstration scheme will assist the Government in better grasping the overall situation,” said Mr Tse.

The first group of premises covered under the demonstration scheme includes public and private residential buildings, “three-nil” buildings, shopping malls, restaurants and residential care homes.

Apart from providing relevant best practice guides and training materials to these premises, the Environmental Protection Department also briefed the property management practitioners or relevant representatives on their responsibilities.

Department officers had earlier conducted on-site assessments at the relevant premises to refine the scheme arrangements and help the people responsible prepare for the demonstration scheme’s implementation.

The officers will visit the residents or occupants of the selected premises to learn about their opinions, experiences and problems encountered.

Participating premises will start using designated bags upon the start of the demonstration scheme on April 1. The department expects most of the premises will collect waste disposed by using designated bags starting April 2.