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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, after attending the signing ceremony of the Addendum to the Hong Kong-Malmö Sustainability Charter today (March 21):
Reporter: But besides the (municipal solid waste) charging, you said the charging will be in 2016 or 2017, they (green groups) also said having in 2018 a polluters' pay scheme being expanded to materials such as rubber tyres, batteries and so on. Other than the charging, can other measures that they want be implemented?
Secretary for the Environment: The question is about the other Producer Responsibility Schemes (PRS). According to our blueprint, we do have a comprehensive strategy and timeline for various PRS. To share with you, earlier this week, we passed the bill on plastic bags levy scheme to extend the application from supermarkets and chain stores to all retail outlets. This is one of the measures that demonstrate we are really keen to expand the PRS to wider coverage. Besides extending the plastic bag levy, the next one will be on WEEE, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment covering refrigerators, and TV, etc. So there will be more PRS in the pipeline. All those items have been listed in our blueprint with timetable. So there is difference in details but the approach and overall strategies are similar to those raised by the green groups.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, March 21, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:50
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