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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, after attending a public event on plastic shopping bag charging today (April 9):
Reporter: Mr Wong, how many cases of warnings were issued? What cases were they and what were the scenarios? Why did they have to be issued warnings?
Secretary for the Environment: In the first eight days after the full implementation of the plastic shopping bag charging, there are a total of 18 verbal warnings. They are mainly about food that is in sealed packaging or non-foodstuff. There are two individual cases. One is about a shop that provides environmentally-friendly bag. They mistakenly think that it is a kind of non-plastic bag. Another case is that the shop provides a rebate to customers while they are purchasing items. In the first month, it is a kind of period for people to adapt. But after this month, we have to highlight that there will be no more verbal warnings and a penalty in a fixed sum of $2,000 will be issued next month.
Reporter: But do you think the grace period is enough because people seem to be confused about that?
Secretary for the Environment: When I talked to some retailers, including today's retailers selling bread, they have a feeling that the majority of Hong Kong people have adapted to plastic shopping bag charging because in the first phase of the charging (levy) that was implemented since 2009, after five or six years, people are adapted to the concept of environmentally-friendly practice during their shopping activities. So this time, the full implementation is actually a kind of stepped-up measure and people have mostly adapted to that. But since there are new elements including exemptions involved in the full implementation, so there is a kind of one-month grace period. It should be enough for them.
Reporter: Mr Wong, how would the Government monitor the situation next month when the grace period ends? I mean there has been some confusion but there have also been cases where retailers are taking advantage of the scheme by over-charging or say even like charging for plastic bags that are not necessary, like when buying seafood. How would you monitor the situation and how would you ensure that retailers do not take advantage of it?
Secretary for the Environment: The key of the requirement is to reduce the use of plastic bags. The reason is mainly for the (benefit of) environment. While we noted that there are some shops charging (for) the plastic bags above the requirement under the law, I think that is acceptable as long as it is clear to the customers and is also in line with green policies. We will monitor the situation in particular those in violation of the law.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, April 9, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:23
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