******************************

    Following is a transcript of the media session (English portion) by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, after a radio programme this morning (April 11):

Reporter: On the model from other places of adopting charging on plastic bag like the Taipei case, do you think it is more difficult to apply in Hong Kong? Why do you think that? Is the public receptiveness one of the major ...?

Dr Liao: Every country has its own characteristics. For example, Ireland is very successful with the shopping bags. It's only got three importers. So imposing surcharge on these importers is a rather simple task. As far as Taipei is concerned, the legislation against voluntary distribution of plastic bags has also proved to be very successful with the help of volunteers from the public to find out whether the vendors actually request customers to ask for plastic bags. I have to test it out and ask for public opinion whether Hong Kong people will accept this kind of model.    

Reporter: How do you find the public receptiveness?

Dr Liao: At the moment I am still testing the water like this occasion. Callers have not been expressing opinions. We will try and do more public engagement and see whether this is a viable option for the public in Hong Kong.

Reporter: About the new initiative together with the supermarket, can you brief us on that?

Dr Liao: We will be launching something with the supermarket on encouraging customers not to use plastic bags but to use reusable bags. But at the same time, we would like to apart from educating the public not to use excessive plastic bags, we also want to offer them some economic benefits in doing so.

Reporter: Do you think the discussion has actually caused some people to change their habit of getting plastic bags?

Dr Liao: Certainly on individual basis. Some of the vendors in the market have already asked customers whether they want plastic bags because they like to prepare themselves in case plastic bag is going to be taxed heavily or whatever, they can manage their customers' expectation. And this is exactly what the Government would like to see as a voluntary way of reducing the use of plastic bags in a discriminate manner to reduce that behaviour.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion)

Ends/Monday, April 11, 2005

NNNN