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As the full implementation of plastic shopping bag (PSB) charging on April 1 is approaching, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has been holding a wide range of community activities to foster public understanding of the new measures, as well as to encourage members of the public to develop the green habit of "BYOB" (bring your own bag).
An EPD spokesman today (March 19) said the EPD, in collaboration with District Councils and various green groups, has been holding various educational and promotional activities, including carnivals, exhibitions, school dramas, seminars, games stalls and green workshops, in different communities, schools, public housing estates and popular public areas since last November to spread the messages of PSB charging to different corners of the community.
Starting in March, the EPD has been organising large-scale promotional activities in various locations throughout the territory. Details of the promotional activities to be held in late March to early April are as follows:
Date Time Venue Activity
---- ---- ----- --------
March 21 11am-5pm Kwai Tsing Exhibition,
(Saturday) Theatre Plaza Interactive
games,
DIY workshops
and Live
performance
11am-7pm Shek Wai Kok Exhibition and
Shopping Centre, Interactive
Shek Wai Kok games
Estate,
Tsuen Wan
noon-6pm Fashion World, Exhibition and
Whampoa Garden, Interactive
Hung Hom games
2pm-5pm Near Wong Tai On-street
Sin Government promotional
Primary School, activities
Ching Tak Street,
Wong Tai Sin
March 22 9am-5pm Left side of On-street
(Sunday) Shek Kip Mei promotional
Community Hall activities
at Nam Cheong
Street,
Sham Shui Po
11am-5pm Tsing Yi Exhibition,
Promenade Interactive
games,
DIY workshops
and Live
performance
noon-6pm New Jade Exhibition and
Shopping Interactive
Arcade, games
Chai Wan
March 28 9am-5pm Outside Tsuen On-street
(Saturday) Wan Market, promotional
Tsuen Wan activities
Market Street
noon-6pm Citywalk 1, Exhibition and
Tsuen Wan Interactive
games
March 29 noon-6pm Outside Tai Po On-street
(Sunday) Hui Market promotional
and Cooked Food activities
Centre,
Heung Sze Wui
Street, Tai Po
noon-6pm East Point Exhibition and
City, Interactive
Tseung Kwan O games
April 6 noon-6pm Lok Fu Plaza, Exhibition and
(Monday) Wong Tai Sin Interactive
games
The spokesman said that the district-based promotional activities help disseminate the BYOB message within the community. The activities held in shopping centres could also help remind retailers and consumers that PSB charging will be fully implemented shortly. The spokesman called on the public to actively participate in the activities so as to better understand the new measures and get well-prepared before April 1.
From April 1, all retailers in Hong Kong, irrespective of the scale of operation and business nature, will have to charge customers not less than 50 cents for each PSB, unless the use of a PSB is exempted from charging (such as for food hygiene reasons or prepackaging). The PSB charge will be retained by the shops.
For more information about PSB charging, please visit the EPD's featured webpage: www.epd.gov.hk/epd/psb_charging, or call the enquiry hotline at 3152 2299.
Ends/Thursday, March 19, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:01
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