LCQ16: Regulation of disposable plastic products
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Question:
The first phase regulation of disposable plastic products (the first-phase regulation) officially came into effect on April 22 last year, and the relevant adaptation period ended on October 21 last year. There is a view that although members of the public and the trade have actively co-operated with the first-phase regulation and adopted to non-plastic alternatives, the types of alternatives (e.g. cups, cup lids, food containers and container covers) for some disposable plastic tableware available in the market are still limited, which may hinder the implementation of regulation of disposable plastic products in the next phase. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) how it assesses the specific effectiveness of the first-phase regulation (including the changes in the amount of regulated plastic tableware disposed of and the actual situation of the trade in the adoption of non-plastic alternatives); of the number of complaint cases received by the authorities since the implementation of the first-phase regulation, together with a breakdown by category of case;
(2) whether it has examined the difficulties or technical problems encountered by the catering trade in sourcing or using non-plastic alternatives during the implementation of the first-phase regulation, and the support measures provided by the authorities to assist the trade in responding to this situation;
(3) regarding the second phase regulation of disposable plastic products (the second-phase regulation), of the current state of discussions between the authorities and the trade, in particular on sourcing the relevant non-plastic alternatives, etc; whether the authorities have assessed the difficulties of different trades in adapting to the implementation of the second-phase regulation due to their actual operational needs; and
(4) whether the authorities will consider extending the existing support measures for the trade, such as providing more detailed guidance on alternatives to disposable plastic products or technical advisory services, as well as proactively introducing high-quality non-plastic alternative products, etc, in order to help small and medium-sized restaurants make a smooth transition to the second-phase regulation?
Reply:
President,
To reduce the use of disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products at source with a view to minimising the impact of plastic pollution on the marine environment and human health, the regulation on disposable plastic products (the Regulation) commenced its first phase on April 22, 2024, and the six-month adaptation period ended on October 21, 2024. Since the implementation of the Regulation, the trades have actively complied with the Regulation by stopping the sale or provision of regulated disposable plastic products. The public's habit of using relevant products in their daily lives has also changed, with "bring your own reusable tableware" and plastic-free cultures being developed gradually in the society, thereby achieving an effective waste reduction goal. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will continue to promote going "plastic-and-disposable-free" and join hands with different sectors of the community to promote a culture of green and low-carbon living in Hong Kong.
The reply to the question raised by the Hon Dominic Lee is as follows:
(1) Since the implementation of the Regulation on April 22, 2024, the public and the trades have adapted to the changes in their daily lives and business operations. For example, the number of takeaway customers who do not require disposable tableware has increased significantly compared to before the implementation of the Regulation. Some chain restaurants reported that more than 80 per cent of their customers no longer require takeaway cutlery. It is estimated that, on average, the Regulation can reduce more than 60 million sets of disposable tableware being disposed of in landfills in Hong Kong every year. Overall speaking, the Regulation has been effective in reducing plastic tableware and regulated plastic products from being disposed of in landfills, demonstrating a significant achievement in going "plastic-free".
After the six-month adaptation period ended on October 21, 2024, as at end March 2025, the EPD received a total of 108 complaints and reports, of which 98 cases involved catering premises providing regulated disposable plastic tableware, while the remaining 10 cases concerned other disposable plastic products. The EPD has investigated the complaint cases and issued written warnings to those with suspected violations, requiring the persons-in-charge to make improvements within 10 working days; otherwise, a fixed penalty notice would be issued. The EPD has followed up all the cases, with 18 catering premises remained persistently incompliant after receiving warnings. The EPD staff have subsequently issued fixed penalty notices of $2,000 to the persons-in-charge.
(2) We understood that during the early stage of implementation of the Regulation, the catering trade required time to source non-plastic alternatives (such as paper straws and paper spoons) that met their operational needs in terms of quality and functionality. As such, the EPD had engaged the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency to establish the Green Tableware Platform (the Platform) (www.greentableware.hk) early in January 2022. Currently, the Platform has enlisted more than 170 tableware suppliers and more than 2 000 non-plastic disposable tableware products for the trade's reference. The EPD will continue to monitor the latest development of the non-plastic alternatives market and identify alternatives that meet the needs of the trades and the public.
With the Regulation being implemented for nearly a year, the supply of alternatives has become more diverse, and the trades have gradually adapted to the regulatory requirements. We notice a continuous decline in the prices of these alternatives, along with significant improvements in the product quality. The catering trade has also progressively gained understanding and adopted suitable non-plastic alternatives. In addition, the EPD staff will continue to attend the Seminar on Restaurant Licensing regularly organised by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to help prospective restaurant operators understand the requirements of the Regulation.
(3) Since March 2025, the EPD has been meeting with various catering trade associations to gather their views and concerns regarding the second phase of the Regulation, as well as to understand the latest development of non-plastic alternatives. While there are currently several alternative options available in the market, the diverse range of food items provided by the catering industry necessitates varying requirements for food containers. The Government will continue to actively collaborate with the suppliers of non-plastic alternatives to explore ways to enhance the quality of their products, meeting the practical needs of the catering trade. To this end, before implementing the second phase of the Regulation, the Government will thoroughly consider the maturity, availability and affordability of the relevant non-plastic alternatives with a view to striking a balance between environmental protection and sustainable development of the trades, and will consider the programme of further regulation in light of the prevailing circumstances.
(4) Referencing the implementation of the first phase of the Regulation, apart from continuing to monitor the market development of alternatives, the EPD is preparing to collaborate with the trades and some large chain restaurant groups and expects to conduct various scenario testing of alternatives in restaurants in mid-2025. We will also continue to review and enhance supporting measures, engage with suppliers to explore further introduction of high-quality and cost-effective non-plastic alternatives, provide references of non-plastic alternatives to the trades through the above-mentioned Green Tableware Platform, and address enquiries from the public and the trades through the EPD hotline at 2838 3111. We will strengthen the relevant supporting efforts in accordance with the needs of the trades.
Through various channels as well as publicity and education activities, the EPD will continue its publicity and education efforts as the main focus, supplementing these efforts with enforcement actions to encourage the public and the trades to participate in "plastic-free" in their daily lives and businesses so as to achieve waste reduction at source.
Ends/Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:08
Issued at HKT 16:08
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