Hong Kong will implement the "no plastic walk" starting on April 22. Tse Chin-wan: Authorities will visit 20,000 small food establishments to explain the new measures.

The first phase of the ban on disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products in Hong Kong will be implemented starting on April 22, with a 6-month grace period. Director of Environmental Protection Department, Xie Zhanhuan, reported to the Legislative Council on the progress of the work, mentioning that there are 20,000 non-chain small eateries in Hong Kong and the authorities will visit them all to explain the new arrangements. Additionally, suppliers will be informed of the legal requirements and encouraged to sell alternative products to help the relevant businesses transition. Xie expressed confidence that the control plan will proceed smoothly in the future. In response to concerns from the financial services sector, Xie stated that after the law is passed, large suppliers have been contacted and restaurants will still be able to provide disposable plastic tableware during the 6-month adaptation period. It is unlikely that the industry will have excess inventory for more than half a year, and importers with remaining inventory at that time can re-export it. In response to a question from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), Xie explained that hotels charging for disposable plastic products instead of providing them for free would likely prompt the industry to choose alternative products. Another DAB member raised concerns about excessive packaging in online shopping, to which Xie responded that regulating online products involves more complexity and they are currently studying approaches from other regions. They plan to assess the effectiveness of the initial disposable plastic control measures and avoid overwhelming the public with too many initiatives at once. The following is the opening statement of Director of Environmental Protection Department, Xie Zhanhuan, at the meeting of the Legislative Council Panel on Environmental Affairs on the progress report of preparing to regulate the use of disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products: The regulation of disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products will come into effect on April 22 this year. Today, we will report to the members on the latest progress of the preparations and seek their opinions. The relevant draft legislation was passed in the Legislative Council last October, and the government has since been actively promoting a series of educational campaigns. As the main goal of the entire plan is waste reduction at the source, targeting suppliers and sales points, our educational campaigns focus on the sources, including the launch of a dedicated website "Plastic Cut-off" to provide comprehensive information; sending officials to 20,000 small and medium-sized eateries, 11,000 retail stores, and 1,800 hotels and guesthouses for education and information sharing; establishing a green tableware platform to help the catering industry find compliant alternatives; and organizing online and offline industry training seminars. While our main goal is waste reduction at the source, the support of the public is also crucial for successful implementation. In addition to educational campaigns targeting the industry, we have also launched a series of public education campaigns through various channels, including television, radio, and public transportation. In terms of implementation, we will adopt a gradual approach, with the first six months after the implementation of the control plan on April 22 designated as an adaptation period. During this period, the Environmental Protection Department will actively inspect the operations of relevant business premises, focusing on education and providing appropriate advice and information to help them comply with the regulations under the new law.