|
Letter to the Editor of SCMP - Response to letter headlined "People are reusing plastic bags in a responsible manner"
I write in response to the letter headlined “People are reusing plastic bags in a responsible manner” on 5 March 2008 by Mr AlexF. T. Chu.
Before addressing the questions raised by Mr Chu, we would like to point out that sustainable waste management is not about tackling a single issue, but having a comprehensive strategy that encompasses waste avoidance and reduction at source; reuse, recovery and recycling in mid-stream; and proper waste treatment at the back end. The “Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (2005-2014)” published by our Department in 2005 presents such a holistic approach anda series of policy initiatives, including, amongst others, source separation of domestic waste programme, producer responsibility schemes and integrated waste management facilities, to solve our imminent and serious waste problem ina sustainable manner.
Waste avoidance and reduction at source are accorded the highest priority in the “Policy Framework” as they are the best solution to our waste problem. In the case of plastic shopping bags, Mr Chu is correct to point out that the per capita disposal figure in Hong Kong is “astonishingly high”. In fact, as suggested in a public opinion survey conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, nearly 90% of the public agree that there is much room to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags in their daily life, and two-third of the public support or strongly support the introduction of an environmental levy to address the problem of indiscriminate use.
Regarding the methodology of our waste survey, we had earlier explained in our reply to a Mr Alex Tam’s letter on 14 January that the per capita disposal figure of plastic shopping bags was obtained from an on-site waste survey conducted at landfills and refuse transfer stations. Following the methodology of thelong-established annual waste survey of our Department, waste samples were randomly selected from domestic, commercial and industrial sources, and plastic shopping bag therein was sorted, counted and its source tabulated. The same methodology is also used to quantify other waste types in the annual waste survey of our Department.
We thank Mr Chu for his interest inwaste management in general and the issue of plastic shopping bags in particular. We look forward to his continuing support in environmental protection.
Alfred Lee
Assistant Director
Environmental Protection Department
|
