The environment minister yesterday unveiled the plan to charge for disposal of municipal solid waste. The charges could be in force by the second half of 2019 at the earliest. Each household will have to pay HK$1.70 each time they use a prepaid 15-litre bag, or HK$1.10 for a 10-litre bag, says Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing.

The “by bag” method will apply to premises such as residential estates, which use refuse collection services provided by the government. The cost depends on the bag used, and they come in nine sizes, from three to 100 litres. If the trash exceeds the 100-litre bag, the household has to buy a special HK$11 label from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD).

People will be able to buy the bags from more than 4,000 locations, such as convenience stores, supermarkets and post offices.

The FEHD would refuse to collect any trash without the special label or prepaid bags. In the first three months after the launch, the FEHD officers would only give verbal warnings to offenders, but repeat offenders would be charged a HK$1,500 fixed penalty.

The plans will be discussed next week by members of the Legislative Council’s environmental affairs panel.

Edited by Sam Gusway