This is the 1710th issue of "Hong Kong One Day".
The first phase of Hong Kong's plastic ban will come into effect with immediate effect
Today (22 April) is Earth Day, and Hong Kong has officially launched the first phase of controls on single-use plastic products. With immediate effect, Hong Kong will prohibit the sale and free provision of controlled disposable plastic products, including prohibiting the provision of plastic forks, knives, spoons, straws, and all styrofoam tableware to customers in restaurant dine-in and takeaway services;
The Hong Kong SAR government has previously stated that the first six months of the implementation of the new law will be the adaptation period, and the SAR government has promised not to enforce the law against the non-compliant business locations, and the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department personnel will also understand the problems and difficulties they face and provide assistance.
According to Hong Kong media reports, the reporter visited a number of catering establishments today and found that most takeaway shops are still using plastic cups, bowls, and lunch boxes with sealing lids and adhesive film as before, which is also in line with the regulations of the SAR government. However, one snack shop still uses plastic products for spoons and knives and forks, and does not plan to switch to eco-friendly products, citing that "the store will close in a week, and I don't want to bother." However, most takeaway shops have made it clear that plastic knives, forks and spoons are not allowed in the store, and paper cutlery will be charged extra.
Disposable plastic containers other than styrofoam can still be used for takeaway food and beverages in restaurants. Source: Hong Kong "Point News"
The reporter also observed that for stores that provide take-out and dine-in services at the same time, take-out continues to use plastic cups, plastic bowls, and plastic lunch boxes with sealing lids and plastic film to keep the soup from spilling; For previously purchased unused plastic tableware, the merchant said it would return it to the supplier.
Some Hong Kong residents said in interviews that although they felt inconvenient about using non-plastic tableware in the early days, such as feeling that paper straws were easy to soften and paper tableware was not durable, these measures had positive significance for environmental protection in the long run. Some citizens said that they usually bring their own lunch boxes, believing that it is everyone's responsibility to reduce plastic waste, because the earth has already borne too much garbage.
Dine-in paper bowl Source: Hong Kong "Ta Kung Wen Wei Po"
Plastic products are generally not seen on dine-in tables. Source: Hong Kong "Point News"
Wong Ka-wo, President of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said in a radio program today that the nine types of disposable plastic tableware involved in the first phase can be replaced, and it is believed that as the six-month adaptation period passes, more catering establishments will adopt environmentally friendly disposable tableware, and their prices will also decrease due to the increase in supply, and the choices will be more diverse. However, he also pointed out that poor production of cheap paper tableware may be prone to problems such as softness and deformation, and may also leave the tableware with some of the taste of raw materials.
Chui Ting-pong, Chief Operating Officer of Hong Kong Hotels and Executive Director of the Tourism Promotion Association, said that with the entry into force of the law, the hotel industry has found alternatives for items such as glue toothbrushes, toothpaste, nail clippers, etc., but there are still some products such as razors and shower caps that have not yet found alternatives. He hopes that the EPD will provide more procurement channels or lists for the industry so that more suitable alternatives can be found.
The toiletries in the hotel rooms have been replaced with plastic ones, such as bamboo toothbrushes and toothpaste in aluminum tubes. Source: "Hong Kong 01"
According to the report, more than 200 tonnes of plastic cutlery are discarded in Hong Kong every day, equivalent to more than 82,000 tonnes per year, or the total weight of about 5,500 double-decker buses. Such staggering figures raise awareness of the urgent need to regulate the use and disposal of plastics.
It is reported that the focus of the new law is to gradually reduce the use of disposable plastic products, and regulate the management of the sale or supply of disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products in the catering, retail and hotel industries, but it is not illegal for the public to use controlled plastic products in their daily lives. Since the end of last year, the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has arranged on-site visits to 20,000 small and medium-sized catering establishments to help them understand and prepare for the control, and at the same time hopes that all sectors of the community and the public will work hard to reduce the use of plastics.
Paul Chan: Hong Kong has the ability to contribute to the upgrading and transformation of the national and global industrial and supply chains
In his speech at the opening ceremony of the APEC China Business Council Hong Kong Forum today (22nd), the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Paul Chan, said that the three-year new crown epidemic, coupled with the evolution of geopolitics, and the profound changes in the global industrial chain and supply chain, there are challenges and opportunities.
Mr Chan pointed out that under the unique arrangement of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong is the only city in the world that brings together China's and international advantages, and believes that Hong Kong has the ability to contribute to the upgrading and transformation of the country's and global industrial and supply chains, and help enhance its resilience and stability.
Mr Chan delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the APEC China Business Council Hong Kong Forum. Source: Information Services Department of the HKSAR Government
He mentioned that Hong Kong is an international financial centre, with obvious advantages in green finance, green standards and certifications are also highly in line with international standards, and is trusted by international investors, and Hong Kong can help industries in the mainland and the region, especially those that are carbon intensive and highly polluting, to carry out low-carbon transformation. He pointed out that in the past three years, Hong Kong has issued one-third of the entire Asian market of green bonds: there are 220 ESG funds in Hong Kong, with a total assets under management of about US$170 billion. Hong Kong's green standards and certifications are highly aligned with international standards, and we believe that Hong Kong can help the low-carbon transformation of industries in the Mainland and the region.
At the same time, Hong Kong is actively promoting the development of Hong Kong, Shenzhen and other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in terms of innovation and technology, including the development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Loop at full speed, so as to support the development of national and regional industries and supply chains in the direction of digitalization, high-end and intelligence.
Mr Chan pointed out that the Budget proposes to build Hong Kong into a transnational supply chain management and trade finance centre for mainland enterprises, and welcomes mainland enterprises to set up international business headquarters in Hong Kong to manage offshore trade and treasury activities. In addition, Hong Kong will continue to seek to conclude free trade agreements and investment guarantee agreements with more economies, and actively strive to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as soon as possible.
Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) from Hong Kong's higher education sector gathered to share their views on the two occasions
Today (22nd), the "2024 National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in the Hong Kong Higher Education Sector was held in Hong Kong", attracting more than 200 participants in person and online to listen to the members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in the higher education sector in Hong Kong share their insights and experiences during the two sessions.
Source: Courtesy of the organizer
The sharing session was chaired by Chow Man-kong, Member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Council Member of the Hong Kong College of Technology, and was chaired by a number of members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in the higher education sector in Hong Kong, including Chan Cheuk-hei, President of the Hong Kong College of Technology, Jin-Guang Teng, President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Alexander Wai, President of the Hong Kong Baptist University, Lee Chi-kin, President of The Education University of Hong Kong, Wu Hongwei, Vice President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou Campus), Lau Chi-pang, Associate Vice-President of Lingnan University, Hong Kong, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, Lau Chak Sing, and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Hong Kong Chinese Wong Kam-fai were the keynote speakers.
A number of keynote speakers believed that after the enactment of Article 23, Hong Kong will continue to play its role as a backing on the motherland and connecting the world in a stable environment, focus on solving deep-seated problems in Hong Kong's social and economic development, and promote Hong Kong's iterative renewal, transformation and upgrading. A number of guests also pointed out that the Government Work Report of the Two Sessions this year is different from the previous ones in that it uses more data analysis, the content is objective and pragmatic, and the policies are in place, and there are even chapters mentioning Hong Kong's development, reflecting the great importance that the Central Government attaches to Hong Kong, and reflects the Central Government's determination to implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and its full support for Hong Kong's development.
Author丨Lai Chenlu, the chief writer of Shenzhen Satellite TV Direct News
Editor丨Zhang Sinan, Editor-in-Chief of Shenzhen Satellite TV Direct News