26 March 2024
By Alvin Heung
Starting from April 22nd Hong Kong will impose a city-wide ban on plastic products to reduce waste and encourage businesses to adopt re-usable tableware. Despite this measure, some individuals argue that the government needs to take further steps to decrease its carbon footprint.
In 2023, the Hong Kong Government passed a bill to regulate disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products. This means that businesses such as restaurants and hotels will need to consider finding more sustainable alternatives to disposable tableware.
To gain insight into the concerns surrounding the upcoming disposable plastic ban and its effectiveness, we spoke with Jon Wong, a bartender at a popular American bar “Graceland” in Mong Kok.
Tell us a bit about your background; how long have you been in the Food and Beverage industry?
“I grew up here in Hong Kong it’s my home, but I went to Toronto for my undergraduate in politics. I came back to Hong Kong in 2019 where I sorta worked as an assistant to a district council during the whole movement. After they were forced to quit I picked up odd jobs here and there and ended up working for Graceland, my favorite part about the job is talking to people.”, said Wong, while shaking up a drink.
Wong, who has been in the food and beverage industry for well over a year now, expressed his concerns regarding the ban’s ability to fully solve the pressing environmental issues in Hong Kong.
What effect do you think this policy will have on restaurants and bars in Hong Kong?
“For a lot of bars in Hong Kong in general it’s gonna be annoying, extra labor, extra costs who knows, but I think people will acclimate to this new policy, I think y’know, it is a step in the right direction but the way it’s being implemented is a bit chaotic but I do think it’s important to use less plastic especially with our landfill problem.”
In 2022, a government report revealed that plastic accounted for a staggering 21.3% of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) produced daily in Hong Kong, resulting in a staggering 2,369 tons of waste generated per day. This alarming statistic highlights the urgent need for effective measures to address the significant contribution of plastic to the city’s waste crisis.
Interactive Pie Chart showing the composition of MSW waste produced per day [tons per day] by Alvin Heung (data taken from HK GOV)
Although the plastic ban would provide a significant amount of relief to the carbon crisis, there are still concerns regarding the government’s commitment to the Climate Action Plan of 2030+.
The government is strange about it, they’ll push things like plastic bans but won’t address the environmental impact of land reclamation and the whole Lan Tau Tomorrow project and its effect on the ecosystem. It’s a bit hypocritical. ——Jon Wong
Storymap of Landfills in Hong Kong by Alvin Heung
With the rapid expansion of infrastructure and the increasing demand for housing, these goals seem counterintuitive, as sustainability appears to be on the back burner for the government amidst its other objectives of revitalizing art, culture, and infrastructure, as seen with the recent 2024 Art@Harbor and Kai Tak Sports Park projects.
“I remember my school bus used to go past that road (Kai Tak) to my school and I could see across the harbor but now it’s a little bit cluttered,” said Jon, while reminiscing about his past.
2023-2024 Budget research brief interactive pie chart Data obtained by Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (2023) by Alvin Heung (data taken from HK GOV)
The total public expenditure in Environment and Food is one of the lowest in 2022 being just behind Housing and Security. This raises concerns about the financial support that is necessary in order to meet the 2030 Climate action plan goals set by the government in 2017.
The upcoming disposable plastic ban in Hong Kong to most, is a step in the right direction to address the pressing environmental issues, however, there are many challenges and concerns regarding its effectiveness and the government’s overall commitment to sustainability. The ban will no doubt have an impact on local businesses and everyday consumers like Wong, but hopefully, people will adapt and find sustainable alternatives.
(SCMP instagram post regarding the highest recorded temperature in 140 years)/@SCMPnews/Instagram
Ultimately, the plastic ban in Hong Kong is just one piece of the puzzle in addressing the larger issue of sustainability and climate change as felt by the empirical fact of Sunday, March 24th 2024 which was recorded as the highest recorded temperature in March in over 140 years. This serves as a wake-up call for both citizens and the government to hastily address these issues.
Reported by Alvin Heung
Edited by Catherine Chen and Sam Sadie