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Energy efficiency meeting held

Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan today attended the 60th Meeting of the Expert Group on Energy Efficiency & Conservation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held in Hong Kong.   In his welcome speech, Mr Tse said that Hong Kong was honoured to host the meeting again after 2019 and 2020 to provide a platform for direct dialogue among APEC partners.   “It is encouraging to see over 50 experts and delegates from 11 APEC member economies as well as four international organisations gather again to share insights and exchange experiences with their counterparts after the stabilisation of the epidemic.”   As the Asia-Pacific region develops, its energy demand and consumption would continue to increase, which may lead to an increase in emissions of greenhouse gases, he pointed out.   To achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government published Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 in 2021, outlining the st
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Views sought on plastic bottle plan

The Environmental Protection Department today released a consultation paper on the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Plastic Beverage Containers (PPRS) for the proper management of waste plastic bottles.   The consultation period will last for three months until May 21.   The Government recently announced the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035, which sets out the strategies, goals and measures to tackle the challenge of waste management, and to promote a circular economy and green living environment.   As one of the key waste reduction measures, the proposed scheme requires stakeholders to share the environmental responsibilities of collecting and treating plastic beverage containers to minimise their impact on the environment, the department said.   In line with the polluter pays principle, the scheme proposed a recycling levy to be collected at the beverage supplier level, including manufacturers and importers, to help recover the operation costs of the scheme.   It has been suggested that certain retail stores selling plastic-bottled beverages serve as collection points so that people can return used plastic beverage containers.   These containers will then be supplied to local recyclers so they can turn them into marketable recycled materials.   Furthermore, the proposed scheme will include rebates to encourage people to return used plastic beverage containers.   The public can submit views through the dedicated website, or by email, post or fax to the department during the consultation period.   Meanwhile, the department has rolled out a one-year Reverse Vending Machine Pilot Scheme to test the application of the machines in recovering plastic beverage containers.   Under the pilot scheme, 60 reverse vending machines will be set up in phases at locations such as public places and government facilities to collect used plastic beverage containers.   The machines provide an instant rebate of $0.1 through e-payment platforms for each plastic beverage container returned. Each e-payment platform account will allow the return of up to 30 plastic beverage containers a day.   The public can also choose to donate the rebate, with no daily limit, to designated charities.   At present, 40 machines are in service, with the remaining 20 to be available soon.   For enquiries and views on the reverse vending machines, call 9488 0277 or send an email.
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