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Press Release
"No Plastic Bag Day" becoming a habit
The territory-wide "No Plastic Bag Day" had now become a habit for most people, thanks to the wide support from major supermarket and retail chains, a spokesman of the Environmental Protection Department said today (December 5).
The department has been supporting the Green Student Council, Friends of the Earth, The Conservancy Association and Green Power since June this year in co-organising the "No Plastic Bay Days", which fall on the first Tuesday of each month. More than 30 major supermarket and retail chains have joined the voluntary scheme to reduce the indiscriminate use of plastic shopping bags.
According to customer survey results conducted by the Green Student Council, the plastic bag distribution at the participating retailers was reduced by an average of more than 40% on "No Plastic Bag Day" in the past six months.
"We are very pleased that Hong Kong citizens are getting more used to using less plastic bags and bringing their own bags when shopping. Today is the last 'No Plastic Bag Day 2006', which is also the last one co-organised by the Green Student Council and other green groups, but we have been in close liaison with major supermarket and retail chains and have obtained their agreement to continue to organise 'No Plastic Bag Day', at least once a month, on a self-supporting basis in 2007," the spokesman said.
"They include Wellcome, PARKnSHOP, China Resources Vanguard, Watsons, Mannings, 7-Eleven, Circle-K, DCH Food Marts, City' Super, A-1 Bakery and ThreeSixty. Some retail chains even have plans to run the campaign on a weekly basis, and ThreeSixty in the Landmark is the first food retail concept store in town to run the 'No Plastic Bag Day' every day," he said.
"We are encouraged by the support from these leading retail chains. We hope that their lead will set an example to other retailers, particularly small and medium ones, which could create even more impact," the spokesman said.
"We are confident that, with the full support and participation by the retail sector and the general public, the new round of 'No Plastic Bag Day' campaign in 2007 will further reduce this kind of waste at source. It will also help to save our environment and preserve precious landfill life."
Ends/Tuesday, December 5, 2006
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