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Press Release
Plastic shopping bags regulation submitted to LegCo
The Product Eco-responsibility (Plastic Shopping Bags) Regulation, which would provide for the implementation details of the environmental levy scheme on plastic shopping bags, was submitted to the Legislative Council today (December 31).
"The objective of the environmental levy scheme is to address the indiscriminate use of plastic shopping bags through a direct economic disincentive," a government spokesman said.
"Our public consultation has indicated that most people support the environmental levy scheme and the Administration has to positively respond to this public aspiration on environmental protection," the spokesman said.
The implementation details of the environmental levy scheme have been worked out in close consultation with the retail trade. The Administration has had meetings with the Business Facilitation Advisory Committee and its Retail Task Force, the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, as well as major retailers to be covered by the environmental levy scheme. The Administration has also conducted site visits to warehouses and outlets of the retailers concerned to better understand their actual operation.
"The implementation details as set out in the regulation have taken into account the views of the trade as far as practicable," the spokesman said.
The regulation is made pursuant to section 29 of the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance (Cap. 603) which is a piece of "framework" legislation providing a legal basis for implementation of producer responsibility schemes in Hong Kong. The environmental levy scheme on plastic shopping bags is the first scheme under the ordinance.
The key regulatory measures of the environmental levy scheme have been set out in Part 3 of the ordinance, including registration, charging of environmental levy on each plastic shopping bag and submission of periodic returns and payment. The regulation will further provide for operational matters concerning registration of retailers; exemption for certain area within a registered retail outlet; submission of returns and payments of levies, and record-keeping.
The regulation is subject to the approval of the Legislative Council (subject to positive vetting procedures).
"As committed in the 2008-09 Policy Address, the Administration aims to implement the environmental levy scheme on plastic shopping bags in mid-2009. Subject to the approval of the Legislative Council, there will be a three-month registration period before the launch of the environmental levy scheme to enable retailers to make necessary preparations," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, December 31, 2008
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