Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS) on Glass Beverage Containers

Registration as a Registered Supplier

According to the requirements of the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Glass Beverage Containers (GPRS), starting from 1 May 2023, beverage suppliers (including manufacturers and importers) must first register with the EPD as registered suppliers before distributing any glass-bottled beverages in Hong Kong. There are two types of registration:

(a) Ordinary registration

Ordinary registration will remain valid until cancelled by the Director of Environmental Protection.

(b) Short-term registration

Short-term registration will last for a period of 30 days, which mainly aims to facilitate suppliers who may operate occasionally for a short period of time and distribute a small quantity of glass-bottled beverages in Hong Kong, for example, expo exhibitors from other places.

The EPD started to accept applications for supplier registration since 1 February 2023. The application is free of charge. Suppliers may submit the duly completed specified form – Application for Registration as Registered Supplier (RA1) and relevant supporting documents via Regulated Articles Information Management System (RAIMS), by post or in person. The registration process is normally completed within 10 working days after EPD's receipt of the completed application form and all necessary support documents.

List of Registered Suppliers

List of Registered Suppliers

Obligations of Registered Supplier (Applicable to Ordinary Registration)

For an ordinary registration, the obligations of a registered supplier are elaborated in the EPD's Information Booklet for Suppliers (Applicable to Ordinary Registration). Its main content is outlined as follows.

Submission of Returns

A registered supplier has to submit quarterly returns to the EPD within 28 days after the end of each quarter. Each return submitted by a registered supplier must contain information about the total litre volume of glass-bottled beverages that were distributed or consumed in Hong Kong during the reporting period.

Payment of Container Recycling Levies

The container recycling levy was set at $0.98 per litre-volume. The EPD, having determined the amount of container recycling levy to be payable by a registered supplier according to the return submitted, will serve on the registered supplier a payment notice. The registered supplier has to pay the relevant container recycling levy within 30 days after the service of the payment notice.

Keeping Records and Documents Relating to Returns

A registered supplier has to keep the prescribed records and documents relating to a return, including records, invoices, receipts, delivery notes, inventory records or any other documents that enable the EPD to verify the information covered by the return, for 5 years after the year of the submission of the return.

Submission of Audit Reports

A registered supplier must submit an audit report prepared by a certified public accountant (practising) to the EPD every year in respect of the returns he/she submitted. At the time of registration, there is flexibility for the EPD to specify an annual audit date for a registered supplier by taking into account practical circumstances so as to accommodate as far as possible the different financial reporting cycles of registered suppliers. The registered supplier must submit the audit report within 3 months after the annual audit date of each year.

A registered supplier may apply to the EPD in writing for exemption from submitting an audit report for an audit year if the aggregate amount of container recycling levies payable for that audit year does not exceed $20,000. The application process is normally completed within 10 working days after EPD's receipt of the completed application form and all necessary support documents.

Obligations of Registered Supplier (Applicable to Short-term Registration)

For a short-term registration, the obligations of a registered supplier are elaborated in the EPD's Information Booklet for Suppliers (Applicable to Short-term Registration). Its main content is outlined as follows.

Submission of Return

A registered supplier has to submit a return covering the entire term of registration to the EPD within 28 days after the expiry date of the registration. The return submitted by a registered supplier must contain information about the total litre volume of glass-bottled beverages that were distributed or consumed in Hong Kong during the reporting period.

Payment of Container Recycling Levy

Keeping Records and Documents Relating to Return

A registered supplier is required to keep the prescribed records and documents relating to a return, including records, invoices, receipts, delivery notes, inventory records or any other documents that enable the EPD to verify the information covered by the return, for 5 years after the year of the submission of the return.

Submission of Audit Report

A registered supplier must submit an audit report prepared by a certified public accountant (practising) to the EPD within 3 months after the expiry date of the registration covering the return for the registration and the returns for other approved short-term registrations in the same registration year (if any).

A registered supplier may apply to the EPD in writing for exemption from submitting an audit report for the registration if the aggregate amount of container recycling levies payable for the registration and other approved short-term registrations in the same registration year (if any) does not exceed $20,000. The application process is normally completed within 10 working days after EPD's receipt of the completed application form and all necessary support documents.

Regulated Articles Information Management System (RAIMS)

To facilitate suppliers to fulfill their statutory obligations timely, and to submit and receive documents, the EPD has developed Regulated Articles Information Management System (RAIMS). Through RAIMS, suppliers can submit various electronic forms under the GPRS and upload relevant documents (except for the application for levy exemption), and check the documents issued by this department at any time.

Suppliers can visit the following website for opening electronic account on RAIMS.

https://raims.epd.gov.hk/raims/