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Press
Release
Action
urged to use fewer plastic bags
The Acting
Director of Environmental Protection, Mr Mike Stokoe, called
on the public today (July 21) to reduce waste.
Speaking
at a ceremony of the Plastic Bags Reduction Programme for
the Retail Trade and Supermarket Sector, Mr Stokoe said Hong
Kong disposed of about 27 million plastic bags every day.
This
means that each one of us throws away nearly four plastic
bags each day. This amount of plastic bags could cover the
airport in just three days.
Mr Stokoe
said: "Our waste problem is very serious taking other waste
streams into account."
In 2000,
Hong Kong recovered 34 per cent of our municipal solid waste
for recycling, a figure which is comparable with most developed
countries.
Notwithstanding
the achievement, 9 300 tonnes of municipal solid waste still
had to be disposed of at the three landfills every day.
Of this
9 300 tonnes, nearly 10 per cent was plastic bag waste.
"If none
of us take action urgently to stop producing ever increasing
quantities of waste, all three of these landfills will be
exhausted in only 10 to 15 years.
"We need
to deal with our waste through avoidance, reduction, recycling
and disposal; in that order.
"The
key success factor is the support and participation of various
commercial sectors and of the general public," Mr Stokoe noted.
The Plastic
Bags Reduction Programme for Retail Trade and Supermarket
Sector is organised by the Environmental Protection Department
and the Conservancy Association.
About
2 000 retail outlets of retailers, chain stores and supermarkets
take part in the programme to support using fewer plastic
bags.
End/Saturday,
July 21, 2001
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