Hong Kong should do more to pressure producers of single-use plastics, Greenpeace says
Group finds plastic made up 97 per cent of rubbish collected in two rivers, with packaging from major drinks brands among most prevalent
Greenpeace Hong Kong said on Saturday that plastic accounted for 97 per cent of the 3,263 pieces of rubbish it found in the Pui O River and Lam Tsuen River over a three-month period and 70 per cent of the items were packaging.
Food packaging was the largest category, making up more than a quarter of all plastic waste, followed by drinks containers and shipping packaging.
“While the government focuses on funding end-of-life recycling and building incinerators, there has been slow progress in regulating corporate production of single-use plastics,” said Leanne Tam Wing-lam, a Greenpeace campaigner.
Tam called on the government to set a specific target for plastic reduction or recycling under a producer responsibility scheme set to be passed by the Legislative Council next year.
The NGO’s recent results aligned with its previous findings over the prevalence of polythene and polypropylene – commonly used in single-use plastic packaging and takeaway utensils – in local streams and the faeces of wild mammals.
