6 Hong Kong restaurants slapped with fines for flouting single-use plastics ban

Environment chief Tse Chin-wan says each restaurant was fined HK$2,000 for repeated non-compliance

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City leader John Lee has said that the plastics ban is intended to encourage residents to change their behaviour as opposed to punishing businesses. Photo: SCMP

Published: 2:14pm, 1 Feb 2025Updated: 7:21pm, 1 Feb 2025

Six restaurants in Hong Kong have been fined HK$2,000 (US$257) each for repeatedly failing to comply with the single-use plastics ban since authorities started enforcing the new law in November, according to the city’s environment chief.

Under phase one of the ban, which officially took effect on April 22, retailers and restaurants can no longer sell or use polystyrene tableware or plastic cutlery for takeaway and dine-in services.

But authorities only started enforcement in November, after a six-month grace period.

Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan on Saturday told media that since November the public had made 75 complaints, resulting in warnings in 59 cases.

He added that six restaurants were eventually fined HK$2,000 each for offering single-use cutlery.

Authorities earlier said that phase two of the ban could start as early as this year, depending on the availability and affordability of non-plastic or reusable alternatives.

Phase two will ban the use of all throwaway plastics in restaurants, plastic food containers, six-pack yokes for canned drinks, tablecloths, disposable gloves and plastic-stemmed dental floss.