contents...glass consists mainly of silica, which is a natural raw substance like sand. glass will...

Contents

FOREWORD P.2

Ch.1 GlassBeverageBottlesandOurEnvironment P.4

Ch.2 ActNowforaProducerResponsibilityScheme P.10

Ch.3 YourShareofEco-responsibilities P.18

Ch.4 CreationofaCircularEconomy P.28

Ch.5 ABroaderPicture:BeverageContainersinGeneral P.34

Ch.6 WeLookForwardtoYourViews P.40

Annexes Annex A P.46 ProducerResponsibilityScheme– OurLocalModel Annex B P.47 GlassRecyclingProgrammessupported bytheGovernment Annex C P.49 OverseasExperienceinAsiainPromoting GlassBeverageBottleRecycling throughaGovernment-ledApproach Annex D P.50 PotentialReuseofGlassBeverage BottlesintheConstructionSector

Annex E P.51 ResponseForm

FOREWORD

ThisConsultationDocumentisthefourthinaseriesofinitiativestoenhanceourwastemanagementthroughtheprogressiveimplementationofproducerresponsibilityschemes(“PRSs”) inHongKong. Itbuildsuponthesuccessfuloutcomesof thepastPRSs,withmembersof thepublic, therelevanttradesaswellasotherstakeholdersgivingsupportto the firstphaseofanenvironmental levyonplasticshoppingbags(2007),asecondschemeonwasteelectricalandelectronicequipment(2010)andthesecondphaseoftheplasticbaglevy(2011).

Thepromotion of producer responsibility is an internationaltrendwhere jurisdictionsacross theglobeshape thebehaviourofconsumersandstakeholdersalongthesupplychainbyinternalisingtheenvironmentalcostsintothelife-cycleofconsumerproducts.Suchcostsharinghasbeenproventobeaneffectivedrive forwastereduction.Thispractice is takingroot inHongKongasacorecomponentofourwastemanagementstrategy.

TheGovernment is keen to address thewaste problem ofglassbeveragebottles.Doingsowillnotonlysaveour limited landfillspacebutalsohelpusto turnwaste intoaresource.Asyoureadthisdocument,youwillseehowourpasteffortshave ledustothecurrentstage. It isnow time toconsideramandatoryPRS.Asalways,wewelcomeyourviews.Wealsocallonyoursupport—onlywiththatcanwecreateasustainablelocalsolutionforglassbeveragebottles.

KSWongSecretaryfortheEnvironment

ACRONYMS

PRS Producerresponsibilityscheme

tpd tonnesperday

WEEE Wasteelectricalandelectronicequipment

EPD EnvironmentalProtectionDepartment

ECF EnvironmentandConservationFund

GMC Glassmanagementcontractor

PET Polyethyleneterephthalate

HKHA HongKongHousingAuthority

PRH Publicrentalhousing

CHAPTER 1

GLASS BEVERAGE BOTTLES AND OUR ENVIRONMENT

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CHAPTER 1 GLASS BEVERAGE BOTTLES AND OUR ENVIRONMENT

1.1ThebulkofwasteglassinHongKongisglassbottles(over80%)andamongwhich,a significantportioncome fromalcoholicdrinks.As illustratedinExhibit1, inthepastdecade,theamountofwasteglassbottlesdisposedofatlandfillshasstayedataround250tonnesperday(“tpd”),roughlyequivalent tohalfamillion750mLbottles.Thataccountsforabout3%ofourdailymunicipalsolidwastedisposal.

Do you know ? Glass is widely accepted as a recyclable material internationallyGlass consists mainly of silica, which is a natural raw substance like sand. Glass will unlikely pollute the environment or affect human health and thus can easily be reused and recycled. Glass is widely accepted as a recyclable material internationally.

Exhibit 1 : Landfill Disposal of Waste Glass Bottles (2001 to 2011)

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1.2Usedglass isoftenrecycledand turned intobottleselsewherein theworld.To recycleglass, it firsthas tobeseparated fromthewastestream, thensortedandwashed for re-bottling,orreprocessedintonewbottlesandotherglassproducts.Recyclingbottles isbeneficial totheenvironmentbecauseitcansavea lotoftheenergyusedinthemanufacturingprocessofglassfromrawmaterials.Therearealsoapplicationswhichturnwasteglassintobuildingmaterials,concreteandpavingapplications, inplaceofsandandothernaturalresources.

Glass is not waste but resource.Prof. C.S. Poonof theHongKongPolytechnicUniversity isoneof thepioneers inHongKongconductingresearchon thepotentialapplicationsofglasscullet in theconstruction industry.In2004,hesucceededinsubstitutingnaturalriversandwithglasscullet for theproductionofpavingblocks. Throughon-goingresearch,hissubsequentfindingshaveledtobetterperformanceeco-paverssuitableforwiderusesinconstructionworks.

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Why glass beverage bottleshave to end up in our landfills?

1.3Notall thewasteglasscanberecycled in thesameprocesses,however,glassproductssuchas lamps,computermonitorsortelevisionscreensmaycontain lead,mercuryorotherhazardoussubstances,whichneedspriordetoxificationbefore recycling.Due todifferentphysicalproperties,otherglassmaterialssuchastemperedglassandglasscookwareshouldnotbemixedwithordinaryglassbottlesforrecycling.

1.4Wewish toseebeveragebottle recycling inHongKong,whichaccounted for 2/3 or 150 tpd (equivalent to 55,000 tonnesannually)outofallwasteglassbottlesin2011.Amongthem,130tpd(i.e.over85%)werefromalcoholicdrinksand20tpd(i.e. less than15%) fromnon-alcoholicdrinks.The rest (about1/3or90 tpd)containedfood,sauceorotherproducts.Beveragebottles are easy to clean, whereastheotherbottlescanadverselyaffectthe recyclingprocess if theyarenotthoroughlycleanedbeforerecycling.

Alcoholic drink bottles 132 tpd (53.8%)

Food and sauce bottles 82 tpd (33.7%)

Non-alcoholic drink bottles 22 tpd (8.8%)

Other glass bottles9 tpd (3.7%)Exhibit 2 : Composition of Waste Glass

Generation in Hong Kong in 2011

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1.5ThemajorityofwasteglassbeveragebottlesarecurrentlylandfilledinHongKong.Butthelimitedspaceinthethreeexistinglandfillswillbeusedupbefore2020.ThispresentsanurgentchallengetoHongKongtoreducealltypesofwaste,includingglass.PRSisaneffectivemeansthatmustbecomeanintegralpartofthestrategy.AmandatoryPRSisnecessarybecauseitwill–

(a) turnwasteglassbeveragebottles intoa resource.Thiscannotbedonewithoutgovernment interventionasglasshaslowcommercialvalue;

(b) lead toglass recyclingwhichwill in turnprovidenewopportunities for theenvironmental industryand in turnprovidegreenjobs;

(c) reducetheburdenon landfills.Glass isnon-combustibleand isnotsuitable foranyother treatmentordisposalmethods;

(d) reduce thedemand for other constructionmaterials,suchasriversand1.Someof theside-productswillhaveconsiderableimpactontheenvironment;

(e) stimulatebehaviouralchangeinsourceseparationofusedglassbeveragebottles;and

(f) catchupwithmanyotherjurisdictionswhichhavealreadyadopted forcefulmeasures todealwithwasteglassproblems.Detailswillbegiveninthechapterstofollow.

Remark:1.Riversand iscommonlyused inconstructionworks.Dredgingwork for its

extractionfromriverscoulddisturbmarinelifeandmightcausedamagetotheriverbedandtheassociatedecologicalsystem.

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Do you know ? “Deposit-and-Return”We used to have an effective“Deposit-and-Return”system for recycling glass beverage bottles. Grocery stores and tuck-shops charge customers a small deposit which could be redeemed on return of a glass bottle after finishing the beverage. Such a system was underpinned by local re-bottling operations. Yet such operations have greatly diminished as a result of relocation out of Hong Kong or switch to other packaging materials. At present, only a few beverage manufacturers (e.g. milk, soft drinks) still maintain re-bottling operations and run“Deposit-and-Return”schemes.

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CHAPTER 2

ACT NOW FOR A PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITYSCHEME

I am proud to participate in glass recycling.

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CHAPTER 2 ACT NOW FOR A PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY SCHEME

2.1WastereductionisthekeyforthistermofGovernmentasitiskeytocutdownourrelianceonwastetreatmentanddisposalfacilities.Wewillimplementpoliciestoreduce,recycle,properlytreatwasteandpromotethedevelopmentoflocalrecyclingindustries.Wewillalso implementPRSs,andprogressivelyextendthecoverageoftheProductEco-ResponsibilityOrdinance(Cap603).

I am proud to participate in glass recycling.

Mr. Sammy Yuof theMTRCorporation isactively involved inpromotingglassbottle recycling in the residentialestatesandcommercialbuildingsunderthemanagementof theCorporation.The“Bottle toBrickRecyclingProgramme”isoneof themajorprivate initiativesonglassbottle recycling. Itdemonstrates thecommitmentofindividualsandtheprivatesectortoshareouttheireco-responsibility.

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PRS on glassbeverage bottles must be

built upon our local experience.

2.2HongKonghasgainedconsiderablePRSexperience throughthesuccessfulEnvironmentalLevySchemeonPlasticShoppingBags2,whichaims tochangebehaviour.Wewillshortlyextendthecoverageofplasticbaglevy;wearealsodrafting legislationonanotherPRSdealingwithwasteelectrical andelectronicequipment(“WEEE”).

Remark:2.The50-cent levycreatesa financialdisincentiveagainstexcessiveuseof

plasticshoppingbagsandtheschemecoversabout3,000registeredretailoutlets.

2.3Thenewschemeonglassbeveragebottles isplannedwith reference to the localPRSmodelasillustratedatAnnexA.Ingist–

(a) Productsaremostly imported(insteadofmanufactured) inHongKong. Inotherplaceswithlocalproduction,domesticPRSmeasurescreate the incentives forbusinesses toadoptmanufacturingprocessesandproductdesignsthataremoreenvironmentally-friendly.

(b) Relyingonexternaloperationswillgenerateextratransportationemissionsanddoesnotoffersufficientreliability.Thus,ourPRSstrategymustaimtocreatealocalsolutioncomprising–

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(i) anefficientcollectionmechanismwithkeystakeholdersmandatedby lawsorco-ordinatedbyagovernmentmanagementcontractor tocontrol themovementofproductsfromconsumerstotreatmentfacilities;and

(ii) otherstatutoryregulations,suchas import/exportcontrol (toavoiddumpingoutsideHongKongorleakagetoneighbouringjurisdictions)andotherlicensingrequirements(oncollection, storageandprocessingetc.) to enforceminimumperformancestandardsintherecyclingoperations.

(c) In linewiththe“polluterpays”principle, thereshouldbearecyclingfee,pre-paidonnewproductsandcollectedatsomepointofthesupplychain,torecoverthePRScosts.

Green procurement policy is a keyto glass beverage bottle recycling.

2.4A localsolution forwasteglassbeveragebottlesmusthaveoutlets for the recycledglass. TheGovernment took the lead through itsgreenprocurement3policy. In2004,a study fundedbyEnvironmentalProtectionDepartment(“EPD”)successfullyusedthegranules fromcrushedglassbeveragebottlestoproduceconcretepavingblocks(“eco-pavers”).Throughthepromotionofgreenprocurement,HighwaysDepartmenthassinceOctober2010mandatedthepriorityuseoftheseeco-pavers for roadmaintenancecontracts.OtherpublicworksdepartmentsandHousingDepartmenthavealsostartedadoptingtheuseofeco-paverswhereappropriate.In2011,about171,000m2ofeco-pavers(absorbingsome4,000tonnesofwasteglass)wereusedinvariouspublicworks,equivalenttocoveringthepavementofNathanRoad(bothsides)forfivetimes.Wearealsoactivelylookingintootherfeasibleapplicationsofrecycledglassinconstructionworks.

Remark:3.Greenprocurement refers to thepurchasingofproductsandservices that causeminimal adverse impactson the

environment. It incorporateshumanhealthandenvironmentalconcerns into thesearch forhighqualityproductsandservicesatcompetitiveprices.

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2.5We encourage pr ivate sector par t icipation in the use ofconstructionmaterials thatcontainrecycledmaterials(includingrecycledglass).For instance,privatedevelopersmay join thegovernment initiative topromoteawideruseofeco-paversorother feasibleapplicationsof recycledglass.The localbuildingenvironmental assessment system,BEAMPlus, alsoawardscredits for theuseof recycledmaterials inbuildings.Thiswillincrease themarketdemand for recycledglass inbothpublicandprivatesectorsandthuspromote thegrowthof localglassrecyclingindustry.


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Voluntary schemes have boostedawareness on waste glass

beverage bottle recycling.

2.6Inparallel,wehavebeenencouragingdifferentsectorsandcommunities to takepart invariousvoluntaryschemes,whichhave inturncreatedtheconditionforaterritory-wide,mandatoryPRSonglassbeveragebottles.

2.7Withthefinancialsupport fromtheEnvironmentandConservationFund(“ECF”)andour technicaladvice, fiveschemes(detailsatAnnexB)are inoperation.Thesevoluntaryprogrammescontributeenvironmentalbenefitsoutlinedinparagraph1.5.Inparticular,theyhavehelpedenhancecommunityawarenessonglassrecyclingandeducatethepublictopractisesourceseparation.Inaddition,theseprogrammesenablethesettingupof270collectionpointsacrosstheterritory.Over120public/privatehousingestateshaveparticipated,coveringsome880,000people(i.e.around12%ofthetotalHongKongpopulation.Asthescopeforreuseoutletsisexpanding,weareconfidentthatwearereadytopursueamandatoryPRSonglassbeveragebottles.

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2.8WedonotproposetoincludeotherwasteglassbottlesaspartofthePRSat thisstage.Fromanenvironmentalperspective, thesebottlescouldberecycledif theyareproperlycleansed.Howeverthismayrequire theuseofsolvents tocleanbottles thatcontainchemicalsubstancessuchascosmeticsandmedicineandothergreasyliquids.Theprocessitselfcouldcauseotherenvironmentalimpacts.As regardsbottlescontaining food/sauce, inadditionto thoroughcleansing,whichmayaddcosts to the treatmentprocess, imposinga recycling feeon thesecommongeneralhousehold itemsmaygenerateconcerns in thecommunity.Afterwehavedealtwithglassbeveragebottles,wecanthenlook intoother typesofglasscontainers. In themeantime,cleansedfood/saucebottlesby thepublicarealsowelcome tobe recycled,andwewillpromotethegoodhabitofcleansingthesecontainersbeforetheyareplacedintorecyclebins.

Consultation Question #1 Do you agree that we should now proceed to pursue a mandatory PRS on glass beverage bottles as a priority among different types of glass bottles, because this removes the largest number of glass bottles?


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2.9Inparallelwiththispublicconsultation,wewillcontinuetosetupmorecollectionpointspendingthemandatoryPRSbeingput inplace.ThroughthesupportoftheEnvironmentalCampaignCommittee,wehavebeenprovidingrecyclebins to theprivatehousingestatesandbuildingsforglassbottlesrecycling. Interestedpartiescanconnectwithsuitablevoluntaryprogrammestoarrangecollectionservices.Wewillcontinue toprovidesupport to thesevoluntaryprogrammesandassist in theirexpansion.Wearealsoworkingwith relevantgovernmentdepartments to implementglassbottlerecyclingatgovernmentvenuesandpublicplaces.For instance,with theassistanceofFoodandEnvironmentalHygieneDepartment,wewillonapilotbasissetupsomewasteglassbottlecollectionbinsatappropriate locations insomeoutlying islands, includingLammaandCheungChau, toencouragepublicparticipationinsourceseparationofwasteglassbottles.Wewillalsoworkwiththepropertymanagementofpublicandprivatevenueswithdiningfacilitiestoprovideprovisionofwastebeveragebottlefacilitiesandarrangefortheirrecyclingonavoluntarybasis.

CHAPTER 3

YOUR SHARE OFECO -RESPONSIBILITIES

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CHAPTER 3 YOUR SHARE OF ECO-RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1PRS is a keypolicy tool forwaste reduction, recovery andrecycling identified inAPolicyFramework for theManagementofMunicipalSolidWaste published inDecember2005.APRSorganisesstakeholderstosharetheresponsibility(financialand/orphysical)forthetreatmentordisposalofend-of-lifeproductssoastominimisetheenvironmentalimpact.ThisisakeystrategyunderthistermofGovernment.

The Government willcontinue to take the lead.

3.2Wepropose toappointaglassmanagementcontractor (“GMC”)bywayofopen tender.Thiscontractorwillbetaskedtocollectwasteglassbeveragebottlesandtreatthemtobecomereusablematerials.WiththeGMC,weaimto–

(a) Achieveahighrecoveryrate:InternationalexperienceindicatesthatmandatoryPRSsonglassbeveragebottlescouldachievearecoveryraterangingfrom60%tocloseto100%.Asastart,weexpect thatabout70%ofallwasteglassbeveragebottlesgenerated, i.e.about38,000tonnesannuallyonthebasisof2011figure,canberecovered.

(b) Provideaconvenientcollectionsystem:Anannualtonnageof38,000meansadailythroughputofover100 tonnes.Thatexceeds thecombinedmonthlycapacityofallexistingvoluntaryprogrammes.Weneedmoreeasilyaccessiblecollection facilities, including recyclebinsspecificallydesignedforglasscollection.TheGMCisalsoresponsibleforoperatingseveralregionalcollectionpointstofacilitatedisposalinbulkby,say,thecateringsector.

(c) Maintain high treatment standards: TheGovernmentwill set standards andpromoteprofessionalism,sothat thehandlingofwasteglassbeveragebottleswillbeenvironmentallysoundfromcollectiontotransportationtorecyclingfacilities.

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Do you know ? Glass Recycle BinsGiven the brittle nature of glass bottles, some of the glass recycle bins in the city are by design different from the other conventional recycle bins used for paper, plastics and metal. Special features have been introduced such that the recycle bins are equipped with a baffle made of resilient materials under the circular opening on the top to reduce the dropping speed. There is also shock-absorption rubber inside the bins. These features can minimise the noise generated and avoid breakage. In addition the front-loading design helps reduce the need for manual lifting by cleaning workers in collecting the glass bottles, further safeguarding their occupational safety and health.

3.3Furthermore, theGovernmentwillcontinuetopromotegreenprocurementtosustainandencouragedemandforproductsthatcontainrecycledglass.TheGovernmentwillalsoplayakeyroleinpublicityandpubliceducation topromote the recyclingofwasteglassbeveragebottles.Governments inmanyotherjurisdictionslikeJapan,TaiwanandSouthKorea,havealsoadoptedasimilarapproachinplayingakeyroleforsuchinitiative.PleaseseeAnnexC.

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We are a major commercial source of waste glass bottles and

should play our part.Mr. James Luof theHongKongHotelsAssociationwitnessedthe launchof theGlassContainerRecyclingProgrammefor theHotelSectorinNovember2008,amajortrade-ledglassrecyclingprogrammeinHongKong.Bynow,some2,400tonnesofglassbottleshavebeenrecoveredforreuse in theproductionofeco-pavers.

Do you think this work?

3.4All thosewhoareengaged inbusinessesassociatedwithglass-bottledbeverages(e.g.suppliersandretailers)orwasteglassbeveragebottles(e.g.collectorsandrecyclers)willbeaffectedbythemandatoryPRS.Thereareseveralaspectstoourproposedscheme.

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3.5Beveragesuppliers topayarecycling fee. Wepropose tocollect therecycling fee frombeveragesuppliers,whoareprincipally fooddistributorsor importers registeredunder theFoodSafetyOrdinance(Cap612).Theywillberequired tosubmitdataperiodically to theGovernmenton theamountofglassbeveragebottlestheyhaveprovidedtoretailersorconsumersforlocalconsumptionandon thatbasispay the recycling fee. Imposing the feeonsuppliers iseasier thanonretailersbecausetheformerarealreadyregistered.Therearesome1,700companiesregisteredforimportingordistributingdifferentkindsofbeverages.Chargingretailerswouldbemuchmoredifficultbecauseofthesheernumberofthem.SurveyscompiledbyCensusandStatisticsDepartmentshowtherearesome14,000establishmentsintheretailbusinessonfood,alcohol,drinks&tobaccoin20104.Ontopofthat,nearly6,000premiseshavingliquorlicenses,andtherearesome20,000businessesengagedintheretailsalesofbeveragesbasedon2011data.

Remark:4.Source :KeyStatisticsonBusinessPerformanceandOperatingCharacteristicsof the Import/Export,Wholesaleand

RetailTrades,andAccommodationandFoodServicesSectors(2010Edition),CensusandStatisticsDepartment.

Consultation Question #2 At present, a person who carries out a food importation or distribution business must be registered under the Food Safety Ordinance (Cap 612). Do you agree that the recycling fee for the PRS should be collected from those registered food importers and distributors who import or distribute glass-bottled beverages for local consumption? Who else would also be in the position to serve as the anchor point for the fee?


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3.6Beverage retailers toprovide relevant recycling information. Providingrelevant information toconsumersserves topromotesourceseparationofwasteforrecycling.Weproposetomaketheprovisionof informationastatutoryobligationso thatbeverageretailers,suchassupermarketsandconveniencestores,shouldtake the initiative toadviseconsumerson the locationof thenearbycollectionpoints.ThiscanmagnifythepublicityeffectandalsoenablebeverageretailerstoparticipateinthemandatoryPRSasakeystakeholderinthesupplychainofbeverages.

Consultation Question #3 For ordinary consumers, do you find it helpful if a beverage retailer could advise you on how to participate in glass bottle recycling? For beverage retailers, are there any practical difficulties that would prevent you from providing recycling-related information to consumers?

3.7Glassbottlerecyclers tobe licensed. Althoughglass ischemicallynon-hazardous, it is fragileandshouldbehandledwithcare toavoidcausinganyaccidentparticularlywhenglassbottlesarestockpiledinlargequantity.Moreover,automatedrecyclingprocessessuchascrushingandgrindingmightproducedustandnoisewhichpossiblydisturb theneighbourhood.Wepropose thatanewlicensingrequirementbe introducedunder theWasteDisposalOrdinance(Cap354)so thatglassbottlerecyclerswilladoptbestpracticesandstatutorystandards in termsofenvironmentalhygieneandoccupationalhealth.The licensingsystemwillalso facilitate theGovernment inmonitoring thecollectionandrecyclingprocessestoensurethatthecollectedglassbottlesareproperlyrecycledtomeettherelevanttechnicalspecifications.

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Consultation Question #4 As a matter of principle, we should ensure that any end-of-life products under a PRS are efficiently collected for environmentally sound recycling processes to produce reusable materials. Do you agree that new licensing control for the processing of waste glass beverage bottles could contribute to the accomplishment of the said objective of the PRS?

Exemption applies to beveragesuppliers with corporate

recycling plans.

3.8Notwithstandingparagraph3.5,weareaware thatsome localbeveragemanufacturershave theirownsystemtorecovertheirglassbottlesforrebottling.Theynormallyworkwithrestaurantsandotherretailerswhoreceiveandreturntheemptybottlestothemanufacturers.Theusedbottleswouldthenbecleanedandsterilisedforreuse.Thecyclemayberepeatedforasmanyas30timesbeforebottlesaresentforrecycling.


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3.9Suchreuse/recycling initiativescontributepositively tobetter resourcemanagement.Weproposetoexempt thosesupplierswhoreuseand/orrecyclingglassbottlessubject toperiodiccomplianceaudits.Insuchcircumstances,therelevantbeveragesupplierswouldnotbeliabletopayanyrecyclingfee for theirglassbeveragebottles.Thisexemption is fairand in linewith the“polluterpays”principlebecauseinsteadofenteringintothegeneralwastestream,theseglassbeveragebottlesareinfactrecoveredforreuseandshouldnotbesubjecttothesamefeeasappliedtootherinsingle-usebottles.

Consultation Question #5 Do you agree that beverage suppliers with a satisfactory corporate reuse/recycling plan could be exempted from the payment of a recycling fee? Are you aware of any other stakeholders who should also be entitled to similar exemption?

Should we include a landfillban on glass beverage bottles?

3.10UndertheProductEco-responsibilityOrdinance(Cap603),amandatoryPRSmayincluderestrictionson thedisposalofcertainproductsatdesignatedwastedisposal facilitiessuchas landfillsandrefusetransferstations.ThisistorecognizethatwhenthereisacompletePRSsolutionforthepropercollectionandrecyclingofcertainproducts,wasteproducersshouldpractisesourceseparation.AlandfillbanwillbeimplementedforWEEE.

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3.11Wehaveconsideredwhetheralandfillbancanalsobeimposedonwasteglassbeveragebottles.Alandfillbanwill:

(a) giveastrongsignal to thecommunity that reducingpressureon landfill isoneof thekeyobjectivesofthisproposal;

(b) reinforcethemessagethateverywasteproducerhasashareofeco-responsibilitytopractisesourceseparation todivertglassbeveragebottles fromthewastestreamto thealternativereuseoutletsthroughthePRS;and

(c) providea tool foroperatorsofwaste reception facilities to refuseglassbeveragebottles,especiallythoseinbulk,frombeingacceptedaswastetobelandfilled.

3.12Yet,weshouldalsoacknowledgethepossibleoperationalchallengesandconcerns.Suchbottlesaresmallinsizeandcanbedifficulttospotwhenmixedwithordinarytrash.Itwouldbeoperationallyverydifficult ifnot impossible todistinguish the targetedbottles fromotherbottlesnot included intheproposalat landfillsorotherwastereceptionfacilitiessuchasrefusecollectionpoints.Ensuringcomplianceatthewastedisposalfacilitieswillbeachallenge.


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3.13Internationalexperience issplitonwhethera landfillbanhas tobe implementedwithamandatoryPRSonglass.Suchaban iscommon inEuropebut inJapan,TaiwanandSouthKorea,whereagovernment-ledPRSisimplemented,alandfillbanisnotinforce.Wewouldliketoinviteviewsfromthecommunityinthisregard.

Consultation Question #6 Do you agree that a landfill ban on glass beverage bottles should be introduced? If yes, how it should be refined for better implementation?

CHAPTER 4

CREATION OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

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CHAPTER 4 CREATION OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

4.1Through thevoluntaryschemesmentioned inparagraph2.7,1,500 tonnes (i.e.around3%)ofwasteglassbeveragebottleswererecoveredoutof55,000tonnesgenerated in2011. Internationalexperience indicatesthatmandatoryPRSonglassbeveragebottlescouldachievearecoveryraterangingfrom60%tocloseto100%.InthoseAsian jurisdictionsdescribedinAnnexC,at least70%recoveryhasbeenachieved.Asastart forHongKong,weestimate that38,000 tonnescouldbecollectedannuallyinHongKonguponsuccessful implementationofourPRSinitiativeaccountingforabout70%oftheglassbeveragebottles.Thiswouldrequireasizableexpansionofthecurrentscaleofrecyclingoperationsandwouldfacilitatethecreationofacirculareconomy.

I am bringing new life to waste glass and in turn building

a greener Hong Kong.Ms. April Lai runs theGreenGlassGreenproject initiatedbytheHongKongDumperTruckDriversAssociationwith fundingsupportfromtheEnvironmentandConservationFund.ItoperatesatWanchaiandotherlocationsatscheduledhours.Everytimesheisaskedtocommentonherprogramme,shesaysitisatoughjobbutshewantstodomorebecauseturningwasteintoresourceispracticalandleadstoagreenerHongKong.

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Glass bottles are now recovered for local manufacturing of eco-pavers.

4.2Atpresent,mostof thewasteglassbottles recovered for recyclingwassupplied to two localmanufacturersofeco-pavers. Increasinglymoreof thepavingblocksusedinpublicworkscontainrecycledglass.Thisenablesmoreglasstoberecycledratherthanlandfilled.Researchalsosuggeststhateco-pavershavepositivecharacteristicsoverconventionalpavingblocks.Theyare lighter inweight, lower inwaterabsorptionvalueandenhancedsurfaceappearance.Nowadays,oureco-pavertechnologyisquiteadvanced,featuringadoublelayerstructurewithfurtherenhancedsurfaceappearanceoftheupperlayerandadditionoftitaniumdioxidewhichcanhelpremovingoneoftheairpollutants,nitrogenoxides(or“NOx”),intheair.

New applications ofrecycled glass in construction

works are being explored.

4.3Asingleapplication intheproductionofeco-paverscouldnotprovideanadequateoutlet toabsorballwasteglassrecoveredundera territory-widePRS.TheGovernmenthasbeenactivelyexploringotherfeasibleapplicationsinconstructionworks.Wehaveidentifiedanumberofthem.Forinstance,glasssandfromcrushedbottleshassimilartechnicalperformanceofrecycledaggregatesandcouldpotentiallybesuitable foruse insite formation,earth fillingandreclamationworks.Glasscullet insuitablesizemaybeusedasbackfillorsub-baseinroadwayconstructionworks.Besideseco-pavers,recycledglassculletcanalsobeusedforproductionofpartitionwallblockswhichmayhaveagreatpotentialmarket.

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4.4With thecoordinationofDevelopmentBureauandEPD,anumberofgovernmentdepartmentsareworking together toexploreandpromote theuseofmaterialswith recycledglass inconstructionworks.AnnexDsummarizesthepotentialapplicationsforthereuseofwasteglassmaterialsthatareundercloseexamination, includingsomethatmaybe implemented in theprivatesector.As thesepotentialapplicationsbecomemature,wewillbeable to furtherdiversify thepotentialoutlets forrecycledglasstoensuretheadequacyofthePRSasalocalsolutionforthelongterm.

Our proposal is cost effectiveas compared to alternatives.

4.5InChapter3,weproposedapre-paidrecyclingfeebe imposedonbeveragesuppliers. It ispremature toprescribeanyspecificlevel for theultimate recycling feeat theconsultationstage;overseasexperiencesuggestsan indicative figureofaround$1perlitre5.Underthisscale,anormal-sizedbottleofredwinewouldincurarecyclingfeeofaround$0.75.Wewilldeterminethe leveloftherecyclingfeeaftercompletingtheopentenderfortheGMCcontracttakingintoaccountthe“polluterpays”principle.

Remark:5.InthethreeAsianjurisdictionsreferredtoinAnnexC(i.e.Japan,TaiwanandSouthKorea),therecyclingfeeisupto$0.4

perlitrecoveringmainlythetreatmentcost.

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4.6Weestimatethatabout70%ofthewasteglassbeveragebottlesgeneratedlocallyinHongKongcanberecoveredandturnedintoreusableresources.Ourenvironmentwillbenefitwithareduceddemandfornon-renewableresourcesincludinglandfillspaceandothernaturalresourcessuchasriversand.Thiswouldalsohelppromoteglassrecyclingasgreenindustryaswellascreategreenjobs.


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4.7Apartfromourproposal,weareawareofotherapproachesadoptedinotherinternationalexperience,forinstance–

(a) a“manufacturer-led”approachadopted inGermany,SwedenandCaliforniaof theUnitedStates,withbeveragemanufacturerstakingupcertainstatutoryresponsibility toarrangethecollectionandrecyclingwasteglassbeveragebottlesup toaprescribedtargetsetby thegovernment;or

(b) anon-statutoryapproachas inAustraliaandSingaporewherebeveragemanufacturershaveenteredintomutualagreementswiththegovernmentfortheformertoundertakeeffortstominimise thegenerationofwasteglassbeveragebottlesandtoachieveacertain targetrecoveryrate.

Webelieveourproposedmandatoryapproachisdesignedtosuitlocalcircumstances,wheremostofourbeveragesareimported,makingmanufacturer-ledschemesunsuitable.Wealsowishtogobeyondnon-statutoryapproachesthatmerelyincreasetherecoveryratebydevelopingamorecomprehensivewhole-cycleapproach.

CHAPTER 5

A BROADER PICTURE :BEVERAGE CONTAINERS IN GENERAL

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CHAPTER 5 A BROADER PICTURE : BEVERAGE CONTAINERS IN GENERAL

5.1BeveragesavailableinHongKongarealsocommonlypackedinaluminiumcans,papercartonsandplastics.WhereasPRSinitiativesseekprimarilytoensurethepropermanagementofspentproductsthatdonothavea readymarket,wehaveconsidered themeritsofextending thePRSonglassbeveragebottlesasdiscussedintheprecedingchapterstoothertypesofbeveragecontainers.

There are non-PRS options forother types of beverage containers.

5.2Aluminiumcansarerarely foundatour landfills inHongKong.Thevibrantprivatemarketenablestherecoveryofwastealuminiumcansatgoodpriceswhichcompensatesthecost in thecollectionprocess.AmandatoryPRSisunlikelytocreatefurthermajorenvironmentalbenefitsfortherecyclingofwastealuminiumcans.

5.3Ontheotherhand,wegenerateabout80tonnesofbeveragecartonboxes(principallyTetraPak®packaging)everyday. Thevolume iscomparativelysmallascomparedto the150tpdof landfilledglassbeveragebottles.TetraPak®isatypeofcompositepackagingmaterialcomprising(i)anouterlayerofwaxedcardboard,(ii)an inner layerofpolyethylene,(iii)a thin layerof foilcoated internallywherethepackageisdesignedforstorefoodwithoutrefrigeration,and(iv)aplasticpouringspout.Internationally,thereareTetraPak®processingplantsseekingtorecoverthepaperandmetalcontentbutsofar there isnone inHongKongandwedonotcurrentlyseparatecartonboxesatsourceforrecycling.

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We have a good start in local plastic resource recycling but more have to be done.

Ms. Florence WongmanagesthePlasticResourcesRecyclingCentreasasocialenterpriseoperatedbyYanOiTongwithECFfundingat theEcoPark. It is theonlyplastic recyclingplant inHongKongengagingactively inrecyclingof localplasticwasteaswellascommunityeducationandpromotiononrecoveryandrecycling.Itrequiresmoresupportfromoursocietytoreducethewasteplasticdisposalatourlandfills.

5.4Forplasticbeveragebottles, theyaremostlymadeofpolyethyleneterephthalate(i.e.“PET”).Someprivaterecyclersnowcollectwasteplasticbeveragebottles,astheydoforwastepaperandwastemetal.Themajorityof themareexportedassecondary rawmaterialsaftersimplesortingandcleansing.In2011,some100tpdofPETmaterialswerestilllandfilled6.Ouranalysisisthat–

37


(a) PETmaterialshavegoodcommercialvalue if theyaresortedcorrectlyanddonotcontaincontaminants.Asan illustration, thespotpriceforshreddedPETscraprangesfrom$4,000to$5,000pertonnerespectivelyasatAugust2012dependingonitspurityandcolour.Thisexplainswhyfor-profitprivaterecyclersaretakingthe lead in therecyclingofPETmaterials(similar to thatofaluminiumcans). Indeed, thesameis true inHongKongwithmuchof therecoveredwasteplasticsexportedtoMainlandChinaasreusableresources.

(b) MainlandChina7hasyet topassany legislation tomandate therecyclingofPETbottles. In

someEuropeanjurisdictionswitha“manufacture-led”PRS,beveragemanufacturershavetocollectandrecycleplasticbeveragebottles.ButasimilarapproachisnotadoptedinMainlandChinawhereplasticbottlerecyclingisprincipallycoordinatedbyfor-profitprivaterecyclersinthemarket.

Remark:6.WedonothavefurtherbreakdownonthetonnageforPETbeveragebottles.7.Withourcitybeingan international freeport, the regulatory landscape in theneighbouring region isakey factor to

considerwhetherornotmandatoryPRS initiativesshouldbe introduced for thesebeveragecontainers.FinancedwitharecyclingfeeimposedonbeveragecontainersgeneratedlocallyinHongKong,thesePRSinitiativescouldnotviablyhandle recyclablesgenerated fromoutsideHongKong.To thisend,developments inMainlandChinaareofnotablerelevancegiventhevastvolumeandeaseofcross-boundarytrades.

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5.5WithECF funding,anon-profitmakingorganisation is runningaplasticwaste recyclingcentreatEcoParkPhaseTwo.Sofarthisapproachhasworkedtopromotesourceseparationofwasteplasticsfor local recyclingwhile respecting themarketoperationofcollectionof thebulkofwasteplasticbottlesforrecyclingoutsideHongKong.


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5.6Tosumup, the landfillpressure fromglassbeveragebottles(around150tpd) ismoreseriousandurgentwhencomparedtobeveragecontainersmadeofcartonbox(80tpd)orplastic(upto100tpd).Thus,wewill focusoureffortsat thisstageonglassbeveragebottlerecycling. Thatsaid,with theimplementationofthemandatoryPRS,theremightbeswitchingtonon-glasspackingalternatives.WewillreviewthecaseforintroducingaPRSonbeverageplasticbottlesandTetraPak®packaginginthelightofdevelopmentsbothlocallyonotherPRSsandinourneighbouringcities.

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CHAPTER 6

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR VIEWS

CHAPTER 6 WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR VIEWS

I am glad to see our trainees finding their way to contribute to the

better environment of Hong Kong.Mr. Yim Yat-Keung oversees theGlassBottleRecyclingCampaign,organisedbyHongChiAssociationwiththegenerousfundingsupportfromtheHongKongJockeyClubCharitiesTrust.Insteadofmerelyrecoveringwasteglassbottles,theprogrammealsoprovides trainingopportunities to traineeswith intellectualdisabilitieswhohelpinbottlecollectionandcertainpre-treatmenthandlingsuchassortingandcleansing.Thispopularprogrammehasnowgrowntoservesome160collectionpointsthroughouttheterritory.

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6.1InthisConsultationDocument:

(a) wehavereviewedourpasteffortsinrecyclingwasteglassbeveragebottlesandproposedtostepupbyintroducingmandatoryPRS;

(b) wehaverecommendedaGovernment-ledapproachforthemandatoryPRS,andhowvariousstakeholdersmaycontribute toa localsolution for thepropermanagementofwasteglassbeveragebottles;

(c) beverageretailerswillberequiredtoproviderecycling-relatedinformationtoconsumer;

(d) theGovernmentwillhireamanagementcontractortoundertakethecollectionandrecyclingofwasteglassbeveragebottlesrecoveredunderthePRS;

(e) recyclers involvedwillhavetoobtaina licencetoensuresatisfactoryservicestandardsandprofessionalism;and

(f) arecyclingfeewillbecollectedfrombeveragesupplierstocoverthePRScosts.

Wealsoseekthecommunity’sviewsontheinclusionofalandfillbaninourproposal.

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6.2WewelcomeyourviewsonourproposalforthenewPRS.Morespecifically–

(a) Consultation Question #1:DoyouagreethatweshouldnowproceedtopursueamandatoryPRSonglassbeveragebottlesasapriorityamongdifferent typesofglassbottles,becausethisremovesthelargestnumberofglassbottles?[cf.Paragraph2.8]

(b) Consultation Question #2:Atpresent,apersonwhocarriesouta food importationordistributionbusinessmustbe registeredunder theFoodSafetyOrdinance(Cap612).Doyouagree that the recycling fee for thePRSshouldbecollected from those registeredfood importersanddistributorswho importordistributeglass-bottledbeverages for localconsumption?Whoelsewouldalsobeinthepositiontoserveastheanchorpointforthefee?[cf.Paragraph3.5]

(c) Consultation Question #3:Forordinaryconsumers,doyou find ithelpful ifabeverageretailercouldadviseyouonhowtoparticipateinglassbottlerecycling?Forbeverageretailers,are thereanypracticaldifficulties thatwouldpreventyou fromprovidingrecycling-relatedinformationtoconsumers?[cf.Paragraph3.6]

(d) Consultation Question #4:Asamatterofprinciple,weshouldensure thatanyend-of-lifeproductsunderaPRSareefficientlycollectedforenvironmentallysoundrecyclingprocessestoproducereusablematerials.Doyouagreethatnewlicensingcontrol for theprocessingofwasteglassbeveragebottlescouldcontributetotheaccomplishmentofthesaidobjectiveofthePRS?[cf.Paragraph3.7]

(e) Consultation Question #5:Doyouagree thatbeveragesupplierswitha satisfactorycorporatereuse/recyclingplancouldbeexemptedfromthepaymentofarecyclingfee?Areyouawareofanyotherstakeholderswhoshouldalsobeentitled tosimilarexemption? [cf.Paragraph3.9]

(f) Consultation Question #6:Doyouagreethatalandfillbanonglassbeveragebottlesshouldbeintroduced?Ifyes,howitshouldberefinedforbetterimplementation?[cf.Paragraph3.13]

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How to respond?

6.3Pleasesendusyourviewsandcommentsbyemail,post,orfacsimileonorbefore6 May 2013to–

ByEmail: [email protected]

ByPost: EnvironmentalProtectionDepartment WasteManagementPolicyGroup Room4522,45thfloor,RevenueTower 5GloucesterRoad HongKong

ByFacsimile: 23181877

Ifreturningbypost,youmayconsiderusingthepostagepaidResponseFormatAnnexE.


46

Please note.

6.4Governmentmaywish,either indiscussionwith others or in any subsequent repor t,whetherprivatelyorpublicly, tobeable torefer to andattribute views submittedin response to th is Consul ta t ionDocument.Any request to treatallorpartofa response inconfidencewillbe respected,but ifnosuch requestis made, i t w i l l be assumed thatthe response is not intended to beconfidential.

Annex A

Producer Responsibility Scheme :Our Local Model

In line with the“polluterpays”principle,a recyclingfeeisleviedonnewproductstohelpfinancethePRS.

$ APRScontractorisappointedb y t h e G o v e r nme n t t ocoordinatecollectionofspentproducts from consumersand proper t reatment bycompetentrecyclers.

SUPPLY CHAINSTAKEHOLDERS

NEW PRODUCTS

SPENT PRODUCTS

CONSUMERS

PRS CONTRACTOR

GOVERNMENT COLLECTION AGENTS

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Annexes

Annex B

Glass Recycling Programmessupported by the Government

“Glass Container Recycling Programme for the Hotel Sector”,organisedbytheHongKongHotelsAssociation

ManagedbytheHongKongHotelsAssociationwithtechnicalsupportfromEPD,theprogrammewasfirstrolledout inNovember2008tohelpthehotelsector toreducetheirwasteandensuretheirglassbottlesarehandledinanenvironmentallysoundmanner.In2012-13,atotalof27hotelshaveparticipatedand they jointly finance theprogramme.Asatend2012,over2,400 tonnesofwasteglassbeveragebottles (cumulative)hadbeen recoveredunder thisprogramme forproductionofeco-pavers.

“Glass Bottle Recycling Campaign”organisedbyHongChiAssociation

HongChiAssociationstartedthisprogrammeinApril2010with thegenerousfundingsupportfromtheHongKongJockeyClubCharitiesTrust.EPDhasbeenofferingprofessionaladvice.Theprogrammecomprisesbothenvironmentalprotectionandsocialserviceelementsbyengagingtraineeswithintellectualdisabilitiesinsuitablerecyclingoperations.Throughcontinuousexpansion,theprogrammeisnowserving48privatehousingestates,15commercialorganisations,15NGOsinadditiontothe26collectionpointsinHongChi’sservicecentres.Asatend2012,over1,000tonnesofglassbottles(cumulative)hadbeencollectedforrecyclingundertheprogramme.

“Green Glass Green”organisedbytheHongKongDumperTruckDriversAssociation

GreenGlassGreen, launched inJune2010, isaglassrecyclingprogrammeorganisedby theHongKongDumperTruckDriversAssociationwithfundingsupportfromtheECF.Theprogrammenowcoversmainly thebarandrestaurantsareas inWanchaiandSoHodistrictsaswellasanumberofcollectionpointssetupwithprivateclubs,housingestatesandNGOsatsomepublicaccessible locations.Asatend2012,over900 tonnesofwasteglass (cumulative)hadbeencollectedforrecyclingintoglasssandtoproduceeco-pavers.

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“Pilot Programme on Source Separation of Glass Bottles”atpublichousingestates inEastKowloon

Inordertotestout the logisticsarrangementforrecyclingofglassbottles inresidentialsettings,EPDjoinedhandswiththeHongKongHousingAuthority(“HKHA”)tolaunchthispilotprogrammeinDecember2010.Asitfirststarted,itcoveredsixHKHA-managedpublicrentalhousing(“PRH”)estatesinEastKowloon.Bynow,ithasbeenextendedtoallPRHestatesintheregionservingapopulationof340,000peopleor125,000households.Asatend2012,over170tonnesofglassbottles(cumulative)hadbeencollectedforrecycling.

“Shatin Glorious Glasses”organisedbytheShatinInhabitantsAssociation

With fundingsupporting from theECF,Shatin InhabitantsAssociation rolledout the“GloriousGlassesinShatin”inFebruary2012.Thiscomparativelynewprogrammeservesmainlyresidentialestates,schoolsandsomerestaurantsinShatindistrict.Asatend2012,over45tonnesofwasteglass(cumulative)hadbeencollectedforproductionofeco-pavers.

Note:1.In addition to theabove, thereareother community-based initiativespromotingglass recycling. For instance, in

supportoftheCommunityRecyclingBoothsetupbyEPDonLammaeveryFridayandSaturday'safternoonstopromoterecycling,LivingLammainitiatedavoluntaryrecyclingprogrammeincollaborationwiththerestaurantsandbarsontheislandtocollecttheirbottlesanddelivertheCommunityRecyclingBoothforrecyclingsinceMarch2012.Asattheendof2012,over50tonnesofglassbottles(cumulative)hadbeencollectedforproductionofeco-pavers.

2.Asatend2012,thereisonevoluntaryglassrecyclingprogrammehavingobtainedin-principlesupportfromtheECFbuthasyettocommenceactualoperation.

Annexes

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Annex C

Overseas Experience inAsia in PromotingGlass Beverage Bottle Recyclingthrough a Government-led Approach

Jurisdiction Yearof

ImplementationCollectionandProcessing RecoveryRateRemarks

1 Japan 1997 ManufacturerstomeetrecyclingtargetsandproperlyrecyclerecoveredglassbeveragebottlesontheirownORdischargesuchobligationsbypayingafeetoafundwhichsupportsprocessingoperations

~95%(asat2006)

2 Taiwan 1997 Manufacturerstopayarecyclingfeeintoagovernmentfundwhichsupportsprocessingoperationsaswellasothereducationprojects

~84%(asat2008)

3 SouthKorea

2002

ManufacturerstomeetcertainrecyclingtargetsontheirownORdischargesuchobligationsbypayingafeetoafundwhichsupportsprocessingoperations

~70%(asat2006)

Manufacturerstoproduceeasy-to-recycleproductsasamandatoryrequirement

Annex D

Potential Reuse of Waste Glass Materials1 in the Construction Sector

Annexes

1. Eco-Paver(2)(3) Toreplaceriversandandaggregatesinthe productionofpavingblocks

2. Eco-PartitionBlocks(3) Toreplaceaggregatesintheproductionofpartitionblocks

3. FillMaterial Tobeusedasfilledmaterialsinsiteformation, backfillingandreclamationworks

4. Glassphalt(4) Toreplacenaturalaggregateintheproductionof bituminousmaterialsforroadpaving

5. BlanketDrainageLayer(4) Toreplacenaturalorrecycledaggregateforconstructing blanketdrainagelayersinlandfillstofacilitate thecollectionofleachate

6. CementMortar(3) Toreplaceriversandintheproductionofcementmortar forbuildingandrefurbishmentworks

Note:1.Aftersuitableprocessingtocomplywithrelevanttechnicalspecifications.2.Theuseofglasscullet in theproductionofeco-pavers foruse inconstructionworkshasattainedan implementation

stage.3.Thereispotentialforuseinprivate-sectorconstructionworks.4.Subjecttofurthertestingforuseinpublicworks.

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Annex EResponse Form

Part I ( Note )

This is a corporate response (representing the views of a group or an organisation), private response (representing the views of an individual), by (name of person or organisation) at And (telephone) (email)

Note:The Government may wish, either in discussion with others or in any subsequent report, whether privately or publicly, to be able to refer to and attribute views submitted in this response. Any request to treat all or part of a response in confidence will be respected, but if no such request is made, it will be assumed that the response is not intended to be confidential.

Part II

Specific Questions for Consultation

Q1 : Do you agree that we should now proceed to pursue a mandatory PRS on glass beverage bottles as a priority among different types of glass bottles, because this removes the largest number of glass bottles?

For glass beverage bottles to be covered under the mandatory PRS now:

Annexes

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree

For glass food/sauce bottles to be covered under the mandatory PRS in a future phase:


Views:

Q2 : At present, a person who carries out a food importation or distribution business must be registered under the Food Safety Ordinance (Cap 612). Do you agree that the recycling fee for the PRS should be collected from those registered food importers and distributors who import or distribute glass-bottled beverages for local consumption? Who else would also be in the position to serve as the anchor point for the fee?


I am/We are NOT aware of any other stakeholders who should also act as the fee collecting agent.

I/We consider that the stakeholders as elaborated below should also act as the fee collecting agent.

Views:

Q3 : For ordinary consumers, do you find it helpful if a beverage retailer could advise you on how to participate in glass bottle recycling? For beverage retailers, are there any practical difficulties that would prevent you from providing recycling-related information to consumers?

For ordinary consumers:

Not helpful at all Not very helpful Neutral Helpful Very helpful

For beverage retailers:

I/We have NO practical difficulties to provide recycling-related information to consumers upon request.

I/We have practical difficulties to provide recycling-related information to consumers upon request, as elaborated below.

Views:

Q4 : As a matter of principle, we should ensure that any end-of-life products under a PRS are efficiently collected for environmentally sound recycling processes to produce reusable materials. Do you agree that new licensing control for the processing of waste glass beverage bottles could contribute to the accomplishment of the said objective of the PRS?


Views:

Q5 : Do you agree that beverage suppliers with a satisfactory corporate reuse / recycling plan could be exempted from the payment of a recycling fee? Are you aware of any other stakeholders who should also be entitled to similar exemption?


I am/We are NOT aware of any other stakeholders who should also be entitled to exemption from the payment of a recycling fee.

I/We consider that the stakeholders as elaborated below should also be entitled to exemption from the payment of a recycling fee.

Views:

Q6 : Do you agree that a landfill ban on glass beverage bottles should be introduced? If yes, how it should be refined for better implementation?


Views:

Part III

Other comments

~~ Thank you for your views. ~~

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採用環保大豆油墨及再造紙印製 Printed with soy ink on recycled paper香港特別行政區政府環境局

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contents...glass consists mainly of silica, which is a natural raw substance like sand. glass will...

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