簡介
Listen to #Hashtag Hong Kong every Sunday morning at 8.15
Focussing on issues affecting civil society, we'll hear from representatives of NGOs, associations, statutory bodies, and non-profit groups.
(Sundays 8.15am - 8.25am)
最新
Simon Wong, President of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants & Related Trades
As the government has announced the “ Waste Blueprint for HK 2035 “ to tackle the challenge of waste management as well as to build a circular economy and a sustainable green living environment, “Waste Reduction” is on the top priority list. The government has proposed a measure to regulate disposable plastic tableware in phases. The Amendment Bill for the first phase of regulation was thus passed in March 2023 and will be in force on April 22, 2024.
Under the Regulation, nine types of disposable plastic tableware would be introduced.
In the first phase under the Regulation, EPS tableware, plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates are prohibited to sell to end-consumers and prohibited to provide by catering premises to customers for dine-in and takeaway services. The other disposable plastic tableware such as plates, cups food containers etc, will come into force in the second phase, but the date of implementation has yet to be determined.
There are a few issues which the catering industry is concerned upon the introduction of the ban on using plastic disposable materials. The catering industry at first worried if there were alternative products to substitute the plastic tableware, and whether those environmental substitutes would increase the operating cost.
Accordingly, if we look at the website of the Environmental Protection Department, we find that at the moment 64 companies are carrying 737 items which cover a wide range of non-plastic disposable tableware. Restaurant operators do have a lot of varieties to choose from which would suit their needs.
However, many restaurant operators are, at the moment, not eager to use non-plastic tableware as the government is giving a six-month grace period to the trade, such that operators will not be fined if they do not follow the regulation on and after April 22. On the other hand, it would give enough time for importers and wholesalers as well as retailers to consume or or deal with their inventories within the allowable period. This period would also offer more time for the catering industry to find more suitable products to suit their budget and needs.
In general, the cost of environmentally disposable products is about 20-30% more expensive than the plastic ones. Take the straws for example, a few cents increase seems not much for each straw, but it can translate to a substantial percentage increase when large quantities of straws are to be consumed. Since almost all non-plastic disposable products are imported, importers and wholesalers are not willing to take the risk of keeping too much stock in their warehouses at the moment. However, we believe that costs will come down when all restaurants have adopted the practice due to the larger quantity imports.
Another concern is the quality of the substitutes. Those non-plastic substitutes are commonly made of paper, bamboo, softwood, wood pulp and plant fibre materials. Though there are a lot of choices for each type of utensil, the quality of the product varies. Some customers have complained that the paper straws or spoons cannot sustain in higher temperatures nor cannot be put in liquid for too long as they will become soft. Of course, we can find better quality products in the market, but the cost will then be higher.
As the date for launching is drawing near, the catering industry has thought of ways to deal with the situation. Large restaurant groups, such as fast food chains, hotels and high-end restaurants have started using non-plastic utensils. Even though the cost, in general, is higher, they are willing to do so as it’s a social responsibility to compile with the ESG initiative. Some restaurants simply do not provide disposable utensils, but charge customers upon their request. Some restaurants or coffee shops have started to encourage customers to bring their utensils; in such cases, restaurants will save on the cost of providing the materials, while customers do not need to pay additional to the restaurants for getting non-plastic disposable tableware.
There are about 18,000 restaurant outlets in HK, and 98% of those are small and medium-sized enterprises. With the present gloomy economic environment, these SMEs would be very cautious about the increased expenses if environmental products are used. However, I would suggest to them to use more reusable products to lower their cost and not provide the disposable utensils to customers.
After all, the bill has passed, we, as an individual should do more for the environment. I also believe that education and publicity are vital means to pass the message to the public. The government should without any hesitation, launch more programs and publicities to educate the public how to deal with the change of living habits as well as to let people understand our environment is at risk if we do not act now.
I'd like to share this song with you all this morning, I want to dedicate "Somewhere over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland. Thank you for listening.
重溫
Wong Suet-mei, Conservation Officer, The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society
World Migratory Bird Day 2023 was celebrated on 13th of May. This annual campaign reminds every one of the urgency to conserve migratory birds and their habitats. It echoes The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS) ’s mission which is to promote appreciation and protection of birds and their habitats.
HKBWS is a non-government organization, founded in 1957, with a vision of "People and birds living in harmony as nature continues to thrive." Our work ranges from scientific research, habitat management, and education to conservation advocacy.
Wild birds, especially migratory birds, are facing multiple threats worldwide. Urban development not only causes the ongoing loss of suitable habitats, but buat also creates death traps that are threatening the survival of birds. Amongst these traps, bird-window collision is one of the major killers.
Bird-window collisions refer to when birds fail to recognise a glass curtain wall or mirror as an obstacle and mistakenly think they can fly into it, thus hitting the building and causing injury or even death.
HKBWS has released its first report on bird-window collisions in Hong Kong. The report consolidates the data collected during the period from September to December last year. A total of 179 deaths and 17 injuries were recorded in the bird-window collision cases in these four months. Seven of them are species of conservation concern, such as the globally “Critically Endangered” Yellow-breasted Bunting, and the nationally Class II protected species Northern Boobook.
The window collision victims were distributed across multiple districts in Hong Kong. Various types of structures were involved in collision events, for example, buildings and shopping malls with extensive glass or mirror facades, transparent noise barriers, glass railings, and village houses with glass doors and windows. Bird window collisions may pose a challenge to local biodiversity, and even more, to the protection of globally threatened species. We must not overlook such risks.
It’s time to work together to save the birds and turn Hong Kong into a Bird-Friendly City.
What can we do as a member of the public?
To fully understand the seriousness of bird-window collision in Hong Kong, we must continue recording the situation and further expanding our monitoring. We would like to invite all of you to participate in our Bird Collision Monitoring Campaign by reporting bird collision cases to the Global Bird Collision Mapper, and support our work. You will get an anti-bird collision tee in return for a donation of $400 or above.
What if you are the property owners, developers, or architects?
One way to prevent bird-window collisions is to design your buildings and the surrounding landscape in a way that is safe for birds. Apart from reducing the use of transparent or reflective glass materials, you can consider using bird-friendly glass and leaving sufficient buffer between the greening area and the glass. For those existing buildings, you can start a monitoring scheme to identify the potential collision risk in your properties. If there is an area of high risk, you should apply treatments on the outside surface to help the birds see the glass as a barrier, such as putting up stickers with a dense pattern that has a maximum gap of 5 cm.
Changing our ways to use lights at night can also be a way to reduce bird-window collisions. Birds are easily disorientated by artificial light during migration at night. They are very often attracted to the urban areas where glass elements are commonly found, thus increasing their chance of colliding with buildings. We can adopt bird-friendly lighting strategies to reduce the risk, such as turning off non-flashing lights at night.
To prevent bird collisions in the long run, regulations and policies are also crucial. The Hong Kong government can refer to the practice of other countries and consider introducing new laws to ensure bird-friendly elements are incorporated into all building designs. Like in New York, a new law has taken effect in 2021 that requires all new construction and alteration of buildings to use bird friendly materials and designs.
Lastly, we once again call for your support and participation in our long-term data collection, monitoring, analysis and policy advocacy. Let us all work together and help create a safer and better environment for birds living in and passing through Hong Kong, such that we can move towards our vision of "People and birds living in harmony as nature continues to thrive."
I'd like to share this song with you all this morning, I want to dedicate Up&Up by Coldplay
