Hong Kong Gov’t to Ban Single-Use Plastic Tableware, Items from Early 2024

The Hong Kong government looks set to start the ban on purchasing and providing single-use plastic tableware and products in restaurants, bars, hotels, and public venues from early 2024, according to government reports.

Following a proposal tabled in LegCo in March 2023, titled the Product Eco-responsibility (Amendment) Bill 2023, the government is leading an initiative on regulating disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products in promoting a greener Hong Kong.

The Amendment Bill seeks to prohibit sales and provision of disposable plastic tableware for dine-in and takeaway customers in two steps. Phase one, estimated to take effect in late 2023, focuses on curbing the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS) tableware, small-sized and hard-to-recycle disposable plastic tableware, with a full implementation in early 2024.

The Bill also targets a series of disposable plastic products, including a ban on manufacturing, selling, and distribution of such items already replaced by non-plastic alternatives or non-essential to daily life. This includes a provision to prevent hotels and guesthouses from offering disposable toiletries and bottled water free of charge.

In promoting a “plastic-free” culture, the government urges businesses to prepare for these regulations. This is facilitated by an online information platform by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), launched in collaboration with the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency, offering assistance on suitable alternatives.