HONG KONG’S CIRCULAR ECONOMY ON PLASTICS: ARE THE ECONOMICS FAILING?
- Available online in Detritus - Volume 27 - June 2024
- Pages 37-46
Access restricted to subscribed members only
Released under All rights reserved
Copyright: © 2024 CISA Publisher
Abstract
In the Special Administrative Region Hong Kong, municipal solid waste has grown substantially over the past two decades with plastic waste accounting for an increasingly large proportion. In response, the Hong Kong government trialled several schemes that centred on economic mechanisms and the circular economic principles of recycling and reduction to manage plastic bags and plastic beverage containers. As the results of these measures have been met with strong criticism, the present paper assesses the extent to which therein applied economic mechanisms realised a circular management of these streams. To explore this question, the paper relies on quantitative and qualitative field research combined with an analysis of a specifically designed public opinion survey. The findings indicate that price setting is a key element towards circularity for waste plastics in Hong Kong, yet it is not the sole determinant. Using an evolutionary institutional framework the paper shows that besides economics the incorporation of consumers’ and recycling stakeholders’ interests are key for effective regulations towards a circular economy on plastics in the city.Keywords
- Circular Economy
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic bags
- Extended producer responsibility for beverage containers
- Economic institutionalism
- Hong Kong SAR
Editorial History
- Received: 11 Apr 2024
- Revised: 28 May 2024
- Accepted: 03 Jun 2024
- Available online: 17 Jun 2024
References
Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE). 2023.Report on the 42nd Waste Management Subcommittee Meeting ACE Paper 12/2023. Online: https://www.eeb.gov.hk/sites/default/files/en/node5840/ACE_Paper_12_2023.pdf (accessed 15/2/2024)
Business Environment Council (BEC). 2021. Circularity Assessment of Hong Kong. Online: https://www.bec.org.hk/sites/default/files/publications/BEC_Circularity_Assessment_Report_final.pdf (accessed 04/03/2021)
Chan, Y.C.J. 2011. The Role of Environmental Regulations and Policies in Managing Plastic Bottle Waste in Hong Kong. Master Thesis, University of Hong Kong. Available online: https://www.biosch.hku.hk/envm/dissertation_titles.html (accessed 12/03/2020)
Council for Sustainable Development (CSD). 2022. Report on Public Engagement on Control of Single-use Plastics. Online: https://www.susdev.org.hk/download/report/council_report_e.pdf (accessed 2/12/2023)
Deloitte Risk Advisory (DRA). 2018. Drink Without Waste Research Report. https://drinkwithoutwaste.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/deloitte-cn-ra-drink-without-waste-en-181204.pdf (accessed 2 May 2023)
Drink Without Waste (DWW). 2020. Position Statement in anticipation of the Public Consultation on a Producer Responsibility Scheme for Beverage Packaging. Online: https://drinkwithoutwaste.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/DWW-Position-on-PRS-Implementation-October-2020-web-final-1.pdf (accessed 01/06/2021)
Drink Without Waste (DWW). 2021. Producer Responsibility Scheme for Beverage Packaging. Online: Online: https://drinkwithoutwaste.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Press-Release-_-Drink-Without-Waste-supports-Public-Consultation-on-Producer-Responsibility-Scheme-for-Beverage-Packaging-in-Hong-Kong-_Approved31052021.pdf (accessed 11/10/2021)
Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong (EPD). 2005. A Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (2005-2014). Online: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/msw/txt_en/highlight/main.htm (accessed 12/05/2020)
Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong (EPD). 2011. Consultation Document on the Extension of the Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bag. Online: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/psb_extension_consultation/file/con_eng.pdf (Accessed 5/10/2023)
Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong (EPD). 2016. Survey Findings on the Impacts of Plastic Shopping Bag Charging. Paper WMSC 04/2016. Online: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/boards/advisory_council/waste_paper16.html (accessed 12/05/2020)
Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong (EPD). 2021a. Producer Responsibility Scheme on Plastic Beverage Containers. Online: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/sites/default/files/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/pub_consult/files/con-doc-en.pdf (accessed 01/05/2020)
Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong (EPD). 2021b. Producer Responsibility Schemes. Online: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/pro_responsibility/index.html (accessed 12/06/2021)
Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong (EPD). 2023. Monitoring of Solid Waste in Hong Kong Waste Statistics for 2022. https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/sites/default/files/resources_centre/waste_statistics/msw2022_eng.pdf (accessed 12/1/2024)
Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong (EPD). n.d. Enhanced Plastic Shopping Bag Charging Scheme. Online: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/psb_charging/en/introduction/index.html (accessed 15/11/2023)
Groenewegen, J., Spithoven, A., Van den Berg, A., 2010. Institutional Economics: An Introduction. Palgrave Macmillan, New York and London
Hong Kong Government (HKGov). 2017. Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2030+. Online: https://www.enb.gov.hk/sites/default/files/pdf/ClimateActionPlanEng.pdf (accessed 12/07/2020)
Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI). 2021. Public opinion survey on the Producer Responsibility Scheme for plastic bottles. Online: https://www.pori.hk/research-reports/producer-responsibility-scheme-on-plastic-beverage-containers-2021.html (accessed 30/05/2021)
Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI). 2022. Public opinion on regulating take-away single-use plastic food containers. Online: https://www.susdev.org.hk/download/report/council_report_tc.pdf (accessed 12/4/2023)
Kirchherr, J., Yang, N.N., Schulze-Spüntrup, F., Heerink, M., J., Hartley, K. 2023. Conceptualizing the Circular Economy (Revisited): An Analysis of 221 Definitions. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 194, 107001.
DOI 10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107001
Lau, E.C.F. 2019. Hong Kong Needs to Embrace a Holistic Approach to Waste Management. In: So W.W.M, Chow C.F., Lee J.C.K [eds.] Environmental Sustainability and Education for Waste Management - Implications for Policy and Practice. Springer Nature, Singapore
Lee, D. 2020. Restructuring municipal solid waste management and governance in Hong Kong: Options and prospects. Waste Management & Research 38(9), pp. 1047–1063.
DOI 10.1177/0734242X20945185
Legislative Council (LEGCO). 2022. Subcommittee on Three Pieces of Subsidiary Legislation Relating to Plastic Shopping Bags under the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance. LC Paper No. CB(1)646/2022. Online: https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr2022/english/hc/papers/hc20221014cb1-646-e.pdf (accessed 9/11/2023)
Legislative Council Panel On Environmental Affairs (LEGCOPEA). 2023. Establishment of a Common Legislative Framework for Producer Responsibility Schemes. LC Paper No. CB(1)1032/2023(03). https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr2023/english/panels/ea/papers/ea20231128cb1-1032-3-e.pdf (Accessed 07/02/2024)
Mantzavinos, C. 2001. Individuals, Institutions and Markets. Cambridge. UK: Cambridge University Press
Potting, J., Hekkert, M., Worrell, E., Hanemaaijer, A. 2017. Circular Economy: Measuring Innovation in the Product Chain. PBL publication number: 2544. Online: https://www.pbl.nl/sites/default/files/downloads/pbl-2016-circular-economy-measuring- (accessed 12/07/2020)
Reloop. 2020. Global Deposit Book 2020 an Overview of Deposit Systems for One-Way Beverage Containers. Online: https://www.reloopplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-Global-Deposit-Book-WEB-version-1DEC2020.pdf (accessed 2/06/2021)
Steuer, B. 2021. Identifying effective institutions for China’s circular economy: Bottom-up evidence from waste management. Waste Management & Research, Vol 39(7), pp. 937-946.
Steuer, B. 2022. The Emergence of Circular Economy SMEs in Hong Kong: What is Needed to Invigorate the Dynamic. In: Ghadimi, P. Gilchrist M. and Xu M. (eds.). Role of Circular Economy in Resource Sustainability. Springer Nature
DOI 10.1007/978-3-030-90217-9
Steuer, B. and Chen, P. 2023a. Evaluating circular economy applications for plastic waste management in Hong Kong. International Conference on Solid Wastes 2023: Waste Management in Circular Economy and Climate Resilience (ICSWHK2023). 31 May – 3 June 2023, Hong Kong
Steuer, B. and Chen, P. 2023b. Exploring capacities, environmental benefits and potential for a circular economy on waste plastic bottles in Hong Kong. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 199.
DOI 10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107270
Steuer, B., Vanthournout, H., Chan, N., Mok, K., Pong, J., Zimmerman, P. 2022. Neighbourhood Bottle Reward Scheme - The Industry Support Programme “A pilot scheme on establishment of a single-use plastic beverage bottle recycling network”, funded by the Recycling Fund (ISP-1920-16-007), Hong Kong
Tong, C. 2021. Environmental law and practice in Hong Kong: overview. Online: https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/3-503-4772?transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)&firstPage=true (accessed 04/04/2021)
Tucker, E. 2022. Cash for Trash – Recycling Fraud in California. Online: https://consumerwatchdog.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/CASH%20FOR%20TRASH%202022.pdf (accessed 13/05/2023)
Wan, C., Shen, G.Q., Choi, S. 2018. Differential public support for waste management policy: The case of Hong Kong. Journal of Cleaner Production 175, pp.477-488.