On Apr. 22, Hong Kong’s new single-use plastic ban will come into effect, prohibiting the sale and use of designated plastic tableware at restaurants, bars, and F&B venues.
Passed by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong last October, the new ban will ensure a step towards a plastic-free city, encouraging the use of more sustainable items when dining out.
With the first phase of two occurring in April 2024, nine types of disposable plastic tableware will be prohibited for sale and provided to customers at registered catering premises.
EPS tableware, straws, stirrers, and cutlery will be prohibited for sale to customers, whilst cups, cup lids, and food containers will be prohibited to be shared with customers when dining in.
The second phase of the plastic ban, estimated to be enacted in early 2025, will see the sale of plastic cups, cup lids, and food containers outlawed in Hong Kong.
In a report by The Standard, the new law will not have an immediate effect on caterers’ and restaurateurs’ operational costs, with Kenneth Cheng Kin, the assistant director of the Environmental Protection Department, pointing out that environmentally friendly substitutes are only slightly more expensive than plastic tableware.
