HONG KONG (SE): With a municipal solid waste [MSW] charge due to be imposed in April next year for waste reduction, the Diocesan Pastoral Centres for Workers-Hong Kong Island finds it necessary to educate the public about proper waste disposal methods, through the parishes, to reduce the workload of cleaning workers. It is also concerned that the new policy will put workers in direct conflict with the general public who do not thoroughly understand it.
Antonio Tsui Chung-man, centre supervisor of the Diocesan Pastoral Centres for Workers in Hong Kong, told the Sunday Examiner on August 3 that it is reaching out to workers to let them know the details of the new policy, and at the same time, asking the social concern groups of different parishes on Hong Kong Island to promote legal waste disposal under the new policy through leaflets or other activities.
According to him, as in early August, the social concern group of St. Peter’s Church, Aberdeen, said it would distribute the leaflets, while the group at Holy Cross Parish, Shaukiwan, is considering if it can incorporate waste disposal education into an environmental protection campaign scheduled to be held early next year.
The leaflet calls on people to show more concern for cleaning workers citing the passage from the Gospel according to Matthew 25;40: “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” It says people should follow government policy and use designated garbage bags of the appropriate size, and send larger waste, such as furniture and electronics, to their specific collection points after attaching a label. Also, it is important to be considerate by emptying liquid from waste, wrapping sharp objects first, and separating recyclables.
He said the centre finds it necessary to educate parishioners and the public first before the policy is imposed because cleaning workers expressed worries about a heavier workload after policy implementation.
“Many people may not follow the policy or put the garbage inside the designated bags, but will instead throw it everywhere to avoid the cost, leaving it to the cleaning workers to deal with,” he said. “Secondly, their daily workload will surely increase as they need to check if the rubbish is put inside designated bags or properly labelled before handling them, and in case they refuse to accept illegal garbage, they may have conflicts with people.”
He is also concerned that they will receive complaints from employers after handling illegal rubbish by mistake and will even be fined or prosecuted in such cases.
Louis Lam Wai-ho, programme officer of the centre, said to reduce waste, it is important to nurture a sustainable lifestyle, avoid unnecessary purchases in a world of consumerism, and acted in response to the appeal of Pope Francis in Laudato Si’. “Environmental protection is not only for the earth, but also a way to respect the cleaning workers,” he said.
The MSW charge will be imposed in April next year. Under the policy, people will be required to buy garbage bags of different sizes, which is the only legal means to dispose of household waste. For oversized waste that cannot be packed in designated rubbish bags, a designated label has to be bought and affixed before disposal.
Frontline staff of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and waste collectors are required to refuse to accept any waste that is not properly packed in designated rubbish bags or affixed with designated labels. Fixed penalty tickets at $1,500 each will be issued to offenders intercepted at the scene and prosecution will be taken against repeated offenders.
