Clearer guidelines

The front-line cleaners' confusion helps explain why Hong Kong's ambitious waste-charging program has been pushed into a tight corner.

The program requires residents to use designated garbage bags, which are eco-friendly and priced between HK$0.30 (3.8 US cents) and HK$11, to discard rubbish. For oversized waste, users will need to attach a label costing HK$11 to each item before it's disposed.

The Hong Kong government launched a small-scale trial run of the program on April 1, hoping to garner feedback and publicize it.

However, problems raised during the trial, such as low use of the prepaid bags, lack of education about the program, and concerns about the expense — along with considerable criticism from the general community — forced the government to shelve the program on May 27.

The full program was originally scheduled to begin in late 2023, but was postponed to April 1, and then Aug 1. Government officials are now looking at ways to optimize it before its implementation.

Cleaners like Lau are concerned about the guidelines on dealing with violations, and believe breaches are bound to happen at the beginning of the program. For example, Lau said, should she stop or report people who fail to comply with the program? Will she bear any responsibility if she fails to prevent or report such acts? And, if she has to repack improperly discarded trash with the designated bags, who will pay for the bags?

The additional workload and responsibilities for cleaners under the program deserve a salary hike, Lau added.

Chan Kam-wah, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Environmental Services, Logistics and Cleaning Employees Association, said grassroots cleaners face pressure from residents and are wary of their legal obligations. They may have to take responsibility for residents' actions and end up unintentionally breaking the law, he said.

Cleaning workers are in urgent need of guidance on the new program, similar to that the HKSAR government has provided to the public, Chan said.

The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, the city's largest labor organization, said given the fact that many cleaning workers are older and less educated, the government should provide them with information through more channels, such as face-to-face briefings.