Hong Kong begins phasing in disposable plastics ban

Hong Kong on Monday started phasing in a ban on disposable plastic products across restaurants and businesses, setting a six-month deadline for the city, aiming to eliminate plastic pollution. Difficult to recycle products made of polystyrene and plastic were banned for both dine-in and takeaway customers under a bill passed in October. The offenders will be fined up to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars.

But the cost of replacing plastic cutlery with eco-friendly materials such as wood, bamboo or paper could jump by 30 percent for businesses, while they struggle to secure a consistent supply of alternative products, industry experts said. Plastics are the finance hub's second-largest source of solid waste, averaging 2,331 tonnes per day in 2021, equivalent to nearly 70 adult humpback whales.