Baseless criticism of waste-charging plan is unhelpful

Amid heated debate over the challenges of implementing the waste-charging scheme, there have been attempts to sideline it as a policy that could be seized on to deepen social division. But a careful examination of the historical context of the scheme and its objectives will reveal the hollowness of these criticisms.

The scheme for charging Hongkongers for waste disposal has been in the making for more than two decades. It is not a whimsical policy concocted by the radical opposition camp as one political heavyweight suggested. The “polluter pays” idea for waste disposal goes as far back as 1998, when Hong Kong released its Waste Reduction Framework Plan. A scheme was then proposed in a 2005 policy framework for the management of municipal solid waste.

That it took this long to come to fruition shows the government’s determination to overcome the challenges involved.

Some argue that the scheme will burden residents and businesses. While it’s true there will be costs associated with waste disposal, the extent of the effect on people’s livelihoods is debatable. There is room for improvement in the scheme’s details, but the government’s good intentions should be appreciated.

It is also worth noting that the waste-charging scheme aligns with the central government’s green vision, as evidenced by the endorsement of similar policies on the mainland. It is ironic that some proestablishment figures are trying to undermine the long-term policy objective of a government that seeks to achieve environmental sustainability and contribute towards the nation’s overall goals.

Those who carelessly criticise the waste-charging scheme, as well as the Fanling golf course development plan, instead of engaging in meaningful dialogue only hinder progress. The worry is that such baseless criticisms are sowing the seeds of social unrest.

Stanley Ip, Sai Wan Ho