ways to optimize our environmental levy scheme

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Kitty Wong Sin Ting (09422196) and Alik Lee Lik Hang (09409424) POLS 7050 POLS 7050 Public Administration Public Administration Ways to Optimize our Ways to Optimize our Environmental Levy Scheme Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags on Plastic Shopping Bags

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Page 1: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

Kitty Wong Sin Ting (09422196) and Alik Lee Lik Hang (09409424)

POLS 7050POLS 7050Public Public

AdministrationAdministration

POLS 7050POLS 7050Public Public

AdministrationAdministrationWays to Optimize our Ways to Optimize our Environmental Levy Environmental Levy

Scheme Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bagson Plastic Shopping Bags

Ways to Optimize our Ways to Optimize our Environmental Levy Environmental Levy

Scheme Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bagson Plastic Shopping Bags

Page 2: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

BackgroundBackground

• Indiscriminate use of plastic shopping bags as a major and visible environmental problem

• > 8 billion plastic bags are disposed to our landfill yearly

• in order words, everyone of us uses three plastic bags in every single day

Page 3: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

About the SchemeAbout the Scheme

• change the public’s habit

use of plastic shopping bags

• encourage more environmentally responsible behaviour through “direct polluter pays”

• improve the public’s environmental consciousness

Page 4: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

As planned, the levy scheme will undergo

another phase,so, what should be

implemented?

Page 5: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

Current IssueCurrent Issue

•use of substitute increases

•consumers take even more plastic bags from those unregistered retailers

•consumers are trying to avoid such levy

Page 6: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

RecommendationRecommendation

• suggest supermarkets not to place their “flat bag for fruit” openly

• eliminate the issue of unfair competitiveness

• change the habit of purchasing

• strengthen understand the concept of “polluter pays”

comprehensive levy scheme for plastic bags should be introduced

Page 7: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

Positive outcome from Ireland

Positive outcome from Ireland

Page 8: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

DifficultiesDifficulties

• Retailer– difficulty on applying

the levy scheme– insufficient manpower

to administrate

• Plastic bag manufacturer– strike on their industry– unemployment issue

• Government– cost on staff

employment, law enforcement, researches, and administrative cost

• Consumer– lack of convenience– affect the grass-root

of the society

Page 9: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

Cost-and-benefit

Evaluation

Cost-and-benefit

Evaluation• subsidize affected industry • bare-in-mind the principle of the levy

scheme :

Page 10: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

ConclusionConclusion

• in short term, several challenges would be arose, like problem of market shifting, administrative cost of retailers as well as government

• levy Scheme for Plastic Bag is recommended to apply to all retailers / stores

Page 11: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

ConclusionConclusion

• for long term, a positive outcome is likely to be happen, not only on the matter of misuse of plastic bags, but also the other similar products

• introducing the levy scheme, not only for our own, but also for our next generation; not only for Hong Kong, but also for the whole ecosystem

Page 12: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme

References:

Assessment of Benefits and Effects of the Plastic Shopping Bag Charging Scheme by GHK (Hong Kong) Ltd.http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/prob_solutions/files/GHK_study.pdf

Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags by Environmental Protection Departmenthttp://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/psb/en/index.html

Plastic shopping bag levy yields positive results by Environmental Protection Departmenthttp://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200911/02/P200911020245.htm

Plastic Bag : Friend or Foe?http://www.plasticbageconomics.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=40

Plastic Bags by Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Governmenthttp://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Waste/PlasticBags/

Page 13: Ways To Optimize Our Environmental Levy Scheme