【News Buddy】環保當「入樽」 個半鐘塞滿機

【原文】下文摘錄自香港《文匯報》9月4日︰

都市固體廢物收費修訂條例草案（Waste Disposal（Charging for Municipal Solid Waste）（Amendment）Bill ）早前在立法會三讀通過，在香港醞釀近16年的垃圾徵費終於有望實施，但要成功減少廢物，有效的回收（recycling）政策和措施不可或缺。特區政府計劃推出的塑膠飲料容器生產者責任制（producer responsibility scheme），初步建議日後市民每退還一個飲料膠樽，可獲0.1元回贈（rebate）。為配合計劃推行，環境保護署（Environmental Protection Department）今年初推出先導計劃，在全港多區擺放入樽機（reverse vending machine）收集市民棄置的膠樽。香港文匯報（Wen Wei Po）早前直擊入樽機運作情況，發現入樽機頗受歡迎，一度出現「機滿之患」。有回收業界接受專訪時指出，市民對廢料回收再造的意識雖已比之前幾年提高，但就呈兩極化，有人非常支持，也有人毫不理會甚至蓄意破壞，認為政府有需要加強宣傳推廣和教育，令成績更進一步。

繼塑膠購物袋收費、廢電器電子產品以及玻璃飲料容器生產者責任計劃後，政府提出在港推展塑膠飲料容器生產者責任計劃，公眾諮詢（public consultation）已於今年5月底結束。環保署共收到逾4,700份意見書（submission），該署正作整理，並會考慮相關意見，以準備下一階段工作。

為讓市民熟習計劃及測試入樽機實地應用情況，環保署今年首季展開為期1年的先導計劃，在全港多個公眾地方及政府設施設置60部入樽機，並透過電子支付平台（e-payment platform）向回收膠樽的市民，每個樽回贈0.1元。每張八達通（Octopus card）或每個支付寶（Alipay）（香港）賬戶每天最多可交回30個飲料膠樽並領取回贈。市民亦可選擇將回贈捐予指定慈善機構（charity），每天數量不限。香港文匯報記者早前到放置在銅鑼灣（Causeway Bay）維園泳池（Victoria Park Swimming Pool）附近的入樽機，直擊運作情況。由於入樽機擺放在「騎樓底」，與泳池入口不算近，未有太受路人注意，但仍有市民知道此機存在。

香港文匯報記者在場觀察個半小時，有十多名市民使用，一度出現機內膠樽滿溢暫停收樽，有市民因此而摸門釘，但稍後即有工作人員前來運走機內膠樽，入樽機再開放予市民使用。

使用的市民普遍認為，入樽機操作簡易，使用時沒有難度，他們也不在乎是否有回贈以及回贈額多少，只希望支持回收有用物料，別浪費地球資源（resource）。也有市民希望藉此賺取點點收入，一位中年男士向記者坦言，帶來回收的膠樽是從街頭執拾而來，每次雖只能賺取數元收入，也算是對家計的一點幫補。營運環保署項目回收便利點「綠在上環」（Sheung Wan Recycling Store）的坊眾資源管理有限公司（Fong Chung Resources Management Co. Limited）營運總監呂鴻賓（Ben Lui）表示，港人對廢料回收再造的意識，相比以往已有很大提升，有一部分人是非常支持，「我哋對回收廢料嘅要求比較高，要先做好分類、清潔先至會收，因為如果成袋垃圾咁帶嚟，我哋係冇足夠人手同地方去處理，但好多人都願意花呢啲時間，再專程送過嚟，好有心。」

惟他續說，同時也有人「（ 對廢料回收 ）乜都唔理，甚至唔知有心定無意去造成破壞」，他以擺放在回收便利點門外的24小時回收箱（recycling bin）為例，「每日最痛苦係朝早返嚟處理呢個回收箱，因為入面乜嘢都有，污糟邋遢，真係頭都痛埋！」呂鴻賓認為，要更多人支持回收再造，進一步的宣傳推廣與教育十分重要，鼓勵市民回收仍有「剩餘價值」（residual value）的物品，履行公民責任（civic responsibility）。

Full capacity of reverse vending machine achieved within 1.5 hour thanks to environmental citizenship

【譯文】The Third Reading for the Waste Disposal （Charging for Municipal Solid Waste）（Amendment）Bill has been passed by the Legislative Council earlier on, and waste charging, which has been discussed in Hong Kong for nearly 16 years, will eventually be put into implementation. While to achieve waste reduction, effective recycling policies and measures are indispensable. The SAR government plans to introduce a producer responsibility scheme for plastic beverage containers, initially suggesting that an instant rebate of $0.1 for each plastic beverage container returned be provided. To tie in with the implementation of the plan, a pilot scheme has been launched by the Environmental Protection Department to place reverse vending machines in multiple districts across the city for collection of discarded plastic bottles. Wen Wei Po conducted several field visits previously and discovered that the bottle-returning machines were quite popular and often under full load. The recycling industry said in an interview that although the public awareness towards waste recycling had increased over the past years, it had become polarized that some people were supportive, while others ignored with acts of deliberate sabotage, urging the government to step up promotion and education to make further progress.

Following the producer responsibility scheme for plastic shopping bags, waste electrical and electronic equipment, and glass beverage containers, a similar plan for plastic beverage containers is proposed, with the public consultation ended at the end of May this year. The Environmental Protection Department had received more than 4,700 submissions for collation and consideration to prepare for the next stage of work.

In order to familiarize the public with the plan and test out the application of the reverse vending machines, the Department rolled out a one-year pilot scheme in the first quarter of this year, installing 60 machines at locations such as public places or government facilities, and providing an instant rebate of $0.1 per plastic beverage container returned via e-payment platform. People may return a daily maximum of 30 containers and redeem the rebate for each Octopus card or Alipay （Hong Kong）account held, or they may choose to donate the rebate to designated charities with no daily limit imposed. Journalists of the Wen Wei Po paid a visit previously to the Victoria Park Swimming Pool at Causeway Bay where a reverse vending machine was placed to check out its operation. As the machine was located under the stairs and not close to the entrance of the swimming pool, it drew little attention of the passers-by but was still known to the public.

During the 1.5-hour visit by the journalists, it was noted that more than a dozen citizens feeding in used bottles into the machine. The machine reached its full storage capacity rapidly and the service was subsequently suspended. Some staff came to clear the bottles later on and the machine was put into service again.

People who used the machine generally believed that it was easy to operate and they did not really care whether there was a rebate or the amount redeemable, hoping only to help recycle the plastic materials and save the Earth's valuable resources. While some citizens did really wish to earn a little income by this exercise that a middle-aged man said the plastic bottles he brought for recycling were picked up along the streets, and the few dollars earned each time would help his family make ends meet. Mr. Ben Lui, Chief Operating Officer of the Fong Chung Resources Management Co. Limited who has been running the "Sheung Wan Recycling Store" initiated by the Environmental Protection Department, said that local citizens' awareness of waste recycling had been greatly enhanced and some were very supportive. He added that the company had high requirements for waste recycling that the waste should be sorted out and cleaned beforehand, as there would not be sufficient manpower and places to deal with the garbage. He was grateful that many people were willing to spend time doing this and arranging delivery to the store.

Yet, he regretted that certain people did not care about it and even caused deliberate damages to the relevant facilities. Take the 24-hour recycling bin put outside the store as an example, it was problematic to deal with it in the morning as it was often full of garbage. He thought that further publicity and education were important to secure public support towards waste recycling, as well as encourage people to recycle materials with "residual values" to fulfil their civic responsibilities.●龐嘉儀

Q&A

1. 入樽機又可以兌換什麼？

2. 可被回收的塑膠容器容量應為多少？

3. 承上題，環保署還推出了什麼智能積分卡？

4. 現時全港約有多少個回收便利點？

Answer

1. 購物現金券 （cash coupon)

2. 100毫升至2公升之間

3. 「綠綠賞」 （GREEN$)

4. 22個