Friends of the Earth project officer argues for trash bin reduction

Wendell Chan claims convenience as cause for profusion of litter and overfilling.

An opinion article in the South China Morning Post challenges criticism of an upcoming measure by the Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to reduce the number of garbage bins in the city. 

Wendell Chan, project officer at Friends of the Earth, Hong Kong, says critics of the measure believe litter will increase because of a reduction of bins around the city.
 
“I am baffled by this logic,” he writes. “We have some 42,000 rubbish bins, significantly more than our neighbours. That is almost one bin for every 180 people. In Taipei, it is one for 1,200 people. Claiming that streets would be littered if we take away bins implies that Hong Kong is so uncultured we cannot even be responsible for our own actions, which I sincerely hope is not the case.”
 
Chan adds that bins often receive recyclables and are filled beyond capacity. “The convenience of rubbish bins makes us less aware of the litter we create.”
 
While Chan says he is largely in favour  of the measure, he does not consider it an ultimate solution to the problem of waste. He argues that the city must pursue a zero-waste plan that includes greater coordination and support for the recycling industry. 
 
“And Hong Kong citizens have a role to play,” he writes. “We need to acknowledge waste is an unrecognized resource. As responsible citizens, we can aim for ‘zero waste’ and support the circular economy, starting with ‘zero rubbish bins.’” 

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