The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) led by the United Nations recently issued a report stating that climate change is inevitable and irreversible, renewing attention to environmental issues.
The Environmental Protection Department issued a consultation document early last month, recommending legislation to control disposable plastic tableware in stages, with the goal to be implemented around 2025.
The Green Collar Action expressed support for the government's measures, suggesting that the reusable tableware service can be followed in Taiwan and Europe. Customers can rent the tableware by deposit and return it to MTR stations, convenience stores, and other places with a wider coverage.
However, this measure also controls degradable oxidized, decomposable plastics and biodegradable plastics. Coffee shops that have supported environmental protection for many years have also admitted that it is difficult to meet the government's requirements and believe that the government must find alternative tableware.
"Although there are paper cup lids as an alternative, the customer experience is poor. After half an hour, they will become disgusting. It is very difficult to find a cup lid to meet the requirements."
EPA intends to control decomposable plastic and biodegradable plastic tableware
The Environmental Protection Department issued a consultation document at the beginning of last month, recommending the implementation of the "Control of Disposable Plastic Tableware Program". It is recommended to legislate to control disposable plastic tableware in stages. In the first phase, disposable styrofoam tableware will be completely banned. The target is to be implemented around 2025.
The public consultation lasts for 2 months and will close on September 8.
The research report recommends that the legislation regulates disposable plastic tableware in stages, including styrofoam tableware, drinking straws, stirring rods, eating utensils (forks, knives and spoons), plates, cups, lids, food containers (bowls and boxes) and Covers for food containers, and exemptions are provided for individual special circumstances.
As for the oxidative, decomposable and biodegradable plastics that are advertised as degradable, they are also subject to control.
Coffee shop: Government must find alternative tableware
Lai Daxin, the owner of the restaurant "ONETHIRDCOFFEE" in Yuen Long, a cooperative restaurant with Green Collar Action, has been actively supporting environmental protection for many years.
He said that since the opening at the end of August 2019, plastic tableware is no longer available, and a 5 yuan discount for customers to bring their own tableware is provided.
At present, the take-out tableware in coffee shops is all made of environmentally friendly materials. For example, the take-out cup uses environmentally friendly paper mixed with corn glue, which costs 2 yuan per cup, but it will dissolve by itself within 1.5 hours on rainy days, so sometimes it is necessary to provide Two paper cups.
As for drinking straws, the coffee shop provides customers with Vietnamese cattail straws or 616-grade stainless steel drinking straws.
Li explained that the advantages of the 616-grade stainless steel drinking tube are that it is easy to clean, rust and reduce the chance of breeding bacteria. In theory, "one can be used for life."
However, the cost of the stainless steel drinking tube is relatively high, about 100 yuan per piece, so the store only bought 30.
The cost of cattail straws is relatively cheap, 0.3 yuan per piece, and is usually used as a substitute when the stainless steel straws are not cleaned.
However, Li pointed out that each of the cattail straws varies in thickness and is easy to be damaged when inhaled. However, some customers are worried about the hygiene of the stainless steel drinking straws and asked to switch to the cathartic straws.
When asked about the government's plan to control disposable plastic tableware in stages, Li Daxin said frankly that there are certain difficulties in implementation. He believes that the measures will affect the catering industry that relies on food delivery, and that the government must find alternative tableware.
"Always a lot of things have been replaced. Take the cup lid as an example. Although there is a paper cup lid as a replacement, the customer's experience is poor. After half an hour, it will become disgusting. It is difficult to find a cup lid to meet the requirements. "
+1
Green-collar action: follow the example of foreign countries to implement reusable tableware services
Green Collar Action Project Manager Zhang Jianye suggested that we can follow the example of Taiwan and Europe to implement reusable tableware services. For example, the Taiwanese government has cooperated with takeaway platforms. Customers can choose reusable tableware on the ordering page, and then go to a nearby convenience store after the meal. Or return it to restaurants and other places.
He believes that the Hong Kong government also refers to this model to subsidize environmental protection companies to provide reusable tableware services. Customers can rent the tableware by deposit and return it to MTR stations, convenience stores, and other locations with wider coverage.
Li Daxin has reservations about the method of reusable tableware, saying that although the coffee shop offers a discount of 5 yuan for bringing your own tableware, the effect is limited.
At present, for every 100 cups of coffee sold in coffee shops, only 2 to 3 cups are self-owned coffee cups.
He estimated that because customers were unwilling to clean the tableware, they had a mentality of "holding a cup and going out without annoying."
He continued, assuming that a cup of coffee sells for 50 yuan and the coffee cup deposit is 50 yuan, it means that customers have to pay 100 yuan. At the same time, customers will also have a certain psychological barrier. Will you wash it? Washing back a cup is like doing too much."
Therefore, Lei suggested that the government strengthen public education on environmental protection. For example, citizens would not put biodegradable plastic cups in recycling bins, but directly into trash bins.
But the cup will only be converted into methane in the landfill, forming secondary pollution, which also intensifies the greenhouse effect. "Even if the cup is decomposed in the landfill, it is useless. The government will not plant trees in the landfill." He also added. Taking the education of hand-drawn paper bags as an example, it means that only 50 hand-drawn paper bags are used in the second year of opening. "Customers themselves are good at carrying bags, but as long as they ask one more question, do they need paper bags, they will think about it and ask a lot more." Don't know how to carry it."
The owner of "ONETHIRDCOFFEE" Li Daxin (left), and Zhang Jianye, project manager of the Green Collar Initiative (right).
(Photo by Ouyang Dehao)
Green-collar Action pushes "Best Glue" event to collect stamps and give 20 yuan cash coupons
The Green Collar Operation has received government funding from 2019 to 2020 to implement the "City No Plastic Campaign", inviting restaurants to take the initiative to "no plastic", that is, not to sell over-packaged products, or not to actively provide disposable tableware to customers At that time, it was planned that more than 100 merchants would be issued with "no plastic" merchant labels.
The URL of the merchant list is as follows:
The Green Collar Campaign will continue to receive funding from the “Environmental Protection Fund” from December 2020 to promote the “Gold-Free Economic Circle”. Although the first phase is coming to an end, it is in order to strengthen the public to bring their own reusable tableware. The Green Collar Action will launch the second phase of "Buy Takeaway, Bring Boxes, and Take Tableware" from October 15 this year. A total of 30 restaurants in Yuen Long will be invited to participate. The public only needs to collect the target number of stamps. , Can be issued a cash coupon of RMB 20, which can be used at participating restaurants.
Huang Jinxing did not respond to the Green Collar Action on how to collect garbage in Sanwu Building: To reduce the number of garbage bins on the street, the Green Collar Action "Green in Changsha Bay" collects 65 tons of waste in 3 months, collects 65 tons of waste, recycles and stores in the neighborhood, loves to exchange grain and oil, and Green Collar Action promotes plastic recycling in industrial and commercial buildings Participating tenants who received more than one metric ton in half a year: Nearly 30% of the guilt supermarkets are illegal to distribute green collar operations to urge the government to strengthen law enforcement
