$1,500 each
Big Waster 
Environment and Ecology Bureau
The bill of the Waste Disposal (Charging for Municipal Solid Waste) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 (Amendment Ordinance) to implement MSW charging was passed by the Legislative Council (LegCo) on 26 August 2021. The preparatory period has begun. We are now actively taking forward relevant preparatory work to enable the Government, various stakeholders and the public to prepare for the implementation of MSW charging.
To complement the preparatory work of MSW charging, certain provisions of the Amendment Ordinance have come into operation on 1 September 2022, e.g. provisions relating to the selling price of designated bags and designated labels and establishing registration arrangements for "gate-fee", etc. Meanwhile, we also make notices on the following matters, including specifying the requirements on the designs, sizes, etc. for the designated bags and designated labels and the prescribed signs to be exhibited on different refuse collection vehicles, refuse collection points and specified bins, as well as the ways of exhibition. The EPD will explain the relevant details to different stakeholders through various channels such as briefings, so as to assist them to carry out the necessary preparation work.
We have consulted the Panel on Environmental Affairs of the LegCo and will implement MSW charging on 1 April 2024.
The applicable charging mode depends on the waste collection arrangements of the relevant premises.
There are two charging modes, i.e. (i) "charging by designated bags/ designated labels", and (ii) "charging by weight through "gate-fee".
(i) charging by designated bags/ designated labels
In general, "charging by designated bags/ designated labels" is applicable to most residential buildings, commercial and industrial buildings, village houses, street-level shops and institutional premises, etc. Members of public in the relevant premises are required to wrap their waste properly in designated bags or affix a designated label on it before disposing of it at the communal waste reception areas of relevant premises as well as the refuse collection points (RCPs) of the FEHD (including bin sites).
(ii) charging by weight through "gate-fee"
"Charging by weight through "gate-fee"" is mainly applicable to oversized waste or waste which is irregular in shape from commercial and industrial premises. When such waste is disposed of at the refuse transfer stations and landfills, a “gate-fee” will be charged based on its weight.
How to charge?
After the implementation of MSW charging, members of the public are required to wrap their waste properly in designated bags or affix a designated label on it before disposal at the following locations.
Communal waste reception areas in premises
*Only applicable to charging by designated bags/ designated labels
FEHD's refuse collection points (RCPs)
FEHD's bin sites
FEHD or its contractors' refuse collection vehicles (RCVs)
(including RCVs with or without rear compactors)
Private waste collectors (PWCs)’ RCVs with rear compactors
Waste collected by RCVs without rear compactors will be charged by weight through "gate-fee" and thus is not required to be either wrapped in designated bags or affixed with a designated label; otherwise it would lead to double payment.
Under "charging by designated bags/ designated labels", communal waste reception areas refer to common areas of any premises where waste is to be removed from the premises for disposal.
The communal waste reception areas in premises are enforcement points under the relevant legislation of MSW charging. Households/ tenants are required to wrap their waste properly in designated bags or affix a designated label on it before disposal at these locations.
The property management companies should work with the cleansing contractor to designate communal waste reception areas in the premises according to the waste collection arrangements of the premises, and post the signages provided by the EPD in conspicuous places to remind households/ tenants to wrap their waste properly in designated bags or affix a designated label on it before disposal at those reception areas. Common waste reception areas include:
Waste collection bin at staircase landing
Refuse rooms on individual floor
Inlet of refuse chute on individual floors
Central refuse collection points
Oversized waste reception areas
In brief, non-compliant waste means waste that is neither wrapped in a designated bag nor affixed with a designated label under "charging by designated bags/ designated labels".
For example, when a designated bag is used to dispose of waste, the waste concerned may be deemed as non-compliant waste if the bag is not tightly fastened, or if the waste is allowed to pierce through the bag.
Photos of compliant waste
Samples of non-compliant waste
Part of the waste
protrudes from the
opening of the bag
Waste is allowed
to pierce through
the bag
the bag is
not tightly fastened
Besides, any oversized waste (for example large furniture such as dining tables, bookshelves or mattresses) that cannot be properly wrapped in a designated bag will be considered a non-compliant waste if it is not affixed with a designated label when being disposed of.
Designated bags and designated labels are available for sale at a few thousands of authorised retail outlets, including supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, and online platforms, etc.
Click here to visit the authorised retail outlets and online platforms.
Designated bags and designated labels will only be sold at the authorised retail outlets. Members of the public should purchase designated bags and designated labels at authorised retail outlets or online platforms.
The EPD has published notice in the Gazette to stipulate the specifications for designated bag/ label, including their sizes, shapes, designs and materials for easy reference by the public on their authenticity. Each designated bag and designated label comes with anti-counterfeit features.
For disposal of oversized waste which cannot be properly wrapped into a designated bag, if it is collected by the FEHD (including its contractors); or collected by private waste collectors (PWCs) using refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) with rear compactors, it should be affixed with a designated label. The price of designated label is set at $11 each. Designated labels can be purchased at authorised retail outlets.
If the oversized waste is collected by PWCs using RCVs without rear compactors, it will be charged by weight through "gate-fee" and it is not required to be affixed with a designated label; otherwise it would lead to double payment.
In determining the number of designated labels required, members of public should consider the properties of the oversized waste, including its structure, functions, design, overall size, and quantity, before deciding whether such oversized waste should be considered as one or several articles. The Government will take into account of the above factors and adopt a common-sense approach when deciding whether irregularities are involved.
For example, subject to the actual facts and circumstances, the dismantled parts of the same abandoned furniture firmly tied together by a rope is likely to be regarded as one article of waste requiring one designated label for disposal. However, in case of a table and some chairs, or a bed and a mattress, they are likely to be regarded as separate articles even being tied together, and one designated label is required for each article for disposal.
In addition, multiple bags of household waste tightly bound together cannot be regarded as one article based on their nature. Therefore, such household waste should be properly wrapped in several designated bags but not just affixed with a designated label.
To reduce expenditure on MSW charging, the primary way is to reduce waste at source.
Besides, reusing and recycling recyclables through different channels can also reduce expenditure on MSW charging. For example, the public can make good use of the EPD's community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY and deliver the sorted recyclables to these recycling points and practice recycling proactively in our daily lives.
Please visit Hong Kong Waste Reduction Website for more latest information on waste reduction and recycling.
Try out the Waste Reduction Calculator to calculate the monthly expenditure on MSW charging
