Big Waster 
Environment and Ecology Bureau
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.
In brief, NCW 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 NCW if the bag is not tightly fastened, or if the waste is allowed to pierce through the bag.
Demonstration on how to properly
"wrap waste in a designated bag"
Examples of waste not properly
"wrapped in a designated bag"
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 NCW if it is not affixed with a designated label when being disposed of.
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 and designated 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.
MSW charging is premised on quantity-based and the "polluter-pays" principles. Our policy intent is that it is primarily the responsibility of individual households to bear the charges for designated bags and designated labels, so as to drive behavioural changes for achieving waste reduction. Households can purchase designated bags of suitable sizes/designated labels for waste disposal from a few thousand retail outlets authorised by the EPD.
Even PMCs have lined waste collection bins at the communal waste reception areas with large designated bags in advance, households are still required to wrap their waste in designated bags or affix with designated labels before disposing of it at the communal waste reception areas to meet the legislative requirements. If PMCs line the bins with designated bags in advance, extra costs will be involved.
Having regard to the existing practice adopted in multi-storey buildings, PMCs usually place small litter containers at the lobbies or lift waiting areas so as to facilitate individuals to dispose of small quantity of small-sized waste, such as used tissue paper. These small litter containers are however not designed for individuals to dispose of daily waste from individual households or offices. Hence, only when disposing of waste in the abovementioned containers for collection of small quantity of small-sized waste would the members of public be exempted to use designated bags or designated labels.
Examples of small litter containers for collection of small quantity of small-sized waste
Small litter containers
in lift lobbies
Small litter
containers in
podiums of
housing estates
Small litter
containers in
parks
Dog excreta
collection bins
Small litter
containers in
gardens
The Government will take into account the actual facts and circumstances and adopt a common-sense approach when deciding whether individual litter containers serve the above purpose.
If the containers/locations for collecting recyclables is located within communal waste reception areas (e.g., also located at refuse rooms at floor level or rear staircases), members of public are required to place the recyclables inside the containers/areas for collecting recyclables (e.g., separation bins/boxes/bags).
Examples of separation and recycling facilities in refuse rooms on individual floors
Otherwise, it will be an offence for members of public to dispose of any waste (including recyclables) without properly wrapped in designated bags or affixed with designated labels at the communal waste reception areas.
No designated bags or designated labels are required when disposing of waste in roadside litter containers or those placed in public places.
However, litter containers placed in public places are for pedestrians to dispose of litter, but not for disposal of household waste.
Littering, including disposal of any waste (such as household waste) at the side or on top of litter containers placed in public places or pleasure grounds, is an offence under section 4(1) of the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation (Cap. 132BK) and section 23(b) of the Pleasure Grounds Regulation (Cap. 132BC). In order to discourage abusive use of litter containers as a means to evade MSW charging, starting from June 2016, the FEHD has introduced in batches newly-designed litter containers with smaller openings for disposal of litter with a view to discouraging the public from disposing of household waste in the litter containers. Bigger warning notices are also affixed to litter containers to publicise the messages that such waste should not be discarded at the side or on top of litter containers.
If members of public have followed the legal requirement of "wrapping waste properly in designated bags" before waste disposal, they will not commit an offence even if the designated bags/designated labels are damaged subsequently during the handling and transportation by other persons (which leads to escape of the waste from the designated bags/detachment of the designated labels from the waste).
