EPD launches Packaging Reduction Charter with over 100 businesses pledging to reduce packaging
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has officially launched the Packaging Reduction Charter to encourage businesses to reassess and reduce their packaging usage, foster a waste reduction culture in commercial activities, and support Hong Kong's long-term goals of "zero landfill" and carbon neutrality. So far, 102 local and multinational companies have already undertaken the initiative.
The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, officiated at the launching ceremony today (March 31). In his speech, he highlighted that while packaging plays a crucial role in protecting products during transportation, most packaging materials are discarded after a single or limited use, placing a significant burden on the environment.
He stated, "The launch of the Packaging Reduction Charter aims to encourage businesses to adopt sustainable packaging reduction practices, including reviewing their packaging designs to minimise unnecessary material usage, enhancing the recyclability and reusability of their packaging, as well as exploring innovative solutions. These efforts not only alleviate the pressure on landfills, but also help businesses fulfil their social responsibilities, contributing to Hong Kong's long-term goals of 'zero landfill' and carbon neutrality."
Signatory companies to the Charter undertake to submit to the EPD their annual total packaging material usage, implement measures to reduce packaging or adopt sustainable packaging solutions, as well as encourage their upstream and downstream suppliers, business partners and customers to reduce packaging materials and enhance packaging management.
To assist businesses in packaging reduction and management, the EPD has published the Practical Guides on Packaging Reduction and Management (Practical Guides) for eight specific sectors (Note) on its website. The EPD has also conducted briefing sessions for relevant trades and will closely monitor their progress in packaging reduction.
The Packaging Reduction Charter also serves as a platform for knowledge exchanges and collaboration, enabling businesses to connect and share experiences through various activities, promote industry partnerships, and drive innovation in developing efficient and eco-friendly packaging solutions. Furthermore, the initiative will assist local businesses in preparing relevant data to meet Environmental, Social, and Governance reporting requirements on product packaging.
Details of the Packaging Reduction Charter and the Practical Guides are available on the Hong Kong Waste Reduction website: www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en-hk. For enquiries, please contact the Charter's Secretariat at 5279 1936 or by email to lesspackagingcharter@bec.org.hk.
Note: The eight specific sectors covered by the Practical Guides are supermarkets and grocery stores, logistics, e-commerce, hotel and hospitality, electronics and electrical appliances, beverage manufacturing, food manufacturing, and importers.
EPD launches Packaging Reduction Charter with over 100 businesses pledging to reduce packaging Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
EPD launches Packaging Reduction Charter with over 100 businesses pledging to reduce packaging Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
EPD launches Packaging Reduction Charter with over 100 businesses pledging to reduce packaging Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Special traffic arrangements for triathlon on Hong Kong Island
Police will implement special traffic arrangements in Central and Wan Chai from this Friday to Sunday (April 4 to 6) to facilitate the holding of a triathlon event.
A. Road closure
The following roads will be closed:
(1) From 10am on April 4 to 6pm on April 6:
Expo Drive between Legislative Council Road and Expo Drive Central.
(2) From 1am to 2pm on April 5 and from 1am to 6pm on April 6:
- Yiu Sing Street;
- Eastbound Lung Wo Road between Man Yiu Street and Fleming Road, including the slip road of eastbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass tunnel from Wan Chai to North Point;
- Westbound Lung Wo Road between southbound Lung Tat Path and southbound Tim Wa Avenue;
- Northbound Lung Tat Path;
- Lung Hop Street;
- Legislative Council Road between Legislative Council Complex Car Park exit and Lung Wo Road;
- Part of the traffic lanes of the slip road of westbound Central - Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel heading to Central District;
- Part of the traffic lanes of eastbound Man Po Street near Man Yiu Street;
- Part of the traffic lanes of eastbound Man Po Street near Finance Street;
- Part of the traffic lanes of southbound Man Yiu Street between Man Kwong Street and westbound Yiu Sing Street;
- Part of the traffic lane of southbound Man Yiu Street near Lung Wo Road;
- Part of the traffic lanes of westbound Lung Wo Road between Tim Wa Avenue and Man Yiu Street;
- Part of the traffic lanes of northbound Fleming Road between westbound Convention Avenue and eastbound Lung Wo Road;
- Part of the traffic lanes of westbound Hung Hing Road near Fleming Road;
- The slip road of westbound Central - Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel leading to the exit of Lung Wo Road; and
- Part of the traffic lanes of westbound Convention Avenue near northbound Fleming Road.
B. Traffic diversions
In connection with the road closure as mentioned above, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:
(1) From 10am on April 4 to 0.59am on April 5 and 2.01pm on April 5 to 0.59am on April 6:
Traffic along eastbound Expo Drive heading to Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre will be diverted via eastbound Lung Wo Road and northbound Expo Drive East.
(2) From 1am to 2pm on April 5 and from 1am to 6pm on April 6:
- Traffic along westbound Man Kwong Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road via southbound Man Yiu Street will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Man Po Street heading to Admiralty or Mid-levels via eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via the slip road of eastbound Man Po Street heading to westbound Finance Street, westbound Finance Street, temporary exit connecting Finance Street and Central - Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel, the slip road of westbound Central - Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel heading to eastbound Man Kat Street, eastbound Man Kat Street, eastbound Connaught Road Central and eastbound Harcourt Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Man Po Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road via eastbound Yiu Sing Street will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Man Po Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along southbound Man Yiu Street cannot turn left to eastbound Lung Wo Road and eastbound Yiu Sing Street. Vehicles will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Man Cheung Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road cannot turn right to northbound Yiu Sing Street. Vehicles will be diverted via westbound Lung Wo Road and northbound Man Yiu Street;
- Traffic along eastbound Yiu Sing Street and southbound Yiu Sing Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along northbound Legislative Council Road cannot turn left to westbound Lung Wo Road, vehicles will be diverted via southbound Legislative Council Road, eastbound Lung Wui Road, eastbound Fenwick Pier Street, roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
- Traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road heading to Chief Executive’s Office via southbound Tim Wa Avenue will be diverted via southbound Lung Tat Path, Convention Avenue, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central, u-turn, eastbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Tim Wa Avenue;
- Traffic along eastbound Lung Wui Road cannot turn left to northbound Lung Hop Street;
- Traffic along westbound Fenwick Pier Street cannot turn right to northbound Lung Hop Street. Vehicles will be diverted
via Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
- Traffic along westbound Convention Avenue heading to westbound Lung Wo Road via northbound Lung Tat Path will be diverted via Convention Avenue, Fenwick Pier Street roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
- Traffic along southbound Expo Drive East heading to westbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Lung Tat Path, Convention Avenue, Fenwick Pier Street roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
- Traffic along westbound Hung Hing Road heading to westbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted to southbound Lung Tat Path, Convention Avenue, Fenwick Pier Street roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place; and
- Traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road heading to Central Pier or Finance Street via Yiu Sing Street will be diverted via westbound Lung Wo Road and northbound Man Yiu Street.
C. Suspension of parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off areas
All parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off areas on the following roads will be suspended:
(1) From 10am on April 4 to 6pm on April 6:
All metered parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off areas on Expo Drive.
(2) From 10pm on April 4 to 2pm on April 5 and from 10pm on April 5 to 6pm on April 6:
- All metered parking spaces on Yiu Sing Street and Lung Hop Street;
- Lay-bys on westbound Lung Wo Road near City Hall and near Central Barracks; and
- Lay-by on Edinburgh Place near City Hall.
All vehicles parked illegally during the implementation of the above special traffic arrangements will be towed away without prior warning, and may be subject to multiple ticketing.
The Police will implement the special arrangements depending on the prevailing traffic and crowd conditions. Motorists should exercise patience, and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.
