148 Companies Sign Packaging Reduction Charter, Offsetting 13,000 Tonnes of Waste
HK01 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Environmental Protection Department held its inaugural Reduce Use of Packaging Charter award ceremony on September 30, 2026, honouring 75 companies that signed the charter. These 148 signatories have collectively reduced approximately 13,000 tonnes of packaging materials, equivalent to the weight of 900 double-decker buses. Deputy Director of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, Wong Suk-han, emphasized that the business sector's commitment to source reduction is a key piece in Hong Kong's journey toward zero waste to landfill and carbon neutrality by 2035.
Key Points
- The Environmental Protection Department launched the Reduce Use of Packaging Charter in March 2025, with 148 local and multinational companies signing up, covering approximately 3,000 retail and service points across Hong Kong
- The inaugural award ceremony on September 30, 2026 recognised 75 companies for their outstanding contributions, with Platinum Awards given to well-known brands including Mannings, PARKnSHOP, 7-Eleven, OK Convenience Stores, Watsons Water, and Dairy Farm Company
- The charter's five assessment criteria are packaging reduction, packaging recyclability, reusable or recyclable packaging, sustainable packaging, and promotion of packaging reduction
- Individual companies achieved notable results: one participant redesigned food containers to eliminate plastic trays while maintaining food safety, reducing plastic packaging by over 40%, while another optimized biscuit box design to save over 20% in packaging materials
- A new self-service pickup point recycling programme was introduced in March 2026, allowing customers to return packaging materials for reuse and recycling on the spot, recovering thousands of kilograms of plastic waste within just six months
Why It Matters
The collective reduction of 13,000 tonnes of packaging demonstrates that Hong Kong's commercial sector can balance economic viability with environmental responsibility. The self-pickup point recycling programme, which recovered thousands of kilograms of plastic waste in only six months, shows significant potential for expanding circular economy practices citywide . As Hong Kong works toward the 2035 goal of eliminating direct reliance on landfills for municipal solid waste, active participation from the retail and manufacturing sectors will be essential to achieving carbon neutrality and building a more sustainable future for the city.
The collective reduction of 13,000 tonnes of packaging demonstrates that Hong Kong's commercial sector can balance economic viability with environmental responsibility. The self-pickup point recycling programme, which recovered thousands of kilograms of plastic waste in only six months, shows significant potential for expanding circular economy practices citywide . As Hong Kong works toward the 2035 goal of eliminating direct reliance on landfills for municipal solid waste, active participation from the retail and manufacturing sectors will be essential to achieving carbon neutrality and building a more sustainable future for the city.