How to Deal with Non-compliant Waste (NCW)?
After the implementation of MSW Charging, if a property uses "charging by designated bags", members of the public are required to use designated bags to wrap their general household waste or affix designated labels to oversized waste before placing it at the communal waste reception areas of relevant premises e.g., staircase landings, refuse rooms on individual floors/ground floor, central refuse collection points, and oversized waste reception areas, etc. Otherwise, it constitutes an offence.
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Whether directly engaging cleansing workers or engaging cleansing contractor to handle waste, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) reminds property management companies (PMCs) to instruct the cleansing workers to check whether the general waste/oversized waste disposed of by individual households has been properly wrapped in designated bags or affixed with designated labels when collecting waste from the communal waste reception areas. If cleansing workers find NCW wrapped in non-designated bags, they should take out the NCW and properly wrap it in designated bags before handing it over to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) or waste collectors.
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If households handover NCW to cleansing workers in person, PMCs should instruct cleansing workers to reject the NCW and remind the households to follow the legislative requirements to use designated bags or affix designated labels.
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If cleansing workers cannot contact or identify the households that have disposed of the NCW, the EPD suggests that PMCs may instruct the cleansing workers to continue to collect the NCW to maintain environmental hygiene. However, properly wrap the NCW in designated bags or affix it with designated labels before handing it over to the FEHD or waste collectors.
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PMCs and cleansing contractors should provide cleansing workers with designated bags or designated labels for handling the aforementioned NCW.
To assist PMCs in drafting clauses related to Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Charging in their tender documents for cleansing services contracts, the EPD has extracted appropriately clauses from contract templates for Government Bureaux / Departments that may also be applicable to the cleansing services contracts managed by the PMCs of private commercial and industrial or residential premises for reference. PMCs may make suitable amendments to accommodate their preferred MSW collection and disposal arrangement wherever appropriate.
Template 1: Sample Provisions to be inserted into tender documents in relation to the provision of cleansing services for Government bureax/Departments for MSW only through FEHD service
Template 2: Sample Provisions to be inserted into tender documents in relation to the provision of cleansing services for Government bureax/Departments for MSW only through Waste Vehicle in Private Use
For enquiries on the above, please contact the EPD at 2838 3111 or email to msw_hotline@epd.gov.hk
