On September 4, Hong Kong media reported that environmental organizations in Hong Kong and Taiwan in China have called on beverage manufacturers in the Mainland to take more actions to reduce plastic waste. A previous survey found that there were plastic bottles in the beach cleaning operation. Two-thirds may come from the mainland.
According to Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post" reported on September 2, according to a preliminary survey conducted by the local environmental protection organization 'Green Earth' and eight non-governmental organizations in Hong Kong and three non-governmental organizations in Taiwan, it was found in Hong Kong and Taiwan. About 66% of the plastic bottles are written in simplified Chinese characters.
According to the report, the organization led a 'brand survey' campaign for plastic bottles collected during beach cleanup operations. A total of 5,200 bottles were collected on 16 beaches in Hong Kong and Taiwan. According to 'Green Earth' There are more than 4,400 bottles with identifiable brands. Among them, about 66% of the bottles have simplified characters and 28% have traditional characters.
Zhu Hanqiang, director of the Environmental Initiative of 'Green Earth', believes that the vast majority of bottles with simplified characters come from the mainland.
'Simplified Chinese bottles may be available in some stores in Hong Kong, or tourists brought from the mainland, but this number is small,' said Zhu Hanqiang.
According to reports, 10 clean-up operations were carried out along the coast of Hong Kong's Drunk Bay, Shatoujiao, etc., and 1,776 identifiable trademark bottles were collected, 38% of which were written in simplified Chinese characters and 55% written in traditional Chinese characters.
According to the report, this figure shows that these garbage is not only manufactured by mainland manufacturers, but local producers should also assume responsibility. Zhu Hanqiang said. In Taiwan, the monitoring points are mainly in the Penghu Islands, where 86% of the bottles are written. Simplified Chinese characters.
Zhu Hanqiang said that most plastic bottles and plastic waste in the ocean are manufactured in the Mainland. It should take positive actions to reduce waste, such as establishing a manufacturer responsibility mechanism.
The environmental protection organization also called on the Guangdong-Hong Kong Marine Environmental Management Task Force established in 2016 to strengthen collaboration to prevent plastic waste from polluting the ocean.
According to the report, the survey found more than 30 brands with simplified characters. The environmental group urged these beverage manufacturers to take action to reduce waste, including reducing the production of plastic bottles and efficient recycling of plastic bottles.