Difficulties faced by elderly care homes under the Municipal Solid Waste Charging scheme

April 15, 2024

Today, the Hong Kong Care Homes Association, after being contacted by LegCo members Stanley Li and Tik Chi-yuen, met with the Under Secretary for the Environment and Ecology Diane Wong, to express difficulties faced by elderly care homes under the Municipal Solid Waste Charging scheme.

The Hong Kong Care Homes Association representatives expressed the following: First, the selected premises for MSW Charging Demonstration Scheme should be increased, and the period should be extended. Second, residents of nursing homes used a huge amount of diapers, protective clothing, gloves, and impossible to reduce waste at source. Third, according to the care home statistics, after implementation of the plan, each resident will have to pay about 396 HKD in garbage fees per month. At present, about 80% of the residents in the home are Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients, and the Government’s 10HKD allowance would not be enough to cover the fees.

Subcommittee on Promoting Carer-centric Policies Chairman and DAB Welfare Services Spokesperson Stanley Li, stated that the MSW Charging Demonstration Scheme would shed light on difficulties of carrying out the scheme. He hoped that the Government would listen to the views of the industry, come up with solutions and review feasibility of the scheme.

Media contact:

Subcommittee on Promoting Carer-centric Policies Chairman

 DAB Welfare Services Spokesperson

LegCo member Stanley Li

(9797 7393)