As much as one-third of the garbage off the Hong Kong coast could have floated from the mainland. Photo: RTHK
Plastic debris a big part of garbage in coastal waters
Plastic debris tops the list of marine garbage along Hong Kong’s coast, Sing Tao Daily reported Wednesday, citing the Green Council.
The council launched a coastal clean-up campaign at 40 points in September, collecting 4,500 kilograms of garbage, of which plastic debris made up 15 percent, it said.
The garbage could have been discarded by tourists or those taking part in activities on the water, the group said.
It proposed that the government increase the provision of garbage collection facilities in offshore waters.
Cheng Chun-kit, a program executive with the Green Council, was quoted as saying the plastic debris could easily be swallowed by marine life, and it would in turn hurt people’s health if they eat such creatures.
The council also found that nearly one-third of the garbage had mainland Chinese brands printed on it, suggesting that much of the garbage had floated into Hong Kong waters from the mainland.
The group called for the Hong Kong authorities to work more closely with the mainland to reduce cross-border marine waste.
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