Waste Not Dump Not Campaign
Don't Be Duped By The Secondhand Clothes Collectors(2006/5/15) Secondhand clothes collection cages are a common sight in Hong Kong streets. Friends of the Earth (HK)'s recent survey found 82% of the polled mistook the organizers of these collections as charity or community organizations, 74% of the polled wrongly believed that the clothes would be donated to the needy when most of them were actually sold for profits by commercial organizations.
Only non-profit organizations are allowed for the placement of used-clothes facilities on the street by the government. FoE (HK) spotted terms like "Environmental Protection" and "Charity" hanging on the cages of unregistered collectors or those which reported fake registration. It is easy for citizens to be tricked into believing in the charitable nature of these scams.
With the economy recovering, people are disposing clothes at a higher frequency and the growing demand for secondhand clothes in the South-East Asia has pushed up exports and the hunt of secondhand clothes. According to the latest figure from the government, the export of secondhand clothes in the first quarter of the year surged to 5877 tonnes, a much bigger export figure than the annual export of last three years. This amounts to 14.69 million pieces of clothes, the equivalent of HK$ 14.29 million in value, a fat business.
The government is about to hold a cross-departmental convention to discuss policies for regulating the facility placement of secondhand clothes collection. FoE (HK) proposes the establishment of allocated collection spots with clear signs for ease of recognition, and the amendment of laws to allow jurisdiction of relevant departments to confiscate collection facilities beyond designated areas. These should improve the disorderly placement of collection facilities and deprive cheaters chances to deceive.
FoE (HK) conducted a street poll between Apr 6 and 30 in 12 districts including North Point, Quarry Bay, Tsing Yi, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Tin Shui Wai to collect secondhand clothes donors' opinions about collection facilities, and successfully interviewed 403 people.
The poll found 72% of the interviewed said they would not dispose their clothes at the cages if they knew they were to be sold for profits, but 9% said they would not mind. A large proportion, 82% of the surveyed, said they would feel cheated if the collectors abused the terms of "environmental protection", "charity" and "community organization" to obtain secondhand clothes.
Most of the surveyed, 82%, mistook the collectors for charity or community organizations when the reality is that the majority of secondhand clothes assemblers are commercial organizations.
A FoE (HK) spokesperson says, "Non-profit organizations, charity organizations and green groups would pass the secondhand clothes amassed to registered recyclers for export, and receive part of the proceeds for the provision of charity and community services. The commercial organizations are only doing it for profits. The survey revealed 73% of the polled believed the secondhand clothes would be given to the needy, an indication of ignorance of people about the operation of this recycling business."
"Most of the people would not know how to identity approved collection cages so the government should serve as a gatekeeper to stamp out illegal cage parking, and to avoid the abuse of charity." The FoE (HK) spokesperson exhorts "The charity organizations should also observe rules by seeking proper permission for cage parking, and display names and contacts on the cage for the disposer's inquiry."
The main governing bodies for roadside secondhand clothes facilities are Lands Department and Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. The former administers by Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance, and would stick a removal notice on unapproved collection cages demanding the responsible parties to remove the cages in 24 hours. The latter can enforce Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to order improvement in a stated period from recycling parties for the nuisances they caused. No charges would be brought upon if the responsible parties remove the objects of dissent in time.
Survey - How much do you know about roadside secondhand clothes collection?Period : Apr 6-30
Places: Wan Chai, North Point, Siu Sai Wan, Quarry Bay, Tsing Yi, Sha Tin, Tai Po, Tsuen Wan, Tin Shui Wai, To Kwa Wan, Yau Ma Tei, Kwung Tung
Number of interviewees: 403
What is Waste Not Dump Not Campaign?Hong Kong tops the per capita waste generation and finishes last in the recovery rate among the Asia Four Little Dragons. The garbage heap bears witness to our unrestrained exploitation of natural resources. FoE (HK)'s Waste Not Dump Not campaign advocates moderation in consumption as a way to reduce waste at the source and prudence in dumping as a way to boost recycling or reuse. We emphasize waste reduction at the source, promotes
Producer Pays Principle, green consumption and
an all-inclusive recycling system.
