Human factors in waste reduction design : a case study on using garbage bags under waste charging policy in Hong Kong

Abstract

Hong Kong has an extensive amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposing of in the landfills. To reduce MSW, the Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong had introduced two kinds of charging modes to the Legislative Council in 2018. Depending on the sizes and types of garbage, people can choose to be charged by designated garbage bags or weight. Considering the design and societal factors, this paper aims at investigating people’s waste disposal habits in Hong Kong. Taking Hong Kong as a case study, the paper discusses the potential issues and the design consideration of designated garbage bags. Five human factors, conveniency, benefit, cost, responsibility and risk, are identified for the design of designated garbage bags and the implementation of waste charging policy.