雙語社評齊齊聽
英語 (足本收聽)
普通話 (足本收聽)
【明報專訊】THE government has launched a three-month consultation exercise about the full extension of the Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags (Levy Scheme). The first phase of the Levy Scheme has produced notable results. Citizens have used many fewer plastic shopping bags (PSBs). That shows they generally support the Levy Scheme.
英語
政府就擴大膠袋環保徵費計劃（下稱膠袋費）至全港範圍實施，展開3個月公衆諮詢；徵費計劃首階段成效顯著，膠袋使用量大幅減少，顯示市民普遍配合。
普通話
Under the first phase of the Levy Scheme (which came into effect in July 2009), about 3,000 retail outlets (supermarkets, convenience stores and medicare and cosmetics shops) are required to charge their customers a levy of 50 cents a PSB provided to them. Since the levy was imposed, they have distributed about 80% fewer PSBs.
英語
首階段膠袋費於2009年7月實施，在超級市場、便利店、健康護理化妝品店共約3000家零售點推行，徵費之後，這些店舖膠袋用量減幅約八成。
普通話
Though many fewer PSBs have been used since the about 3,000 outlets began to charge the levy, the number of PSBs distributed by other outlets increased by 270 million (6.7%) between mid-2009 and mid-2010.
英語
超市等約3000家店舖徵費後，雖然膠袋用量減幅可觀，但是到2010年中，未實施徵費店舖膠袋用量同比仍然增加約2.7億個，反映未徵費店舖膠袋用量期內增加了6.7%。
普通話
The government proposes that the Levy Scheme be extended and include the about 60,000 retail outlets in the territory. In the first phase, registered outlets are required to charge their customers 50 cents a PSB and pay to the government their levy incomes. However, in the second, retail outlets should keep their levy incomes instead of paying them to the government.
英語
政府建議，下階段徵費範圍擴展至全港約6萬個零售點實施；不過，首階段店舖向顧客收取的每個膠袋5角，要上繳給政府，新階段則由店舖保留，毋須交給政府。
普通話
Most of the retail outlets required to charge the levy in the first phase belong to major supermarket or convenience store chains. As their operations are computerised, it is not hard for them to comply with the levy requirements without incurring high administrative costs. However, 90% of the 60,000 retail outlets the second phase would involve are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). Their operations are such that they may have difficulty doing accounts of their levy incomes. Furthermore, if they are required to put their levy incomes into the public purse, the government will have to do a lot more administrative work. Given SMEs' limitations and the possibility of incurring huge administrative costs, it is appropriate to have retail outlets keep their PSB incomes.
英語
首階段徵費店舖，例如超市、便利店等都是大型連鎖店，營運設備電腦化，實施徵費較易應付，毋須額外承擔太多行政成本，新階段涉及的6萬個零售點，其中九成屬小型店舖，要求他們自行計算收費及繳費給政府，這些小店舖未必容易應付，而政府也要應付更大量的行政工作。本港在避免龐大行政成本和小店舖營運條件局限下，選擇由店舖保留徵費，是恰當選擇。
普通話
In our view, the first phase of the Levy Scheme has proved successful not just because PSBs cost 50 cents apiece. Citizens have gradually changed their shopping habits. That is a factor one must not ignore. Awareness of conservation has markedly increased in Hong Kong. For example, many now bring their own bags when they go to supermarkets. They do so not only because they want to save money but also because they have changed their mindsets and behaviour. No community can turn itself into a green home unless its members consciously make conservation efforts and adopt green practices. Given its social progress, what Hong Kong has achieved is cherishable. We believe that, if retail outlets conscientiously charge the PSB levy as required by the applicable legislation and the authorities carry out sufficient inspections, the extension of the Levy Scheme will further reduce PSB usage.
英語
我們認為，本港首階段徵費成效，除了每個膠袋5角的考慮，市民購物行為的默默變化，也不容忽視。近年來，本港保育意識明顯提高。市民帶備購物袋到超市購物的情况，明顯增加，除了省錢外，應該也反映了市民的心理和行為變化。市民自覺參與保育並躬身力行，是一個社會打造綠色家園的必要條件，以本港社會的發展進程，已經出現的情况，彌足珍貴。只要店舖切實依照法例規定徵費，當局有足夠巡查監管，相信全面徵費可以進一步減少膠袋使用的總量。
普通話
The PSB levy was first proposed in 2005. The Levy Scheme came into effect about four years later. It took time to make deliberations, consult the public and get the legislation through. At first the government seemed full of misgivings because views were diverse about the levy. Now the first phase of the Levy Scheme has proved successful, one may say with the benefit of hindsight it seemed over-anxious then. In making a policy, it should of course heed citizens' views and fully consider their concerns. However, it is clear from the implementation of the first phase of the Levy Scheme that, provided it adheres to what is right and gives citizens suitable directions, the government can cause them to make changes beneficial to society.
英語
膠袋費由2005年提出，由醞釀、諮詢到立法，歷時約4年才實施，其間政府在衆多意見之下，起初顯得諸多顧忌，但是證諸首階段徵費成效，回顧看來，當日政府的一些猶豫，顯得有點過慮了。一項政策的制訂，政府當然要聽取意見，也要充分考慮市民提出的一些顧慮，但是從膠袋費首階段實施，說明只要政府擇善固執，做出正確、有力而適當的領導，自能引導市民做出有益於整體社會的轉變。
普通話
明報社評 2011.05.18
Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Frieda Kwok, Lecturer, Hong Kong Community College
http://www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/index.php?lang=eng&cms=86
張儉，香港專上學院講師
http://www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/index.php?cms=1291&lang=big5
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