(30 July 2018, Hong Kong) NWS Holdings Limited (“NWS Holdings” or the “Group”; Hong Kong Stock Code: 659) has partnered with social enterprise BottLess to promote plastic-free living, with the launch of the “Have a Plastic-Free Day” campaign. Reusable food containers and cutlery will be available to borrow every Saturday and Sunday in August on Cheung Chau. The campaign, which has the support of local eateries, encourages members of the public to “act green” while enjoying local street food.
The problem of plastic waste has been gaining increasing attention among Hongkongers. While people here love exploring and tasting street food on-the-move, it tends to involve plastic cutlery, which is thrown away after just a few minutes’ use. With this in mind, NWS Holdings has organised the “Have a Plastic-Free Day” campaign, along with Bottless and its subsidiary New World First Ferry Services Limited, which has connected the island with Central for close to 20 years. Visitors can now borrow a reusable, foldable food container along with cutlery for a refundable cash deposit of HK$201 , and can enjoy a range of special offers from selected eateries in Cheung Chau.
“As a corporation that is committed to sustainability, NWS Holdings has been proactive in reducing plastic usage across our business operations,” said Sheila Tang, Director of Corporate Communications and Sustainability at NWS Holdings. “We are now also organising a series of community activities, beginning with the launch of the ‘Have a Plastic-Free Day’ campaign, to promote plastic-free living in Hong Kong and to contribute to the city’s sustainable development. We hope the people of Hong Kong will start reducing the use of plastic in their daily lives, and will start to form ‘greener’ habits.”
“We have noticed that people in Hong Kong have good environmental awareness but often don’t act on it,” said Francis Ngai, Chief Executive Officer of Social Ventures Hong Kong and Founder of BottLess. “BottLess believes that we must begin by looking at our lifestyle if we are to tackle the issue of single-use plastic in Hong Kong. With the support of different stakeholders, ranging from individuals and merchants to local associations, we see this campaign as a comprehensive solution that will allow diners to enjoy delicious street food without using any plastic. We hope that the campaign will help encourage people to act on what they know about plastics, and that it will also inspire similar campaigns across Hong Kong,”
The “Have a Plastic-Free Day” campaign has gained the support of a full range of eateries on Cheung Chau, ranging from the famous Ping On Bun and Big Fishball to traditional bakeries and trendy cafes. All reusable food containers and cutlery will be handled by a dish-washing company on Cheung Chau, to be cleaned and sanitised for future use. Water refill facilities will also be available at our campaign booth, where visitors can take part in a “Plastic-Free” workshop for free. After the campaign, all food containers and cutlery will be donated to other local associations for rental purposes and further cultivate a plastic-free lifestyle.
For details of the “Have a Plastic-Free Day” campaign, please visit:
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This press release is also available on the Group’s website ( www.nws.com.hk).
NWS Holdings Limited (“NWS Holdings”, Hong Kong stock code: 659) is the infrastructure and service flagship of New World Development Company Limited (Hong Kong stock code: 17). It has diverse businesses and investments predominantly in Hong Kong and Mainland China, comprising toll roads, environmental management, port and logistics facilities, rail container terminals, commercial aircraft leasing, facilities management, healthcare services, construction and public transport. Please visit www.nws.com.hk for details.
BottLess is a start-up initiated by SVhk in 2015, committed to reducing plastic consumption by introducing environmentally-friendly, sustainable and convenient alternatives to everyday products. These include an innovative water refill system, eco-sustainable utensils and packaging-free products, in order to encourage the public and businesses to minimize consumption of disposable plastic products and therefore reduce plastic waste. Please visit www.bottless.hk for details.
For further information, please contact:
NWS Holdings Limited
