Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ21: Tax policy relating to e-commerce
Question:
There are views suggesting that as e-commerce has become a core growth engine for the retail industry worldwide, online shopping has deeply integrated into the daily consumption patterns of local people. According to data from the Census and Statistics Department, the value of local online retail sales in 2025 was provisionally estimated at $35.7 billion, but the failure of the existing tax regime to effectively cover the economic activities arising from the provision of goods and services to local consumers by cross-boundary e-commerce platforms outside the territory has resulted in base erosion and unfair competition between local merchants and merchants outside the territory. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether the authorities have conducted systematic surveys and compiled statistics on the transaction scale, product categories, major places of origin and growth trends regarding cross-boundary online shopping undertaken by local residents in recent years; if so, of the details; if not, whether the authorities will conduct the relevant survey in the future;
(2) given that under the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112), profits tax shall be charged on any person carrying on a trade, profession or business in Hong Kong in respect of the profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong, and the relevant requirement is likewise applicable to transactions involving online shops, e-commerce platforms and the digital economy, whether the authorities have compiled a statistical breakdown of the amount and percentage of profits tax revenue attributable to businesses relating to e-commerce and the digital economy in the past three years of assessment; if so, of the details; if not, whether they will establish the relevant mechanism for compiling the relevant statistical breakdown in the future;
(3) whether the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has formulated dedicated procedures for verifying business registration and conducting taxation audits in respect of businesses operated through the Internet, so as to ensure that the relevant merchants comply with the requirements under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310) and the Inland Revenue Ordinance to truthfully declare their income and pay the amount of tax payable; if so, set out (i) the total number of cases involving IRD’s spot checks on business registration over the past three years, and the number and proportion of cases involving online shops and e-commerce businesses, and (ii) in such spot checks, the number of cases found with breaches of business registration requirements, tax evasion or omission of any sum from a tax return, and the total amount of additional tax and penalties involved;
(4) whether the authorities have charged profits tax on cross-boundary e-commerce platforms outside the territory that do not have a physical place of business in Hong Kong but provide local consumers with goods or services; if so, set out the amount of the relevant tax revenue for the past three years; if not, of the reasons for that, and whether the authorities will review the applicability of the existing territorial source principle of taxation in the era of the digital economy; and
(5) as the Financial Secretary indicated in public earlier that the Government was conducting a study on an e-commerce sales tax, of the specific scope, current progress and expected completion time of the relevant study?
Reply:
President,
With the advancement of technology, online shopping has integrated deeply into the daily consumption patterns of citizens. E-commerce has become an indispensable part of overall business operations. Hong Kong has all along maintained a simple and low tax system and, based on the territorial source principle, only imposes taxes on business profits, property rental income, and employment income arising in or derived from Hong Kong. Our tax policy applies to all business operation models in Hong Kong, including physical business and e-commerce business.
In response to the questions raised by the Hon Andrew Fan, having consulted the Financial Secretary’s Office and the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, our reply is as follows:
(1) According to the results of the Household Expenditure Survey (HES) conducted by the Census and Statistics Department in 2024/25, the average monthly household expenditure on online purchases was $1,467, representing an increase of 46.5 per cent compared with $1,002 in the previous round of survey conducted in 2019/20. The expenditure on online purchases refers to goods delivered to or services provided in Hong Kong, which are purchased from online platforms.
A non-local brand may have a “.hk” and multiple non-local domains simultaneously and companies registered in Hong Kong may also host their websites outside Hong Kong. Thus, the actual hosting location of platforms and websites cannot be determined solely from their domain names. Therefore, it is difficult for the respondents in the aforementioned HES to provide the accurate source location of their online purchases, and hence a breakdown by source locations of purchases is not available under the survey.
The average monthly household expenditures on online purchases by commodity/service section in the aforementioned two HESs are set out in the table below:
| Commodity/service sectionNote 2: Figures may not add up to the respective totals due to rounding. #For example, online purchases of restaurant dine-in services and takeaway. *For example, online purchases of flight tickets. ^For example, online purchases of package holidays. (2) The Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) (IRO) applies to all bricks-and-mortar businesses and online businesses operated in Hong Kong, including the businesses of e-commerce. Hence, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) does not require taxpayers to declare their business operation model (i.e. bricks-and-mortar or online business) for tax assessment purposes. The IRD therefore does not maintain the breakdown of the amount of tax revenue from e-commerce and digital economy. To avoid increasing the compliance burden of taxpayers, the IRD does not plan to require taxpayers to declare information on their business operation model which is not necessary for tax assessment purposes. (3) Under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310) (BRO) and the IRO (Cap.112), online businesses and brick-and-mortar businesses are subject to the same legal obligations and compliance requirements. Any person who carries on a business in Hong Kong, regardless of whether through a brick-and-mortar presence or the internet, is required to apply for business registration under BRO (Cap.310), and to file tax returns and pay tax under the IRO (Cap.112). All local companies and non-Hong Kong companies incorporated/registered under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622) are deemed to have applied for business registration simultaneously upon incorporation/registration. The IRD conducts inspections from time to time on whether persons carrying on businesses have complied with the registration requirement under the BRO (Cap.310). Where a business carried on in Hong Kong (including online activities that constitute the carrying on of a business in Hong Kong) is found not to have business registration, the IRD would require the relevant person to apply for business registration for the business concerned as soon as possible, and would initiate prosecution against the relevant person where necessary. During the three years from 2023/24 to 2025/26, the IRD conducted inspections under the BRO for 2 287, 1 598 and 1 475 cases respectively involving transactions carried out on the internet. Among these cases, 294, 265 and 240 cases were required to apply for business registration and pay the relevant business registration fees and levies after examination. For tax investigation under the IRO (Cap.112), the IRD does not maintain a breakdown by business operation model (i.e. online or brick-and-mortar business). (4) According to the IRO (Cap.112), profits tax shall be charged on every person carrying on a trade, profession or business in Hong Kong in respect of his assessable profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong from such trade, profession or business. This territorial source principle applies to companies incorporated in Hong Kong and those incorporated outside Hong Kong. Whether a cross-border e-commerce platform is liable to profits tax depends on the nature and extent of its activities in Hong Kong, as well as the facts of each case. Currently, the IRD does not require taxpayers to declare their business operation model (i.e. bricks-and-mortar or online business) for tax assessment purpose, and therefore does not maintain breakdown of the receipt of profits tax from cross-border e-commerce platforms. For details about charging profits tax on e-commerce, the IRD has updated its Departmental Interpretation and Practice Notes No. 39 (Revised) “Profits Tax-Digital Economy, Electronic Commerce and Digital Assets” in March 2020 to provide guidance on the tax treatment of e-commerce transactions. (5) Hong Kong has all along maintained a simple tax regime with low tax rates, which is one of Hong Kong’s competitive advantages. When considering measures to increase revenue, our principle is to maintain the competitive advantage of Hong Kong’s simple and low tax system, avoiding substantial increase in tax rates or introduction of new taxes as far as possible, while upholding the principles of “user pays” and “affordable users pay”. Furthermore, we must also consider the policy objectives of the measures for increasing revenue, and make an overall assessment having regard to the Government’s financial position, the overall economic environment, as well as the immediate and long-term needs of society. Issued at HKT 16:05 NNNN LCQ14: Future development of Hongkong PostSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region Following is a question by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (June 17): Question: LCQ4: Combating smuggling of animalsSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4 Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hak-kan and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, in the Legislative Council today (June 17): It has been reported that the smuggling of animals into Hong Kong has become an increasingly serious issue in recent years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) as it has been reported that there are quite a number of messages on Mainland social media and online shopping platforms advertising the cross-boundary sale of animals, using gimmicks such as the provision of “pet consignment”, “quarantine-free” and “same-day delivery” to attract customers, whether the Government has worked closely with these platforms to strengthen intelligence exchange, with a view to swiftly taking down non-compliant content, so as to combat the smuggling of animals; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (2) given that according to government information, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department received 377 complaints in relation to animal trading and breeding activities last year, yet there were only 26 cases of successful prosecutions for breach of licensing conditions, of the reasons for that; among these complaints, the number of cases involving animal smuggling and the number of convictions; and (3) of the following information regarding animal smuggling cases: (i) the number of cases involving the illegal import of cats and dogs so far this year, and the number of cats and dogs involved, (ii) the average time taken from enforcement to the conclusion of court proceedings in animal smuggling cases, (iii) the number of confiscated animals that have been adopted and the relevant percentage, and (iv) the resources or funding provided by the Government to organisations responsible for offering temporary shelter for and adoption of confiscated animals? Reply: President, Illegal animal smuggling and trading activities not only endanger animal health but also pose a significant risk to public health and safety in Hong Kong. To this end, the Government adopts a multipronged strategy to combat these illegal activities through legislative regulation, inspection and enforcement, intelligence sharing as well as publicity and education. We continuously review and enhance the effectiveness of these measures to tackle the ever-changing illegal smuggling and trading methods, thereby safeguarding public and animal health. With regard to the importation of animals, under the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Regulations (Cap. 139A) and the Rabies Regulation (Cap. 421A), any person who imports animals without a permit is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year. As for animal trading, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) strictly regulates the operations of physical shops, online animal sellers and dog breeding premises under the Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Trading and Breeding) Regulations (Cap. 139B). It requires licence holders to comply with licence conditions and codes of practice, including the proper care of animals, the administration of vaccinations, and the provision of proof of the animals’ lawful origin, to ensure the animals are in good health. Any person selling animals without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $100,000, whilst a breach of licence or permit conditions is punishable by a maximum fine of $50,000. In response to the question raised by the Hon Chan Hak-kan, and following consultation with the Security Bureau, my reply is as follows: (1) To tackle illegal animal trading on online platforms, the AFCD has set up a dedicated investigation team to conduct proactive investigations, including the regular monitoring of online advertisements for the sale and breeding of animals. Upon receiving complaints or detecting suspicious cases, the dedicated team will immediately launch in-depth investigations, including deploying undercover (decoy) operations to gather evidence. At the same time, the AFCD has established a close intelligence-sharing mechanism with the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) to enhance the effectiveness of monitoring online violations and strengthen joint enforcement efforts. Regarding claims by certain Mainland online sellers that they can deliver animals such as cats and dogs to Hong Kong “without quarantine”, we must solemnly point out that such acts constitute illegal animal smuggling, in order to set the record straight. Since last year, the AFCD has proactively requested assistance from the Mainland regulatory authorities and the heads of major Mainland social media platforms to combat such smuggling activities, and has received positive responses. Mainland regulatory authorities are actively exploring ways to strengthen supervision and enforcement against social media platforms. Meanwhile, Mainland social media platforms will strictly review suspicious accounts and remove non-compliant content at the AFCD’s request. Furthermore, the AFCD’s quarantine detection dogs carry out detection operations daily at various locations, including the Hong Kong International Airport, the Air Mail Centre and various import and export control points; the department also conducts targeted joint enforcement operations with the C&ED at the airport and major land border control points, and it continues to deepen intelligence exchange and joint operations with Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies. (2) The AFCD has been conducting regular inspections and surprise checks on licensed animal trading and breeding premises. Where there is evidence of non-compliance, the AFCD will initiate prosecution proceedings. In 2025, the AFCD received a total of 377 complaints concerning the illegal sale and breeding of animals. One hundred and three cases were substantiated after investigation, of which 65 resulted in successful prosecutions. These included 39 cases of selling animals without a valid licence or permit, and 26 cases of breaching licence conditions. None of the aforementioned complaint cases involved illegal animal smuggling. (3) As of the end of May 2026, the Government had successfully detected 11 cases of illegal importation of cats and dogs, involving a total of 21 animals (comprising 18 cats and three dogs). Law enforcement agencies are currently conducting investigations and gathering evidence, and will initiate prosecutions against the persons involved once sufficient evidence is secured. In 2025, cases involving the smuggling of animals took an average of approximately five months from the time of enforcement to the conclusion of court proceedings, a period encompassing necessary legal procedures including evidence collection and formal charges being laid by law enforcement officers, as well as court appearances and trial conclusions. Under the law, those involved may choose to transport the animals out of Hong Kong at their own expense, send the animals to a quarantine centre for quarantine, or surrender custody of them. Upon receiving animals whose custody has been surrendered, the AFCD immediately places them under quarantine, provides care and behavioural training to enhance their chances of adoption, and subsequently transfers suitable animals to the department’s partner organisations for adoption arrangements. In 2025, 12 cats and dogs (comprising seven cats and five dogs) were surrendered by the persons carrying the animals. Of these, 11 (six cats and five dogs) have been transferred to the department’s partner animal welfare organisations for public adoption, whilst the remaining one is still under observation by the AFCD. The AFCD selects animals that are docile and in good health from among those abandoned or are unclaimed, and transfers them to partner animal welfare organisations for public adoption. Through the annual subvention scheme, the AFCD provides financial support to these animal welfare organisations to implement publicity and education, provide adoption services, and undertake animal management work. In addition, the AFCD utilises multiple channels to step up public education and publicity to promote pet adoption, including broadcasting educational videos and Announcements in the Public Interest on various platforms; establishing a thematic website; distributing leaflets, posters and booklets; and regularly organising seminars in schools and residential estates, roving exhibitions across the 18 districts, dog training courses and pet adoption days. Overall, to effectively combat illegal animal smuggling and trading, active co-operation from the public is crucial, in addition to rigorous enforcement by the Government. Members of the public must remain vigilant, particularly when purchasing pets via online platforms, and be aware that illegal or unscrupulous traders may provide misleading information about pets in order to entice people to buy animals of unknown origin or in poor health. Consumers not only suffer financial losses but often find it difficult to hold these traders legally accountable later on. Therefore, the Government strongly advocates the principle of “adopting rather than buying pets”, encouraging the public to prioritise adoption through legitimate channels. If choosing to purchase a pet, members of the public should buy from licensed animal traders to avoid acquiring animals of unknown origin through unofficial channels. Furthermore, the Government will continue to make good use of diverse channels, such as social media, dedicated webpages and advertisements, to conduct public education campaigns, with a view to enhancing public awareness of the relevant legislation and associated risks, thereby safeguarding public and animal health. LCQ5: Child care centres and School-based After School Care Service SchemeSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region Following is a question by the Hon Maggie Chan and a reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (June 17): (2) given that under the Scheme, care services on weekdays are provided until 6pm or 6.30pm, and may be extended to 7pm in individual schools, whether the Government has plans for extending the service hours of the Scheme to 7pm across the board; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and LCQ16: Measures to promote fertilitySource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region Following is a question by the Hon Chu Lap-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (June 17):
Question: # After obtaining funding approval for implementing the Bonus from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on January 19, 2024, the Government then disbursed the one-off Newborn Baby Bonus of $20,000 to eligible parents after completing the required internal procedures. The review of the Newborn Baby Bonus Scheme is still undergoing, which involves analysing data and conducting in-depth analysis and consideration of related issues. The Government will take into account the views and suggestions of Legislative Council Members and the general public on the Scheme. Tender of 10-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds through re-opening to be held on June 24Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4 The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government), announced today (June 17) that a tender of 10-year HKD institutional Government Bonds (Bonds) through the re-opening of existing 10-year Government Bond issue 10GB3507001 under the Infrastructure Bond Programme will be held on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, for settlement on Thursday, June 25, 2026. Tender information of 10-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds:
Tender of 5-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds to be held on June 24Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4 The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government), announced today (June 17) that a tender of 5-year HKD Institutional Government Bonds (Bonds) under the Infrastructure Bond Programme will be held on June 24, 2026 (Wednesday), for settlement on June 25, 2026 (Thursday). HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds Tender Information Tender information of 5-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds:
Digital education blueprint setSource: Hong Kong Information Services The Education Bureau today released the Blueprint for Digital Education Development in Primary & Secondary Schools, outlining a clear direction and strategic framework to drive the digital transformation of primary and secondary schools across Hong Kong. Compiled by the Curriculum Development Council, the blueprint aims to boost students’ digital literacy and equip the younger generation to navigate the opportunities and challenges of the digital era. It focuses on artificial intelligence (AI) education and covers critical dimensions including overall school planning, teacher training, student development, infrastructure optimisation and cross-sector collaboration. Aligned with the recommendations of the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Digital Education, the blueprint proposes four key focuses and 10 distinct strategies. The first focus centres on nurturing talent with both digital literacy and humanistic qualities. Related strategies involve formulating the AI Literacy Learning Framework for Primary & Secondary Schools, strengthening mathematics, science and technology curricula to boost innovation capabilities and integrating digital learning elements across primary and secondary classrooms. The second focus aims to enhance teacher training to drive educational transformation. This will be achieved by establishing professional training requirements for teachers and providing tiered, diversified development activities in digital education. The third focus targets infrastructure optimisation to build smart campuses. Strategies include exploring how AI can streamline school administrative work, leveraging the enhanced School Development & Accountability Framework for school improvement and creating a comprehensive digital learning resource platform. The fourth focus involves promoting cross-sector collaboration to build a cohesive digital education ecosystem. The document calls for strengthening home-school co-operation to foster proper values in students, while uniting professional bodies and other stakeholders to support schools. To support the initiatives, the bureau today disbursed a one-off grant of $500,000 to all publicly funded schools to launch a three-year AI for Empowering Learning & Teaching Funding Programme. Schools are required to incorporate digital education into their development or annual plans in the 2026-27 school year, formulating school-based strategies with reference to the blueprint. Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin welcomed the blueprint, noting it aligns with strategic planning to connect with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the trend of “AI + Education”. “The restructuring of education in the digital age is a systemic transformation. We are not only focusing on hardware upgrades, but also actively promoting a deep shift in teaching and learning paradigms and comprehensively implementing AI education for students,” she added. Anti-terrorism exercise stagedSource: Hong Kong Information Services The Hong Kong Police Force, in collaboration with various government departments and other relevant organisations, conducted a large-scale inter-departmental counter-terrorism, major incident and protective security exercise at Hong Kong International Airport and Tung Chung overnight. The exercise, which began last night and concluded in the early hours of this morning, was staged in preparation for major international conference due to be held in Hong Kong later this year. It simulated a scenario prior to an international conference, as delegations from around the world arrived in Hong Kong. Armed terrorists attacked members of the public and placed suspicious objects inside a passenger terminal at the airport. Concurrently, a series of knife attacks against pedestrians and a large-scale power outage occurred at a large shopping mall in nearby Tung Chung. Various departments and organisations swiftly activated their emergency response mechanisms to address the incidents. The exercise tested the co-ordination of relevant stakeholders across critical areas. This involved immediate tactical interventions, triage and emergency medical treatment of casualties, handling of suspicious objects, response to power failures, and management of affected people. By testing contingency protocols, the exercise enhanced inter-departmental counter-terrorism readiness and incident response capabilities. It mobilised over 1,400 personnel from departments and organisations including the Police Force, the Fire Services Department, the Hospital Authority, the Customs & Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Civil Aviation Department, the Airport Authority Hong Kong, and the Aviation Security Company. Commissioner of Police Chow Yat-ming observed the exercise on site, and commended the professionalism and collaboration of all participating units. Hong Kong will host three major international conferences later this year, namely the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Finance Ministers’ Meeting, the 94th INTERPOL General Assembly, and the XXVIII Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly. The force said it will maintain close liaison with relevant government departments and stakeholders, robustly implement security measures, and continuously review incident contingency plans, making every effort to ensure comprehensive and meticulous preparations ahead of these important international conferences. Singapore’s Waste Generation Continues Its Downward TrendSource: Government of Singapore 21% less domestic waste generated per capita and more than 30% drop in non-domestic waste generated per billion dollar GDP in 2025 compared to 2015 17 JUNE 2026 – In 2025, each person in Singapore generated 0.83kg of waste per day — a 21 per cent reduction from 2015. Over the past decade, sustained 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) efforts have shown positive results across both households and businesses, with non-domestic waste1 generated per Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreasing by more than 30 per cent. Continued individual and collective conservation efforts remain key, and households and businesses are encouraged to keep embracing the 3Rs, particularly reducing and reusing, to avoid generating waste at the outset. Per capita and per GDP waste generated decreased in past decade 2. The daily domestic waste2 generated per capita (refer to Fig. 1) decreased from 1.06 kg in 2015 to 0.83 kg in 2025, with a slight improvement in 2025 compared to 0.85 kg in 2024. Fig. 1. Daily domestic waste generated per capita from 2015 to 2025. 3. The daily non-domestic waste generated per billion dollar GDP (refer to Fig. 2) decreased from around 36 tonnes in 2015 to around 24 tonnes in 2025, with a slight increase in 2025 compared to around 23 tonnes in 2024. The increase can be attributed to growth in the construction sector (refer to Chart 2 in Annex). Fig. 2. Daily non-domestic waste generated per billion dollar GDP from 2015 to 2025. Overall recycling rate remains stable 4. Singapore’s overall recycling rate remained stable at 52 per cent in 2025 (refer to Tables 1 and 2 in Annex). The domestic recycling rate remained at 11 per cent while the non-domestic recycling rate increased slightly from 65 per cent to 67 per cent. 5. The recycling of paper/cardboard and plastics declined slightly due to continued challenges such as rising collection and freight costs, as well as volatile global market conditions that have impacted commodity prices (refer to Charts 1 and 3 in Annex). Given Singapore’s small market, most of our recyclables are exported overseas for further processing and recycling, making the viability of these exports susceptible to external factors. 6. Food waste recycling rate remained stable at 18 per cent while the horticultural waste recycling rate declined due to short-term challenges faced by recyclers in the off-take of woodchips and compost (refer to Charts 4 and 5 in Annex). The decrease in the volume of used slag generated and recycled is due to a temporary reduction in recycling activities and a decline in local demand for ship blasting (refer to Chart 6 in Annex). More households are recycling, and awareness is growing 7. Household recycling participation has been on an uptrend. According to the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) 2025 survey on household recycling, 78 per cent of households recycle, compared to 72 per cent in 2023. In addition, a higher proportion of respondents are aware of common household items that can be deposited into the recycling bins and chutes. For example, 92 per cent of respondents are aware that a rinsed shampoo or detergent bottle can be recycled, compared to 89 per cent in 2023. NEA recognises that individual efforts to conserve our resources are vital, and encourages households to not just recycle more, but also to recycle right. Upcoming and ongoing efforts to improve recycling of key waste streams 8. There remains room to improve the quality and volume of recyclables across key waste streams. NEA continues to partner the community and businesses to encourage the reduction of waste generated and increase recycling efforts. These efforts will be focused on food, paper/cardboard and plastics as these make up the largest amount of waste not recycled. 9. NEA is working with the Public Waste Collectors (PWCs) to increase the collection of paper/cardboard from households and trade premises. Since December 2025, PWCs have been engaging Town Councils and trade premises to provide dedicated collection avenues for paper/cardboard. These efforts aim to improve household recycling participation and address issues such as overflowing blue recycling bins and contamination of recyclables. 10. NEA has introduced source-segregated collection of key waste streams to complement the network of blue recycling bins. Singapore’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, introduced in 2021, ensures the proper end-of-life management and recycling of e-waste. 11. The Beverage Container Return Scheme — “Return Right”, which commenced on 1 April 2026, with a six-month transition period, is Singapore’s second EPR scheme. It will further support clean stream collection of metal and plastic beverage containers for recycling. The scheme will be fully operational from 1 October 2026. 12. Regarding food waste, owners and/or occupiers of new large commercial and industrial buildings, who submitted their building plans from 1 January 2021, have started segregating their food waste for treatment and reporting since March 2024, as required under the Resource Sustainability Act (RSA). These include commercial buildings such as large hotels and malls, as well as industrial developments that house food manufacturers or food caterers. Moving forward, these requirements will be extended to existing commercial and industrial buildings, in tandem with the completion of the food waste treatment facility in Tuas Nexus. To drive further reduction and recycling of food waste, NEA has awarded three proposals promoting food valorisation under the Closing The Resource Loop (CTRL) Funding Initiative. More information is available at go.gov.sg/ctrlfunding. 13. Beyond these immediate moves, we will also be reviewing the 2019 Zero Waste Masterplan, assessing progress made, and reviewing our strategies to encourage reduce, reuse and recycle, so as to extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill. 14. The latest waste and recycling statistics can be accessed at go.gov.sg/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling. ——————— [1] Non-domestic waste is waste generated at industrial and commercial premises. [2] Domestic waste is waste collected from households and trade premises (e.g., shophouses, educational institutions, petrol stations, hawker centres and places of worship). ~~ End ~~ For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application. |