The United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao Vice President Lei Cheok Kuan told The Macau Post Daily last week that his association agreed with the government plan to ban all imports of non-biodegradable single-use plastic knives, forks and spoons from the beginning of next year, which was announced by the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) on September 5, adding he believed that the catering sector will not be affected “too much” by the upcoming measures, as cutlery only accounted for less than 10 percent of a restaurant’s total costs.
Lei made the remarks during an exclusive interview with The Macau Post Daily in a restaurant near St Paul’s Ruins.
Lei said that his association is currently searching for eco-friendly alternatives to the plastic cutlery and meal boxes for the sector, but at the same time, he is hoping that the government could provide his association with information on where to find substitutes for plastic cutlery, so as to provide more choices to the sector.
In order to enable the sector to understand about the alternatives for plastic products, such as straws, meal boxes and cutlery, his association will arrange meetings with the eateries participating in the annual Macau Food Festival before it is held in November, Lei noted, pointing out that the participants must “strictly” abide by the food festival’s rule of using eco-friendly tableware, instead of plastic products.
Tableware comprises the cutlery, crockery and glassware used in setting a table for a meal.
Referring to the question on transferring the cost of eco-friendly cutlery to customers, such as adding the cost to the price of their meals, Lei said: “During the implementation process, everyone [the sector and customers] should communicate with each other”, adding that if the customers bring their own meal box or order the meal without cutlery, eateries could reduce the price of the meal as much as possible.
When asked about some restaurants that might start to stockpile plastic cutlery before the measure takes effect next year, Lei said he did not rule out that some restaurants may still have the plastic cutlery in stock next year. However, he added, “keeping plastic cutlery in stock” is not in line with economic principles because aside from paying for the plastic cutlery, the restaurant owners have also to pay operating costs for them, such as paying for employees to clean them. At the same time, Lei said he agreed with some groups suggesting the government sets up an inspection group that checks on the use of plastic cutlery in the sector once the measure is implemented next year, so as to show the government’s determination to enforce the ban.
Moreover, Lei said he hoped that the government will be decisive in implementing its policies, such as setting a time limit from when it will be illegal to provide plastic cutlery and to inform the public before that date, adding that really the import of all kinds of plastic products, whether it be plastic straws or plastic cutlery, should be banned at one time, so the sector could have enough time to find alternatives while reducing any unnecessary trouble.
Meanwhile, Lei said he hoped that the government could make “more” use of associations to communicate with the public and various sectors via them, so policies can be implemented smoothly.
The United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao Vice President Lei Cheok Kuan poses during last week’s interview in a restaurant near St Paul’s Ruins. – Photo: Yuki Lei
