A lack of social consensus has led the government to shelve a pay-as-you-throw scheme indefinitely, Hong Kong’s leader has said, while stressing that his administration “will not stop” its commitment to reducing waste.

Commenting for the first time on the indefinite suspension of the waste-charging scheme, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the implementation of any policies required thorough consideration, taking into account the level of social acceptance and consensus.

“The implementation of any policy requires comprehensive consideration, including the degree of social acceptance of the issue, whether a consensus has been reached and the relevant supporting measures and environmental factors,” he said before a meeting with the city’s top decision-making Executive Council.

“We have carefully studied surveys and listened to the views of citizens, trades and industries. We understand a consensus has not been reached.”

First proposed in 2004 and passed by the legislature in 2021, the waste-charging scheme was postponed to April last year and shelved the following month amid strong opposition from residents and the business sector.

Last week, when Super Typhoon Ragasa battered the city, the Environment and Ecology Bureau announced that the scheme would remain on the shelf for the duration of this government’s term, without outlining a road map to restart the plan.