Public Hygiene in Hong Kong

Do you know that eating and drinking are not allowed on most public transport in Hong Kong?

Why? To keep the public clean, of course.

So…what is it like when you get off the bus / train?

It’s… a painful scene, if you ask me.

While Hongkongers are generally civilized and well-educated, they seem pretty ignorant (or maybe indifferent) to the public hygiene, despite of having been taught about that since kindergarten and government’s “keep Hong Kong clean” propaganda.

If you have been to commercial area like Mong Kok, you will probably be astonished by the littering problem. Ever seen that picture where the trash can was already full, but people kept stuffing rubbish into it until it became some sort of trash tower? Yup, that’s what I am talking about.

Have you visit the public toilets in Hong Kong? Those in tourist districts may be cleaner, but the overall condition is “facilities you would find in the third world”, as described in some news. Faeces, mould, broken toilet, and stinking smell…And the government spends HK$6 billion each year for public hygiene…

Let’s not forget the marine trash problem. How about asking people who have first-hand experience? Volunteers who help picking up the trash feel disgusted because the rubbish ruined the beautiful beaches in Hong Kong, and think that there should be stricter rules to regulate the waste management.

But it’s good to hear the Hong Kong Cleanup Initiative is trying to catch these selfish people by tracing the DNA found on the litter, like cigarette butts and gum.

Then we hang a tag written with “I littered” on them, like dog shamming.

Hey…that sounds fun, let’s try it!