Hong Kong’s environment minister has cautioned against using mandatory measures to advance green policies given challenges the city faces arising from geopolitical tensions and economic transition, as he unveiled plans for the next phase of the ban on single-use plastics.

Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said on Saturday the government would carry out a trial run with the catering sector in the middle of this year to select suitable replacements before proceeding to the second phase.

Phase two will ban the use of all throwaway plastics in restaurants, plastic food containers, six-pack yokes for canned drinks, plastic tablecloths, disposable gloves and plastic-stemmed dental floss.

“Due to geopolitics and the transition of the economy, you can see some sectors have really been affected. This is the reality,” Tse said. “If you use mandatory measures to push environmental policies, some sectors, enterprises or companies, which have been facing difficulties, could close down because of the moves.”

Tse said opting for voluntary measures would make it easier to implement environmental policies during periods of uncertainty, as people could contribute to the extent their situation permitted.

Hong Kong has seen a string of business closures recently, with city leader John Lee Ka-chiu urging companies to reform amid what he called a “transitional period”.

The city has also felt the effects of US-China tensions and the tariff war initiated by US President Donald Trump.