The Environmental Protection Department announced on Tuesday that it has awarded manufacturing contracts for the designated garbage bags that will be used in the upcoming pay-as-you-throw scheme.

Authorities said the four contractors are expected to start production in October, so as to ensure a stable and sufficient supply of trash bags before the municipal solid waste charging scheme takes effect in April.

They said they have received 45 bids in the latest tendering exercise, after bids were called off last year because they were deemed too expensive.

“Subsequently, the department made changes to the specifications… and the terms of tender documents with a view to reducing the production costs… it also allowed the production process to be conducted outside the territory of Hong Kong so as to confine the tender prices to the original estimates,” the department said in a statement.

Officials said the waste charging scheme will take effect on April 1, 2024.