Legislator Judy Chan says the government would get more people behind its plan to cut down on the amount of household waste produced in the city if it dished out rewards for recycling, rather than fees for disposing of rubbish.

A charging scheme involving people having to buy designated bin bags was meant to begin last August but was shelved indefinitely in the face of widespread opposition.

Chan, who is the deputy chairwoman of Legco’s panel on food safety and environmental hygiene, said fees and fines are not the way to go, and a reward system would be better.

She cited the city's Green@Community network as an example, with people who recycle able to earn points to redeem for rewards.

Chan also called for Green@Community to set up more recycling stations and to accept food waste, being as this accounts for more than a third of all rubbish that ends up in landfills.

"If we wish to change people's lifestyles, we need to have more support by providing convenient spots for the citizens as much as possible, in the hope that amid the hectic work life of Hongkongers, there is a place near their home for them to do recycling without affecting their busy work life," she said.

Chan also said she believes the next phase of a single-use plastics ban will be more challenging than the first, because it will cover plastic cups and food containers.

Nevertheless, she said she expects the expansion of the scheme to go smoothly because it will only begin once suitable alternative products have been found.