Let’s join the global effort to fight plastic pollution
cent plastic recycling, corporate and government accountability, and changing human behaviour around the use of plastic.
The campaign includes four major components:
Leading a grassroots movement to support the adoption of a global framework to regulate plastic pollution;
Educating, mobilising and activating citizens across the globe to demand that governments and corporations control and clean up plastic pollution;
Educating people worldwide to take personal responsibility for plastic pollution by choosing to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and remove plastics; and
Promoting local government regulatory and other efforts to tackle plastic pollution
In Malaysia, plastic is identified as a major pollutant but the recycling campaigns over the years have had too little impact.
In fact, according to one study published three years ago in Science, Malaysia is the eighth worst country worldwide for plastic waste. It is estimated to produce almost one million tonnes of mismanaged plastic waste (waste not recycled or properly disposed of ) in 2010.
An alternative to harmful plastic products are biodegradable and compostable plastic products. The Federal Territories and Melaka have decided to allow only biodegradable and compostable products in their territories, the definition of which is based on international standards.
Local industries producing such products are very young. To date, however, 13 suppliers have been certified. And some are showing creative initiative to overcome significant barriers.
The high cost of imported feedstock and energy needed to make these products, for example, means they are considerably costlier for consumers than traditional plastic products.
Some local companies, though, have started using abundant local biomass, such as rice husk and empty fruit bunches from palm waste, as an alternative feedstock. These biodegradable and compostable products have now started to enter not just our local but also international markets.
These companies have proven the viability of the concept of using biomass to produce these less harmful, alternative plastic but need funding to expand their lines, achieve economies of scale and meet the demand.
As the industry is still at a nascent stage, government intervention and support is needed, providing breaks on electricity costs, for example, and other minimal incentives to spur maturation.
An increasing number of countries are already reducing the use of or introducing a total ban on single-use plastic. Others are also considering the option of using biodegradable materials.
England introduced plastic to the world in the 19th century. It is only fitting then that during the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meetingin London, British Prime Minister Theresa May called on the group to join the fight against plastic pollution. It is in our economic interest and our responsibility to join this global effort.