Penang goes greener with new move
State plans to fully enforce ‘No Single-Use Plastic’ initiative next year
GEORGE TOWN: Penang will fully enforce its “No Single-Use Plastic” initiative starting next year upon completing a total of eight dialogue sessions with stakeholders.
State Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the state had organised four dialogue sessions to discuss the initiative to date.
“This is the fourth dialogue session to date, and it is a way to get the stakeholders involved in the process. It will be a chance to obtain feedback.
“Today, we have representatives from 49 hotels as well as 17 hypermarkets and supermarkets in Penang.
“The state aims to fully enforce
We hope that by 2030, there will be no more of these single-use plastics.
the initiative next year although it has been implemented in the state,” he said during the No Single-Use Plastic dialogue in Komtar here yesterday.
Phee said among the single-use plastic items was the drinking straw.
“The state government has reminded all agencies, be it at the state or federal level, not to use it during (official state) meetings,” he said, adding that other items such as plastic water bottles were also not encouraged.
Phee said this was a way for the state government to show that they were serious about the initiative.
“We urge the public to show their full support.
“We hope that by 2030, there will be no more of these single-use plastics,” he said.
The move is in line with the federal government’s efforts to encourage eco-friendly products to substitute single-use plastics under the country’s “Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 20182030”.
The roadmap will be carried out in three phases addressing plastic pollution in Malaysia, namely Phase 1 (2018-2021), Phase 2 (2022-2025) and Phase 3 (2026-2030).
Phee Boon Poh