In just a few days, plastic bags will be banned in Malacca forever.
The Star Online reported that consumers in Malacca will have to bring along their own shopping bags to grocery stores beginning 1st January 2016 because the state government declared that plastic bags made from petroleum by-products will be banned at all supermarkets and shopping malls.
According to State Education, Higher Education, Science and Technology, Green Technology, and Innovation chairman Datuk Md Yunos Husin, the government will impose the ruling in all shopping malls and supermarkets.
He said:
From 1st January, consumers will have bring along their own shopping bags or the cash counters will supply them with biodegradable bags made of plant-based materials.
He said that the move was initiated by the state government to reduce wastage. It was also in line with Malacca’s status as a green technology state. “Our landfills and drains are filled with paper bags and this doesn’t serve our ambitious plan to be a fully green state,” he said yesterday (29th December).
In Malacca, all shopping premises have a “No Plastic Bag Day” on Fridays and Saturdays.
Md Yunos said that they devised the plan to ban plastic bags 2 years ago and had discussions with representatives from all malls and supermarkets before the implementation. “At the same time, factories and manufacturers in the state will also be encouraged to reduce packaging materials made of plastic,” he said.
He added that hawkers and eateries in the state will be affected by the ruling as polystyrene packaging would not be allowed to be used.
On a separate note, Malacca Bio-Technology Corporation would be supplying biodegradable plastic bags and food containers to shopping premises and eateries. According to its CEO Badrul Hisham Badrudin, research and development were conducted by the corporation for years to ensure that consumers would be using their plastic bags and food packages that are environmentally friendly.
He said:
We have also suggested to the state government to look into a mechanism where the fee for yearly business licences could be reduced for hawkers adopting green packaging.
He added that supplies for plastic bags and food packaging were sufficient because the plan to shift to environmentally-friendly materials was done a few years ago.
Source: The Star Online.
