A 2021 photo showing the plastic pollution of Johor’s riverine environment. — Filepic
It IS high time for the government to take plastic pollution seriously by taking strict action against polluters, rather than introducing roadmaps that lead nowhere, said environmental activist R. Permal Ramasamy.
The Johor-based Malaysia Consumer Justice Association (PKPM) president said two previous roadmaps have yet to significantly raise public awareness or alter consumer behaviour regarding plastic use.
He was referring to the Roadmap to Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 and the Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021–2030.
“Nowadays, if you go to mamak restaurants, there is a trend to drink beverages that have already been packaged inside a plastic bag that is then placed inside a bowl.
Drinks packaged inside plastic bags are still in demand, points out Permal.-Filepic
“Where is the logic in this when you can just use a cup?
“I view this as an example of how little some of us care about plastic pollution.
“We have about six years until the end of the Roadmap to Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 but I do not see any difference,” he told StarMetro.
Permal added that although major food chains have cooperated in not providing plastic straws, the same could not be said for food festival organisers or hawkers.
“Petty traders prefer single-use plastic as it offers convenience and reduces their hassle.
“I believe there are now more environmentally-friendly packaging options that they can use.
Permal points out that two previous plastic waste reduction roadmaps have achieved little.“At the same time, if you go to any government hospital to collect medicine, the pharmacy counter no longer gives you a plastic bag to pack all your medicines.
“This often leads to people like me stumbling just to pick up our medicines when they accidentally fall on the floor,” said the 61-year-old.
Permal argued that if awareness and government policies were indeed working, these would have shown significant results with supporting data by now.
“But, all we can see and hear are that the government is conducting clean-up programmes, spending thousands of taxpayers’ money to clean drains to avoid flash floods and hiring foreign workers to clean up our streets.
“There is a visible gap between policy creation and public adherence.
“We need robust educational campaigns and strict enforcement to bridge this gap,” he urged.
Permal added that the government could beef up its existing policies by drawing inspiration from successful models in other countries.
“Malaysia can learn from nations that have made significant strides in reducing plastic pollution.
“It is imperative that we adopt best practices and customise them to fit our local context,” he said.
Permal said this when asked to comment on The Star’s report on Malaysian waters being polluted with large amounts of plastic debris among other pollutants that posed a danger to those who consumed seafood.
“I worry about the future of Malaysia. I hope the government could introduce policies such as one that mandates plastic manufacturers to conduct recycling activities.
“We could also impose a fine for petty traders or food festival organisers that produce a lot of plastic waste,” he suggested.
Permal added that such measures could also be used as a platform to spread information on sustainable alternatives to plastic.
The Roadmap to Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030 was designed to phase out single-use plastics through a multi-phase approach, while the Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021–2030 aimed to foster a circular economy for plastics.
