Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are working to educate the public on the effects of plastic on humans and flora and fauna.It is ultimately up to us to conserve the environment by not using plastic. Over the past few years, the government and other authorities have taken steps to clamp down on the use of plastics. The use of Styrofoam packages has been minimised as not many eateries are providing them. Besides that, shoppers used to pay 20 sen for each plastic bag bought at shopping malls on Saturdays. Now, they pay 20 sen regardless of the day. This has instilled better awareness in Malaysians to bring their own bags when they go shopping.The use of plastic straws is also declining as many eateries are not offering them. Many customers who buy food from stalls and restaurants are bringing their own containers, especially stainless steel containers. This is practised by the dabbawalas in India, who deliver lunches. Stainless steel containers keep the food warm and are healthier. Malaysians should use their own containers when buying takeaways. Eateries should give a discounted rate to those who bring containers.Malaysia chaired the inaugural Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) summit in November, so it will be good for us to start the year by eradicating plastic waste. Of the 17 SDGs, not one focuses on plastic or plastic waste. Goal No. 3 of the SDG is to ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all.

One of its goals is to reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination by 2030. Since plastic cannot biodegrade, it will be ever present in the air, water and soil unless we eliminate plastic waste. Similarly, goal No. 12 is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Among its goals is to achieve the environmentally-sound management of chemicals and waste, reducing their release into air, water and soil. Other SDGs include goal No. 6 on water and sanitation; No. 13 (climate action); No. 14 (life below water) and No. 15 (life on land). These touch on the environment and provide humans and living things with livable surroundings. The issue that consumers need to look at is waste management and for the authorities to collect and dispose of plastic waste at recycling centres. It sounds simple, but if we play our part, we can leave the next generation a plastic waste-free nation.

LETTER | Malaysians were relieved when the monsoon arrived with plenty of rain which has reduced air pollution caused by haze. But the crafty polluters were happy because this is a golden opportunity for them to discharge all their illegal toxic waste into rivers. This is their modus operandi as they thought the heavy rain will wash away the toxic waste.Sadly, the reality is almost all consumers in the Klang Valley have to face water disruptions. The Semenyih river treatment plant had stopped operating due to pollution again. This is like an annual phenomenon for Malaysians, especially those in the Klang Valley. Consumers have to pay the price because of the illegal activities caused by these greedy polluters.

Water and Energy Consumers Associations of Malaysians, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations and many pressure groups have been monitoring this issue every year and exerted tremendous pressures on the current and previous governments. Yet, this issue still continues to occur as if it is an annual event. The promises made by them to look into the matter are always not kept or fulfilled.Even though this issue occurs every year, there is not much action taken by the government to monitor this illegal toxic waste dumping by some arrogant and irresponsible factories and business operators. These polluters will never stop polluting our rivers as this is the cheapest method to discharge all their chemical waste into the rivers.

PETALING JAYA: With water cuts due to pollution fast becoming a regular occurrence across the country, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) wants to impose stiffer penalties on polluters.SPAN chairman Charles Santiago said tougher penalties and enforcement efforts must be in place to preserve the quality and cleanliness of the water supply.“The government must come up with policies and laws with stringent penalties, especially for factories, individuals or sewage plants dumping their waste into the rivers.“The penalties should go right up to the owners of the offending companies and they should not be allowed to run their business for five years after they have been found guilty, ” he added.This followed a water supply cut affecting 372,031 households in the Petaling district, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang in Selangor.

Although the water treatment plant in Semenyih resumed operations 13 hours later, Air Selangor said it was the fourth incident this year involving a main plant, leading to large-scale unscheduled water cuts.As at 1pm yesterday, Air Selangor reported that 47% of supply had been restored.In June, odour pollution was detected in the raw water source in Sungai Semenyih.On July 19, another odour pollution was detected in the raw water source in Sungai Selangor.A few days after that, diesel contamination was detected in the water source in Sungai Selangor, resulting in four water treatment plants having to shut down.Although there were suspicions of sabotage, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador ruled it out as a cause of the pollution.He said the diesel spill was more likely due to the negligence of the company’s employees.Santiago said education must go hand in hand with penalties as the “biggest culprits” were those who did not understand the importance of protecting the country’s water sources.

During the week, when the whole world was marching for change to address the climate emergency, there was outrage among Malaysians after a newspaper reported that a RM3.5 billion contract had been awarded to Tadmax Resources to develop a coal-fired power plant in Pulau Indah, Klang.The report said we don’t actually need such power plants which will also pollute the environment.Was there an open tender for this contract as promised by the energy minister? So what has changed in “New Malaysia”? And what sort of “clean new energy” is this coal-fired plant going to produce? How much haze is the Pakatan Harapan government going to contribute to our Malaysian air?

Just like the many power projects I blasted during the 1990s in Parliament (See my “Damned Dams & Noxious Nukes”, Suaram 2013), experts have questioned awarding the contract to a company with no experience in the field.As with the other independent power producers (IPPs) in the 1990s, Tadmax has apparently roped in Korean Electric Power Corp to provide the technical skills needed for the project.As the news report pointed out, we produce way more power than we’ll ever need. Our “reserve margin”, or generation capacity above peak demand, was 36% in Peninsular Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA: A group of environmental activists have expressed disappointment over the announcement by the government that it planned to utilise five trillion cubic metres of groundwater.They said groundwater tapping should be seen as a last resort.Executive director of the Ecotourism and Conservation Malaysia (Ecomy) Andrew Sebastian said the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar should instead think of ways to protect natural water resources.“I am disappointed. Being a minister doesn’t mean you exploit natural resources.“You should find ways how to properly manage and protect our water resources which are very important for the country, not only for now but for the long term,” he told FMT when contacted.Xavier had said the ministry was looking into the use of groundwater resources to overcome shortages of water and to cut costs at water treatment plants.

THE recent statement by the chairman of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, that the authorities concerned should identify illegal dump sites should be taken seriously. Illegal dump sites,if left uncleared, would become a serious health hazard to the people living in the surrounding areas. They are also eyesores on the land.Open burning, which is being done at these illegal dump sites to create space for more waste or by scavengers to recover scrap metals, is polluting the air.It would be a wasted effort if these illegal dump sites are only identified but no action taken is taken against the operators.Most of these illegal rubbish dumping grounds are operated by contractors who are involved in the disposal of construction and municipal waste. Most of the operators have underworld connection and display thuggish behaviour when confronted.They offer their services based on two categories – disposal of rubbish at licensed dump sites (for which receipts are issued), and illegal dumping at any available space they can find. Some irresponsible customers choose the latter for cost and convenience, thus creating a never-ending presence of illegal dump sites.

Pantai merupakan salah sebuah destinasi yang menjadi pilihan masyarakat bagi tujuan berlibur.Selain menjadi tempat untuk bermandi-manda, ia juga merupakan lokasi yang mampu memberikan ketenangan khususnya buat warga kota.Malangnya, destinasi tersebut yang kaya dengan keindahan flora dan fauna kini terancam dek masalah pencemaran plastik.Justeru, Nestlé Malaysia meneruskan usahanya mengutip sampah plastik dengan aktiviti pembersihan pantai di seluruh negara.Program itu telah berjaya mengutip lebih 5.6 tan sampah di sembilan lokasi sekitar Malaysia.Kerjasama itu dilaksanakan dengan Persatuan Pencinta Alam Malaysia (MNS) yang disertai lebih 600 kakitangan Nestlé.

Berpacukan kejayaan aktiviti membersih pantai pada tahun-tahun lepas dan sebagai memperingati Hari Lautan Sedunia, Nestlé Malaysia meluaskan usahanya ke seluruh negara pada tahun ini.Kata Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Nestlé Malaysia, Juan Aranols, inisiatif pembersihan pantai itu dilaksanakan bagi menangani masalah sisa pembuangan plastik sekali gus memelihara keindahan alam semula jadi.“Nestlé komited untuk membantu menangani masalah sisa buangan plastik dan kami berhasrat untuk menjadikan pembungkusan kami 100 peratus boleh dikitar semula atau diguna semula menjelang tahun 2025.“Kami sentiasa mencari cara inovatif untuk mempelopori penggunaan bahan alternatif, membina masa depan tanpa sisa buangan dan mengubah tingkah laku serta membentuk tabiat baharu,” ujarnya ketika ditemui Infiniti di Pantai Remis, Jeram, Selangor baru-baru ini.

SUNGKAI (July 4): A plastic processing factory here was ordered to close with immediate effect today, following an inspection by authorities who found that terms of the conditional approval granted by the Tapah District Council had not been complied with.Perak Health, Consumer Affairs, Civil Society, National Integration and Human Resources commitee chairman A. Sivanesan said the factory owner, believed to be a foreign national, had not obtained approval from the Department of Environment (DOE) to operate, and the factory was suspected of processing plastic materials brought into the country illegally.Checks of the premises surrounding the factory found the area dirty and smelling, with authorities also concerned that contamination may have occurred, he said, explaining that the inspection was conducted following complaints from residents that river water in Kampung Baru Kuala Bikam had an odour, besides being so dirty that it had turned black.

Sivanesan was speaking to reporters at today’s inspection which was carried out jointly by several bodies including the DOE, district council, police, Immigration Department, Labour Department, Irrigation and Drainage Department and the Land and Mines Office.He said the exercise which began at 11am also involved an inspection of another factory nearby which was found to be in a satisfactory state.The factory was eventually ordered shut, and during the inspection, many factory workers believed to be foreigners, were not present, and this had cast a suspicious light on the matter, Sivanesan said.He explained that the closure would also enable the authorities to further investigate several concerns related to health, cleanliness, foreign workers and the plastic materials.Sivanesan added that the DOE would also be testing samples of the river water.

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  4. Half of plastic supermarket packaging cannot be recycled, Which? survey finds
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  10. Malaysia Will Ship A Total Of 3,000 Tonnes Of Plastic Waste Back To Its Origin Countries
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