Johor’s switch to biodegradable food containers gains support

Healthy lifestyle: Customers using biodegradable plastic containers to pack food at a stall in Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Baru.

JOHOR BARU: Food and beverage operators are supporting the state government’s biodegradable-containers-only policy which will take effect on July 1, with some already introducing such containers to customers.

Food stall owner Rozita Ramli, 53, who has been running her business at Taman Maju Jaya for the past 14 years, said her customers were getting used to the biodegradable plastic containers.

She started using them this month.

“Despite the containers costing more, we are supporting the state government’s initiative against the use of polystyrene due to its harmful effects.

“The biodegradable products are not only safer to use but also slightly larger and microwaveable, she said yesterday.

She said the green containers were being sold at about three times the price of the polys­tyrene type. A pack of 100 polystyrene containers is about RM7 while the biodegradable ones are RM22.

Rozita said it was harder to get supplies of the biodegradable containers now but she expected this to change soon, with the price dropping as well.

The containers are cheaper in the states that adopted the green-containers-only policy, such as Penang and Melaka, said Rozita.

Restaurant owner Ng Yaw Kwang, 35, agreed that the banning of polystyrene containers was a good move.

“It is also better for the environment,” he said.

It was reported that all hypermarkets and supermarkets in Johor have to replace their plastic bags and polystyrene containers with biodegradable ones from July 1.

This was announced as the state government’s first step towards making Johor polystyrene-free by 2018.