Polystyrene packs are still being used at the Bandar Sungai Buaya Ramadan Bazaar in Rawang.
EFFORTS of the Hulu Selangor District Council (MDHS) to discourage the use of polystyrene at Ramadan bazaars in the area has not been successful.
Traders and patrons at several bazaars were seen still using polystyrene to pack their food.
MDHS president Mohd Zain A. Hamid said he was disappointed that the traders and patrons were not taking the matter seriously although the council’s campaign started in 2011.
“We are not able to impose the no-polystyrene ruling at Ramadan bazaars as it must come from the state government. Only then can we implement it.
“We have given out plastic containers to people to pack food at many bazaars for some time now. Previously, we had also given out recyclable containers to traders.
“The Ramadan patrons would use the containers for the first few days only,” he said, adding that traders also found alternative containers more expensive than polystyrene containers.
“We really hope by next year, polystyrene containers will be totally banned at Ramadan bazaars as it will affect the environment when it lands at landfills,” said Mohd Zain, who presented 1,000 plastic containers to visitors at the Bandar Sungai Buaya, Rawang Ramadan bazaar recently.
Mohd Zain also added the Ramadan bazaar was moved to a new area as the previous location about 100m away was said to receive fewer customers.
“We have also cleared a huge land area so that customers would be able to park their vehicles easily,’’ he said.
