biodegradable and biocompostable plastic bags are now widely available through collaborations with manufacturers, Penang Green Council chief executive officer Josephine Tan Mei Ling says.
“Eco-friendly bags are designed to break down without leaving residual waste.”
She said this was based on biotransformation technology certified by the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim).
Tan added that a growing number of brands and stores, both local and international, had already adopted similar solutions.
Previously, it was reported that one of the main challenges to Penang’s “no plastic bags” policy, set to be fully enforced on Sept 1, was finding a suitable alternative for hawkers and wet market traders.
For these traders, plastic bags and containers are lightweight, cost-effective and practical for packing items such as soup-based dishes and fresh produce.
However, state housing and environment committee chairman Datuk S. Sundarajoo said biodegradable options were now available.
“There are already alternatives, such as biodegradable bags.
“They look and function like plastic, but they are highly biodegradable.
“They decompose within weeks when placed in the ground.
“If the ban really happens –and we are very confident it is going to happen – we will be the first state in the country to go 100% without single-use plastic bags,” he said during the Penang Green Hotel programme.
Sundarajoo said the “no single-use plastics” policy, first announced on Aug 31 last year, was currently at the education phase, but would move to the enforcement stage starting Sept 1.
The Perai assemblyman said most sectors had adapted to the policy, with only market traders and hawkers given more time due to a lack of suitable alternatives.
Sundarajoo said enforcement would be carried out in stages, beginning with a soft approach before tightening in the final three months leading up to the deadline.
He said compliance could be tied to business licence renewals, with errant traders risking their ability to operate if they failed to meet the “no single-use plastics” requirement.
“It is not the state’s intention to penalise people, but to ensure compliance,” said Sundarajoo.
He said discussions with local councils would be held soon to finalise enforcement mechanisms.
Penang government, he added, had been laying the groundwork through public awareness and offering alternative solutions, including the rollout of reusable bags by Penang Green Council and local authorities.
The target is to distribute 100,000 reusable bags, with some 45,000 already handed out at markets and public events.
