No plastic at Penang airport

Say ‘no’: Yew (left) and Mohd Nadzim with a poster to curb plastic use at PIA.

GEORGE TOWN: Business operators at the Penang International Airport (PIA) will stop giving out plastic straws and single-use plastic items following a collaboration with the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) to curb unnecessary plastic waste.

All 19 operators in the airport will embark on the pilot project and advocate environmental protection to travellers.

MBPP mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said this followed the council’s introduction of the “Say No to Plastic Straws and Single-Use Plastics” programme in June which had received an overwhelming response.

“Seeing the support from all parties, we decided to expand the initiative to the airport for travellers to spread the word.

“We will leave it to the operators to use their own creativity to discourage the use of plastic straws and single-use plastic,” he said.

While there was no target set for plastic waste reduction, Yew hoped it would help to instil a sense of love for the environment among tourists and Malaysian travellers.

PIA senior manager Mohd Nadzim Hashim said the airport had been separating waste under the environmental management system.

“Our workers separate waste in various categories such as glass, paper, aluminium and plastic.

“The most common waste we collect are bottles and food wrappers,” he said.