Penang steps up straw ban enforcement

Doing her part: Isabelle Poh, nine, chose to drink without using a straw during lunch at a food court in George Town. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: The use of single-use plastics is still prevalent in the food and beverage sector here, even though the ban on plastic straws in Penang is already a year old.

Checks found that only a few eateries have complied with the ban by using paper straws or not using straws at all.

Coffee shop assistant Wong Wen Huey, 30, whose shop in Lebuh China was slapped with a RM250 fine last November for providing a plastic straw in a customer’s drink, said only about 5% of customers asked for straws now.

“We provide paper straws now without additional charge, but only to those who request it.

“Those who need straws for their drinks are usually children or the disabled, but generally, customers are fine with having drinks without straws, ” she said.

A coffee shop owner who wished to be known only as Yap, 70, said old habits are hard to change, adding that paper straws are available for those who need one.

“I did not increase the price of my drinks, but each paper straw is 10 sen if customers want it.

“That way, I maintain the prices of my drinks and customers have the option of using a straw.

“So far, my customers are fine with paying for paper straws because they are aware of the cost, ” she said.

At a food court nearby, where drink orders are self-service, plastic straws were placed in a bin at the counter for customers to take when they collected their drinks.

While most customers were spotted having plastic straws in their drinks, sales executive Ng Mei Lan, 39, said she educated her daughter and friend against using them.

“We have sets of stainless steel reusable straws, but do not carry them all the time although we dine out often.

“Instead, we just make do without straws and drink from cups like how we do at home.

“If a cup is contaminated, the drinks would be too, and straws wouldn’t help, ” she said.

Penang environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said starting this year, enforcement against the use of plastic straws will go into full force.

“The enforcement is to create awareness and urgency in curbing single-use plastics.

“It will focus on food courts and franchised outlets as well as hotels and restaurants.

“All government servants and elected representatives from non-governmental organisations must take ownership and lead by example, ” he said.

Phee said there were still many local coffee shops and restaurants giving out single-use plastics, especially in takeaways.

“We noticed the usage of single-use plastics was declining but picked up again during the conditional movement control order period.The mindset is very difficult to change due to their way of life and working environment, ” he said.

Phee reportedly said in January last year that apart from the ban on plastic straws, retailers would also stop giving out plastic bags on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

In September 2019, the Penang Turtle Sanctuary rescued a young turtle that refused to eat. Fisheries rangers removed two plastic bags and 10 straws from its anus, but the turtle eventually died in the sanctuary.