Bag it up: Arul Kumar (left) holding a reusable bag during the Shared Reusable Bag Campaign at the Seremban Central Market.
SEREMBAN: Nearly all traders at the Seremban Central Market have switched to using biodegradable plastic bags, according to a state executive councillor.
J. Arul Kumar, who is in charge of local government development, housing and transport, said the traders’ commitment has made the market a model example for implementing the state’s ban on single-use plastics.
He said the effort also demonstrates the success of the state government’s policy to ban single-use plastics at all business premises since 2022.
“Conventional plastic bags take hundreds of years to decompose and produce microplastics that eventually harm human health and marine life.
“That is why we want all traders to switch to biodegradable bags, while the use of reusable bags among shoppers continues to be encouraged,” he said at the Shared Reusable Bag Campaign at the Seremban Central Market yesterday, Bernama reported.
Arul Kumar said no charge is imposed on customers for each biodegradable plastic bag, but the public is still encouraged to use reusable bags for their purchases.
He said the state government has also made the ban on single-use plastics one of the conditions for business licences issued by local authorities.
“If any trader refuses to comply with this condition, their business licence may be revoked. This step is to ensure environmental sustainability and protect human health,” he said.
