Paying a higher price for plastic

A FAVOURITE mixed-rice restaurant of mine recently started lining their melamine plates with thin sheets of plastic.

While it is something roadside traders typically do for takeaways such as “nasi lemak bungkus”, I was surprised to see it happening in a dine-in restaurant.

When I asked why they had done that, the operator said it was for easier clean-up.

I couldn’t help but wonder about the environmental impact of this practice and whether the convenience was truly worth the cost.

Of course, this is not the only eatery doing this, with waxed paper liners used in some banana leaf restaurants too.

Such practices will have a significant trickle-down effect on the environment.

Iced drinks served in plastic cups with straws, disposable cutlery and individual sachets of condiments and sauces are some other instances where the use of plastics is widespread.

These small conveniences can add up, contributing to a growing waste problem that we can no longer afford to ignore.

In a January 2024 article, The Star reported that Malaysians discarded about 39,078 tonnes of solid waste, equivalent to about 1.17kg per person, daily.

Plastic bags and packaging are convenient but we need to factor the high cost to the environment. — Filepic

The Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) stated that on average, food made up the biggest component of domestic waste at 30.6%, followed by plastic (21.9%), paper (15.3%), disposable diapers (8.2%) and hazardous household waste (4.2%).

Statistics from KDEB Waste Management showed that Selangor generated 7,000 tonnes of domestic waste and 3,000 tonnes of bulk waste a day, making the state the highest generator of waste in the country.

While these figures could be attributed to the rising population and industrialisation, our lackadaisical attitude is not helping the situation.

For almost 10 years, state and federal authorities have tried various programmes to promote waste reduction by encouraging recycling and limiting the use of single-use plastics.

While there have been some success, for example the 20sen charge for plastic bags in Selangor and several other states, it does not seem to have made a significant impact on our growing waste problem.

Perhaps it is time to introduce other measures to reduce the waste we generate, particularly plastics.

Since 2020, businesses in Selangor have been required to register with local councils and hand over the 20sen charge for every plastic bag sold to consumers who request for one.

Selangor collected RM38mil between 2020 and 2023, just in plastic bag charges.

The high amount collected shows that the move to charge shoppers has not had much of an impact.

One option is to increase the fee – perhaps RM1 for each bag, which is what Penang has done.

Since 2021, the Penang government has upped its plastic bag charge from 20sen to RM1 from Thursdays to Sundays and banned the sale of plastic bags on other days.

It was reported last year that plastic bag requests from customers in Penang decreased by 78% following the new charges.

Another option is to stringently enforce the business licence conditions regarding plastic bag usage.

In Selangor, local councils can issue compounds and even withdraw the business licence of those who do not comply with the plastic bag charge.

This includes failing to remit plastic bag fee collection to the local council.

Most recently, Ampang Jaya City Council (MPAJ) issued licence cancellation notices to 46 businesses for failing to remit their plastic bag fee collection.

It also issued 22 compounds to business owners who provided plastic bags to customers but had not registered nor paid the fee to MPAJ.

Over in Sabah, since Aug 1, Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) has imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags across some 858 business premises in the city.

Eateries will also have to stop providing plastic bags and straws.

While some of these measures may seem drastic, we must prioritise sustainability over convenience.

This is especially true if we are to have any hope of achieving the Federal Government’s target of no single-use plastics by 2025.

Just like at my favourite mixed-rice restaurant, where I now bring my own container for dine-in to avoid the plastic-lined plates, small changes in our habits can make a big difference.