Articles

No more plastic bags and polystyrene in Selangor from January 2017!

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Dec 29, 2016

The new plastic-free policy will commence starting this Sunday! (January 1st)  Thanks to an environmental conscious Selangor, the state will now be plastic-free for seven days a week, instead of the usual plastic-free Saturdays.This is a great step towards teaching our children to care for the environment. Parents need to educate children on the dangers of using plastic bags especially since it is non-biodegradable.At a press conference, Green Technology, Environment, Tourism and Consumer Affairs committee chairman YB Elizabeth Wong, informed that all retailers in Selangor will no longer be providing free single-use plastic bags to consumers."According to state surveys, 71% of Selangor folk feel that 'No Plastic Bag' on Saturdays only is not enough. We need change and we are committed to this change by making it a policy to fight rampant littering and to address environmental issues like global warming," explained Wong.Selangor is also banning the use of polystyrene containers all together starting 1 January 2017.Retailer and vendors who fail to comply to this new ruling will face a fine up to RM1000.Green Technology, Environment, Tourism and Consumer Affairs committee chairman YB Elizabeth Wong at a press conference. When applying for their license, retailers will have to also pledge their commitment to go plastic and polystyrene-free. As for consumers, they will have to pay 20 sen for each plastic bag they ask for."The maximum fine is RM1,000 and shoppers will be charged a minimum of 20 sen for single-use plastic bags," said Wong, as reported by The Star.According to The Star, the state will waive the charge for plastic bags for certain items like, raw meat, plants and roots covered in sand or soil, flowers, unwrapped loose seeds, prescriptions and poisonous substances and live fish or aquatic products. 

You too can show your support for the plastic-free movement. Head over to the Selangor #BEBASPLASTIK website and pledge your support for a plastic-free Selangor!