From:THE STAR ONLINE

STARTING January next year, Selangor will ban the use of polystyrene containers and extend the No Plastic Bag Day on Saturdays to seven days a week.

Green Technology and Environment committee chairman Elizabeth Wong said all official events and buildings of the Selangor state government would stop using plastic bags and polystyrene by next month to get the ball rolling.

“The current 20sen charge to buy a plastic bag on Saturdays as part of the No Plastic Bag Day campaign will be extended to every day of the week while polystyrene containers will be banned.

“Up until now, many peddlers and traders have had a positive response to the campaign to reduce the use of plastic bags and polystyrene,” she said.

She added that this was evident in the campaigns that took place during Ramadan where traders were encouraged not to use polystyrene containers or plastic bags.

She was responding to a question by Rajiv Rishyakaran (DAP-Bukit Gasing) regarding the ban of polystyrene containers among the local councils.

In response to a question by Yaakob Sapari (PKR-Kota Anggerik) regarding incentives offered for using biodegradable alternatives to plastic and polystyrene, Wong said RM10,000 was allocated to each local council to be given out to Ramadan bazaar traders.

She said the new ban would be enforced through the by-laws of each local council, where those applying for or renewing their trading licence must agree to the terms forbidding them to use polystyrene and give out plastic bags for free.

“So far, there are four local councils - Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, and Sepang - that have passed these by-laws,” she said.

Wong urged the remaining local councils to follow suit in passing the by-laws as soon as possible.