Push to get people to recycle - Star Metro Perak

2 August 2016 - by Manjit Kaur

A TEAM has been formed in Perak to educate the public to embrace recycling in order to reduce the use of plastic bags and polystyrene containers.

Ipoh City Watch (ICW) President Prof Dr Richard Ng said the main objective of the committee, known as the Perak Action Team for a Sustainable Environment (PATSE), would be to focus on the 3Es – Educating, Engaging and Exciting the public to practise the 3Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle.

Ng, who is the chairman for the action team, said the idea to set up the body was mooted after a forum by ICW was held to discuss the state government’s decision to ban plastic bags and polystyrene containers beginning next June.

During the forum titled “The Impact of Plastics on the Sustainability of Environment: Should Plastics be Banned?” held last month, State Executive Councilor Datuk Rusnah Kassim a challenged the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) to come up with a convincing proposal for the state government to reconsider the decision on the ban, as currently the state stands firm on the decision.

Ng said the action committee comprises members of ICW, MPMA, state Solid Waste Management and Public Cleanliness Corporation (SWCorp), Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Bhd (Kohijau), local councils, and representatives from the state government.

He said at the end of the forum the panelist agreed to giving the 800 members of MPM’s Perak branch a chance to prove themselves on finding a solution to the challenge by Rusnah.

“The action team will go on a statewide campaign, starting with educational road shows during the monthly Car Free Day event.

“We will also hold talks in schools, and work with any organisation which is keen to cooperate with us,” he said recently.

During the forum last month, MPMA President Datuk Lim Kok Boon urged the state government to educate the public about waste management and littering instead of banning the use of plastic bags and polystyrene containers.

Lim said the more importance should be placed on the 3Rs, something that is done in more developed countries.

Ng said ICW is concerned about the impact of plastics on the environment, but also sympathises with MPMA’s members as the banning of plastics bags will affect their revenue.

Ng said, as one of the four panelists for the forum, ICW supports the government’s move in banning the use of polystyrene and plastic bags effective June 1, next year.

“I made my point clear that by 2020, if nothing is done, Perak will generate three billion tonnes of garbage, of which 450,000 tonnes or about 15% of the total garbage consist of plastics.

“Plastics takes a few hundred years to degrade and this will impact the sustainability of our environment. Plus, plastics are made from petroleum which is a non-renewable source of energy,” he added.

PATSE on a state wide campaign to promote Anti-Litter and 3R in Perak

Aug 26, 2016 by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Richard Ng

Perak has joined other states namely Selangor, Penang, KL, Johor and Malacca, to ban the use of biodegradable containers especially polystyrene effective 1^st June 2017. This does not augur well for the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) members who have strongly objected such move as it will affect the members of the industry.

During a forum on plastics jointly organised by Ipoh City Watch (ICW), MPMA (Perak Branch), Perak SWCorp, Ipoh City Council and Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Berhad (KOHIJAU) held at a local hotel in Ipoh, Datuk Rusnah Kassim, the Perak State Exco in charge of Local Government, who officiated the forum, has thrown a challenge to MPMA to prove two things; how plastics could be reduce plastics from going to the landfills, illegal dumpsites and beaches and what solution MPMA can offer to help reduce the impact of plastics on our health and environment. At the moment, the Perak government stood firm on its decision to ban the use of polystyrene and plastic bags effective 1^st June 2017.

As one of the four panelists during the forum entitled “The Impact of Plastics on the Sustainability of Environment: Should Plastics be banned?” attended by about 200 participants, I put forward our points from ICW that we supported the government’s move in banning the use polystyrene and plastic bags. I made my points cleared that by 2020, if nothing is done by us, Perak will generate 3 billion tonnes of garbage of which 450,000 tonnes or about 15% of the total garbage, comes from plastics. As plastics take a few hundred years to degrade thus it will have impact on the sustainability of our environment. Plastics are also made from petroleum which is a non-renewable source of energy.

The general perception of the people is that chemicals used to make plastics can leech into the food after a prolonged used at certain temperature even though there is no concrete evidence to support this at the moment. Moreover, plastics such as polystyrene and plastic bags can be recycled as claimed there is lack of interest from the public to collect such items as recyclables due to its low value.

At the end of the forum, all the four panelists have agreed that we should give the 800 members of MPMA Perak Branch a chance to prove themselves to help find a solution to the challenge thrown by Datuk Rusnah Kassim. Thus moving forward, ICW, using its recycling unit KOHIJAU, has set up the Perak Action Team for a Sustainable Environment (PATSE) in collaboration with Perak MPMA, Perak SWCorp, Rukun Tetangga Jelapang and Lions Club of Perak Silver State. The main objective is to come out with action plans which will help educate, engage and excite the people to involve and embrace 3R (Reuse, Reduce & Recycle) and promote a clean and healthy environment.

Among the members of PATSE include Associate Professor Dr. Richard Ng (Chairman), Johnson Poon (MPMA), Puan Hajah Fatimah Ahmad (SWCorp Perak), Thinakaran Sarangabanly (Rukun Tetangga), Lim Hong Lian (Lions Club of Perak Silver State), and social activist and environmental researchers, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tan Chin Seong, Dr. Lai, Dr. Subarna, Dr. Raj Paramjothy, Olivia Cheah and Sharon Ng Kar Mei.

The team will go on a state-wide campaign starting with a gotong royong cum 3R talk in the District of Mualim in October. YB Datuk Rusnah Kassim, has been invited to officially launch the programme. Other districts which PATSE has identified include Batang Padang, Manjung, Kinta and Larut Matang Selama.

PATSE will also hold talks in schools and with any organisations that are keen to participate in this programme. They will be briefed on 3R, garbage separation and composting in order to reduce garbage from going to the landfills or oceans. KOHIJAU will supply recycling bins to participating schools, organisations and residential associations and buy all recyclables collected.

For further information, kindly visit www.ipohcitywatch.org or whatsapp 013-5330989 

Push to get people to recycle - Star Metro Perak

2 August 2016 By Manjit Kaur

A TEAM has been formed in Perak to educate the public to embrace recycling in order to reduce the use of plastic bags and polystyrene containers.

Ipoh City Watch (ICW) President Prof Dr Richard Ng said the main objective of the committee, known as the Perak Action Team for a Sustainable Environment (PATSE), would be to focus on the 3Es – Educating, Engaging and Exciting the public to practise the 3Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle.

Ng, who is the chairman for the action team, said the idea to set up the body was mooted after a forum by ICW was held to discuss the state government’s decision to ban plastic bags and polystyrene containers beginning next June.

During the forum titled “The Impact of Plastics on the Sustainability of Environment: Should Plastics be Banned?” held last month, State Executive Councilor Datuk Rusnah Kassim a challenged the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) to come up with a convincing proposal for the state government to reconsider the decision on the ban, as currently the state stands firm on the decision.

Ng said the action committee comprises members of ICW, MPMA, state Solid Waste Management and Public Cleanliness Corporation (SWCorp), Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Bhd (Kohijau), local councils, and representatives from the state government.

He said at the end of the forum the panelist agreed to giving the 800 members of MPM’s Perak branch a chance to prove themselves on finding a solution to the challenge by Rusnah.

“The action team will go on a statewide campaign, starting with educational road shows during the monthly Car Free Day event.

“We will also hold talks in schools, and work with any organisation which is keen to cooperate with us,” he said recently.

During the forum last month, MPMA President Datuk Lim Kok Boon urged the state government to educate the public about waste management and littering instead of banning the use of plastic bags and polystyrene containers.

Lim said the more importance should be placed on the 3Rs, something that is done in more developed countries.

Ng said ICW is concerned about the impact of plastics on the environment, but also sympathises with MPMA’s members as the banning of plastics bags will affect their revenue.

Ng said, as one of the four panelists for the forum, ICW supports the government’s move in banning the use of polystyrene and plastic bags effective June 1, next year.

“I made my point clear that by 2020, if nothing is done, Perak will generate three billion tonnes of garbage, of which 450,000 tonnes or about 15% of the total garbage consist of plastics.

“Plastics takes a few hundred years to degrade and this will impact the sustainability of our environment. Plus, plastics are made from petroleum which is a non-renewable source of energy,” he added.