Bahaya polistirena: Peniaga sokong, tapi... - Sinar Harian

3 Okt 2016

BAGI peniaga atas talian, Nurul Hidayah Ayoub, 30, penggunaan plastik penting untuk membungkus barangan dijual kepada pelanggannya.

Walaupun dia bersetuju dengan cadangan pihak kerajaan negeri itu, satu mekanisme perlu dicari bagi mengatasi masalah itu.

“Jika benar kerajaan negeri mahu melaksanakan rancangan itu, ia memberi beban kepada kami (peniaga) dan juga pembeli kerana kos terpaksa ditambah.

“Ini kerana, kami terpaksa mengguna bahan alternatif lain untuk barangan kami dan ia pastinya mahal berbanding sebelum ini, ia menjadi beban kepada kami dan pelanggan kami,” katanya.

Nurul Hidayah meminta kerajaan negeri untuk mencari jalan penyelesai terlebih dahulu sebelum ia dilaksanakan di dalam Perak.

“Ia adalah perkara baik tetapi jika dilaksanakan tanpa jalan penyelesaian, cadangan itu sukar untuk dilaksanakan,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Pengarah Urusan PCK Fresh Mart Sdn Bhd iaitu rangkaian kedai runcit utama sekitar Perak, Pang Chok King berkata, apabila kempen tanpa beg plastik berkenaan dilaksanakan sedikit sebanyak menjejaskan penjualan plastik serta bekas makanan yang dijual oleh peniaga kedai terlibat.

“Memang sedikit sebanyak akan terjejas jualan kami. Namun bagi saya kempen ini harus dilaksanakan secara berperingkat dan tidak boleh dilakukan secara keseluruhan dengan mengejut.

“Kami peniaga mungkin menerima kesan yang sedikit tetapi bagi peniaga makanan pastinya menerima kesan lebih banyak,” katanya.

Katanya, pihak berkenaan perlu menyediakan alternatif lain terlebih dahulu bagi menggantikan beg plastik atau bekas makanan yang tidak dibenarkan.

“Sebelum ini peniaga makanan banyak menggunakan bekas polistirena untuk mengisi makanan dan jika ia tidak boleh digunakan pasti memberi sedikit kesukaran.

“Sediakan dahulu alternatif lain untuk mereka gunakan sebelum kempen ini dilaksanakan secara meluas,” katanya.

Bagi peniaga gerai makanan, Mariam Shafie, 53, sebagai peniaga, dia menyokong kempen berkenaan namun kerajaan harus memastikan bekas makanan yang dijual sekarang sama harga dengan bekas makanan yang dibenarkan selepas kempen itu terlaksana.

“Sekarang saya guna bekas polistirena kerana lebih mudah untuk membungkus makanan.

“Gerai saya lebih kepada layan diri dan pelanggan boleh mengambil sendiri makanan mereka sebelum membayar,” katanya.

Katanya, jika selepas pelaksanaan kempen berkenaan, diharapkan bekas makanan yang dibenarkan untuk digunakan sama harga dengan bekas makanan sekarang.

“Jika dijual dengan harga lebih mahal pasti mendatangkan masalah kepada kami dan jika mahu ditukar kepada pembalut kertas juga ada kesannya.

“Sebelum ini kami lakukan secara layan diri, mungkin jika menggunakan pembalut kertas agak lambat memandangkan kami perlu membungkus untuk pelanggan dan bukan semua tahu menggunakannya.

“Jadi kami harap perkara ini sudah difikirkan bagi kesenangan semua pihak dan kelancaran kempen dijalankan,” katanya.

Peniaga kedai makan di Taiping, Siti Hajar Ali Asak, 23, berkata, dia juga sedia maklum bahawa mulai tahun depan negeri Perak merancang untuk menjadikan negeri ini bebas beg plastik.

Menurutnya, sebagai peniaga mungkin ia sesuatu yang masih baharu dan tidak mustahil ramai belum mengetahuinya.

“Bagaimanapun, jika dilihat dari satu sudut perkara tersebut banyak memberi kesan yang bagus kepada alam sekitar.

“Apabila beg plastik dan polistirena tidak dibenarkan lagi untuk digunakan, pasti ada bahan lain yang lebih efektif,” katanya.

Tambah Siti Hajar, dia yang sudah berniaga nasi lemak dan makan tengah hari sejak empat tahun lalu juga sudah biasa dengan penggunaan beg plastik dan polistirena, namun sekiranya tidak lagi dibenarkan sebagai peniaga perlu akur.

“Sesuatu tindakan itu pasti ada kesan baik dan buruknya, tetapi dalam perkara ini sekiranya dilaksanakan ia dapat menyelamatkan daripada masalah pencemaran alam sekitar,” katanya.

Bahaya polistirena: Demi alam sekitar - Sinar Harian

3 Okt 2016

LEBIH 280,000 tan buangan sampah bekas polistirena diguna pakai kini manakala, plastik merupakan sumber buangan kedua terbesar di negara ini.

Bahan plastik dan polistirena mengambil masa antara 500 hingga 1,000 tahun untuk mereput.

Penggunaannya yang berterusan dan tidak terkawal bahan buangan yang sukar dimusnahkan secara semula jadi itu akan mengundang malapetaka kepada dunia dan generasi akan datang.

Sehubungan itu, langkah Perak untuk menjadikan negeri itu sebagai negeri bebas beg plastik dan polistirena dilihat banyak pihak sebagai satu langkah yang bijak, namun memerlukan penelitian dalam pelaksanaannya supaya masyarakat mampu menjadikannya sebagai budaya harian.

Kempen negeri bebas beg plastik dan polistirena secara berperingkat mulai 2017 dianjurkan di atas kesedaran untuk menjaga alam sekitar supaya tidak dicemari dengan bahan-bahan buangan itu yang sukar dimusnahkan secara semula jadi.

Exco Kerajaan Negeri, Datuk Dr Muhammad Amin Zakaria berkata, jika tiada kawalan, beg plastik dan polistirena yang dibuang akan meninggalkan kesan yang buruk kepada alam sekitar sekali gus meninggalkan pemandangan kurang cantik di tempat awam mahupun taman.

Muhammad Amin berkata, Akta Alam Sekitar dan Akta Kerajaan Tempatan boleh digunakan bagi menguatkuasakan larangan penggunaan bahan itu.

“Mungkin jika perlu beberapa enakmen baharu boleh dibentangkan dalam Dewan Undangan Negeri untuk diluluskan dan dikuatkuasakan.

“Bagaimanapun, kerajaan negeri mengadakan kempen kesedaran awam melalui pendidikan, seminar dan demonstrasi bahayanya penggunaan bahan plastik dan polistirena ini,” katanya.

Jelasnya, suatu tempoh diberikan kepada masyarakat untuk bersama-sama bersedia membudayakan penggunaan beg sendiri atau beg mesra alam ketika membeli belah.

“Kempen ini tidak menjejaskan aktiviti pelancongan malah pelancong sendiri akan menghormati peraturan negeri kerana kita mengambil langkah proaktif bersama negara lain dalam penjagaan alam sekitar untuk kelestarian alam sekitar kini dan pada masa akan datang,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Pengarah Jabatan Alam Sekitar Negeri, Abdul Razak Abdul Manaf berkata, jabatannya sentiasa menyokong usaha kerajaan negeri dengan kempen tanpa beg plastik berkenaan.

“Kami menyokong usaha kerajaan negeri yang juga ahli jawatankuasa Teknologi Hijau Negeri terutama kempen-kempen yang diadakan kelak,” katanya.

Kerajaan negeri perlu sediakan insentif

PENGGUNAAN beg plastik dalam kehidupan harian rakyat di negara ini bukan satu perkara baru malah dilihat penting terutamanya ketika membeli belah.

Penyelidik lapangan Sahabat Alam Malaysia, Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman berkata, jika kerajaan negeri mahu penggunaan beg plastik dihentikan, mereka perlu memberi insentif sebagai galakan supaya masyarakat menggunakan alternatif lain bagi menggantikannya.

Menurutnya, pengusaha industri kilang beg kertas pula perlu diberi pengecualian cukai supaya mereka boleh menampung keperluan orang ramai untuk menggantikan beg plastik daripada terus digunakan di negeri ini.

“Usaha dan komitmen yang diberikan semua pihak penting dalam menjayakan kempen ini perlu diambil kira sebagai permulaan baik ke arah memartabatkan kepentingan alam.

“Justeru, penggunaan beg yang mesra alam atau alternatif lain perlu dilaksanakan bagi mengurangkan penggunaan beg plastik,” katanya.

Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, kerajaan negeri melalui portfolio alam sekitar perlu memainkan peranan penting bagi merealisasikan perkara itu.

“Selain itu, pihak berkaitan perlu mendidik bagi memberi kesedaran akan tindak balas penggunaan beg plastik kepada orang ramai.

“Orang ramai boleh membeli makanan menggunakan mangkuk tingkat atau bawa bekas sendiri. Lazimnya, buat permulaan memang agak sukar untuk dilaksanakan, namun jika kerajaan negeri dan agensi berkaitan melakukan secara berterusan tidak mustahil perkara ini dapat dijayakan,” jelasnya.

Dari sudut pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO), Meor Razak berkata, pihaknya hanya mampu mengadakan kempen namun terhad memandangkan mereka memerlukan dana kewangan bagi pelaksanaannya.

“Jika kerajaan negeri atau ada agensi lain yang tampil membantu menyumbangkan dana, kita boleh bantu mengadakan kempen dengan lebih efisien dan efektif.

“Bagaimanapun, NGO tetap meneruskan kempen, pameran serta menyampaikan ceramah kepada pelajar dan selitkan kepentingan menjaga alam sekitar serta cara pelupusan sisa pepejal jika penggunaan beg plastik diteruskan.

“Contoh pembersihan pantai botol plastik, bahan berasaskan plastik boleh menyebabkan haiwan mati akibat tersekat serta beri kesan kepada alam sekitar dan kesihatan.

“Sehubungan itu, semua pihak perlu memainkan peranan masing-masing supaya kempen hentikan penggunaan beg plastik ini dapat dilaksanakan dengan sempurna,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Pengerusi Persatuan Kebajikan Usahawan Gerbang Malam, Ahmad Irwan Othman berkata, setakat ini pihak penjaja belum dimaklumkan secara rasmi berhubung perkara tersebut.

Katanya, sebelum ini kempen hari tanpa beg plastik hanya dikuatkuasakan di pasar raya sahaja dan belum sampai kepada pihak penjaja kecil-kecilan.

“Kita rasa mungkin penerimaan peniaga 50-50. Sebagai contoh, pembelian kasut berkotak, jika tidak menggunakan beg plastik, ia mungkin menyukarkan pembeli untuk membawanya jika mereka membuat pembelian lebih daripada satu kotak,” jelasnya.

Ahmad Irwan menambah, bagaimanapun, pihak persatuan sedia untuk berbincang dengan pihak berkaitan jika perkara ini akan dilaksanakan dalam tempoh terdekat.

“Berikutan itu, kita mencadangkan supaya tempoh percubaan perlu dilakukan bagi mendapatkan maklum balas daripada pelanggan sebelum ia dilaksanakan,” katanya.

Don't be arrogant, Perak sultan tells religious officers - Malaysiakini

27 Sept 2016

The beauty of Islam should be reflected by enforcement officers from the Islamic Religious Department when discharging their duty by practising the missionary approach and calling on the people to do good, said the sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah.

He said they should advise the wrongdoers privately, arranging for guidance and counselling sessions behind closed doors.

"The modus operandi of the enforcement staff of the Islamic Religious Department must be based on a preventive approach instead of adopting a punitive approach," he said at the launching of the logo and strategic plan of the Perak Council on Islamic Religion and Malay Customs today.

The actions of the enforcement officers demonstrated power to the extent of ignoring courtesy, orderliness and politeness, and was not the culture propagated by Islam, said the ruler.

He said the arrogance and disparaging attitude should not be reflected by religious enforcement officers who were in the front line and exposed to public evaluation.

Sultan Nazrin said that those entrusted with the responsibility must be experts in the field, respect the law judiciously at all times without fear or favour.

Meanwhile, the ruler said the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk) had also taken measures to draw up a strategic plan for the next five years.

"The strategic plan is a component of the inputs containing the framework of action to achieve the mission and objectives of MAIPk," he said.

"New discoveries are found and changes occur all the time. What is considered new today, can become history and archaic within a short time," he said.

Thus, Sultan Nazrin said, MAIPk must always be wary, sensitive and smart to read and interpret the dynamics occurring, and be ready to make transformations to the strategy that had been approved, in line with the current changes and developments in the world and country.

The ruler said that building the image and reputation as well as developing positive public perception on MAIPk was crucial and should be given attention.

Bernama

KOHIJAU: Perak’s Solution For A Sustainable Environment - Ipoh Guide

22 Sept 2016 by James

A milestone for Ipoh and the entire state of Perak was created last Saturday September 17 2016 with the launch of co-operative Koperasi Alam Hijau or KOHIJAU.

KOHIJAU’s role is to promote recycling for a sustainable environment and to further improve the livelihood of the people by maintaining a clean environment.

The co-operative was set up by NGO Ipoh City Watch as part of its motto ‘To Make Ipoh the most livable city in Malaysia’.

The launch of its office located at Sunway City, Tambun was officiated by Hulu Kinta Assemblyman Datuk Aminuddin Md Hanafiah , Ipoh City Councilor Mazlan Abdul Rahman (Zone 4 / Perpaduan / Ulu Kinta / Tambun) and ICW President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Richard Ng.

Ng who is also KOHIJAU Chairman said the co-operative had teamed up with iCycle Malaysia, a solutions provider of waste recycling system to enhance the recycling business.

The structure will see KOHIJAU providing the business network while iCycle Malaysia will provide the business system.

Under the iCycle system recyclable collectors and contributors will earn Recycling Points which can be exchanged with cash or products similar to the Bonus Link system.

Ng added that KOHIJAU has projected to sign up at least 10 corporate members, 20 schools and 100 individuals to be part of its KOHIJAU-iCycle project.

“Todate, KOHIJAU has appointed Winland Resources Sdn Bhd, the developer for Ipoh Loyal Apartment as its first corporate member.

Other members include Rukun Tetangga Jelapang, the Residents Association of Desa Tambun Indah and SMK Raja Chulan, Ipoh, Perak.

The public be it individuals, NGO or companies may apply to participate in this system where their contribution through recycling and garbage separation will earn them incentives in the form of recycling points. There is no entry fee at the moment.

iCycle Director Dr Tan Ching Seong explained that members will be provided with an account number.

Members will also be provided barcode stickers with their account numbers indicated.

“iCycle accepts all clean, dry and non food items. Place the items in a bag and paste a bar code label on the bag.

“We will collect the bag, sort the items and post your points for the items collected to your personal account which can be checked via internet” said Tan.

Ng anticipated that their members are expected to contribute 10,000kg of recyclables per month.

“With recycling points being given out as incentives in exchange for cash or products, this system can help create a sustainable recycling community”.

Ng added that with the current population of Perak at 2.4 million it is estimated that a total of 16,000,000kg of garbage will be generated each month.

“By 2020, if nothing is done, Perak will have a total of 768,000,000kg of garbage which will end up in the landfills, illegal dumpsites or ocean. As such we need to practice recycling to reduce the volume of rubbish going to the landfill”.

“The national recycling target is 20% by 2020. However to promote the practice of recycling KOHIJAU will work with Perak SW Corp, local councils and other government agencies such as Rukun Tetangga to help promote recycling.

“It is expected that through this collaboration it will help to increase the recycling rate among Perakians to at least 30% by 2020 with some community reaching as high a 60% once KOHIJAU introduces organic waste composting”.

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.

Getting something out of garbage - The Star Metro Perak

22 Sept 2016 by Ivan Loh

A RECYCLING programme where people turn in rubbish for points that can be exchanged for gifts will be first conducted at a school and condominium in Ipoh.

Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Bhd (Kohijau) Chairman Prof Dr Richard Ng said the programme, a collaboration with recycling company iCycle Malaysia, will be conducted at SMK Raja Chulan and Loyal Garden Residences.

“The school is set to begin the programme this Saturday.

“The programme will begin at the condominium by the year-end. An agreement has been made with the condominium’s management and all its residents will be programme members,” he said during the launching of Kohijau’s office at Dataran Sunway by Hulu Kinta Assemblyman Datuk Aminuddin Md Hanafiah last Saturday.

“We will provide recycling bins for the segregated garbage,” he added.

Kohijau is a cooperative set up by members of non-governmental organisation Ipoh City Watch (ICW) to improve the livelihoods of people while keeping the environment clean.

The recycling-for-points programme requires participating members to segregate their waste for collection.

The collected waste is then weighed and points allocated to the members.

The points can then be used to redeem household items or vouchers.

Ng said each registered member will be given stickers with a barcode to be put on the garbage bag.

“They will need to put the sticker on the rubbish bag before dumping iy in the recycling bin.

“After the waste is collected, it will be weighed and different types of garbage will be allocated different points. The barcode will then be scanned to allocate the points to the respective members,” he said.

“Members then log in to iCycle Malaysia’s website to check their collected points. Everything will be computerised and easy,” he added.

iCycle Malaysia Director Prof Dr Tan Ching Seong said the recycling-for-points programme has already started in Pangkor and is doing well.

He said iCycle collects various wastes that are, clean and dry, and non-food.

The main objective, Tan said, is to lessen the omount of rubbish sent to landfills.

In his opening speech earlier, Aminuddin said the people need to change their attitude towards the environment.

“They always want places to be clean but they themselves don’t make an effort.

“The responsibility of keeping a place clean not only falls on the local council or state representatives but also the people,” he said.

“I think more engagement needs to be held with the people so they are aware and to take part in recycling programmes,” he added.

Aminuddin said the Kohijau-iCycle project could rope in village chiefs to explain to them its concept.

“If people can profit from segregating their rubbish, maybe this can change their mindset,” he said.

Aminuddin also said Kohijau should seek out primary schools to take part in its programmes.

“I think children will enjoy taking part in this programme more than adults.

“We also need to start teaching the concept of taking care of the environment to the children as early as possible,” he said, adding adults might find it harder to accept new concepts.

For more details on the recycling-for-points programme, visit www.gogreenonline.net.

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