Prepared by: Nur Adleena Ezzaty binti Md Noor - Secretariat of Environment, Tenth College, Session 2020/2021, UPM

Prepared on: 9 May 2021

Excessive use of plastic bag in Malaysia has aroused concerns of all levels of life. This is because we are aware of the effects of the excessive use of plastic in Malaysia is deleterious to our environment. As we know, Malaysia has become the second highest contributor of plastic pollution in Asia. We often use plastic when shopping for kitchenware, utilising straw and plastic packaging in restaurants or eateries. Unfortunately, the thing that makes this situation worse is that these plastics are dumped in the wrong ways, causing our environment to be polluted and disturbing habitats on land and in the ocean.

Based on the statistics released by the World Wildlife Fund Malaysia, Malaysia is ranked at the second highest in plastic consumption in the Asian region with an average of 16.78kg of plastic per individual per year. There are also statistics released in 2015 by stating that the sectors that contribute the most to the use of plastics in Malaysia are packaging sector as well as building and construction sector. Many activists and non-governmental officials have advised these two sectors to reduce the use of plastics as it will cause pollution in our country.

The disadvantage of using the plastics excessively on the environment is that it can threaten the life in the oceans and on land too. We surely have heard the news before which are related to tortoises and sea turtles being found dead as a result of misconceptions about plastics as their food. This news has raised sadness amid the lovers of marine life and environmentalists. There is also marine life that dies as a result of being entangled in plastics that dumped in the ocean like ropes, straws and food plastics. This situation has caused the population of sea turtles and tortoises in Malaysia to decline. Therefore, early actions should be taken so our next generation will be able to see and learn the marine life which is now decreasing and facing the risk of extinction.

The ways that can be carried out to overcome this problem is to use paper bags or cloth bags when shopping at the supermarket or grocery store. Moreover, Malaysians can practice 3R concept of Reuse, Reduce and Recycle which has been introduced in Malaysia for a long time although this practice is still not well practiced by the public. In addition, using iron straws and reducing the use of plastic straws are recognised as common behaviours recently in Malaysia. Various food business premises have paid attention in this practice as most of them are no longer providing plastic straws and spoons to customers. This is because it can help in reducing the use of plastic in our country and it should be continued in the future.

In conclusion, plastic consumption in Malaysia should get the attention from many parties as it has affected our environment in negative ways. To solve this hassle, all parties should be obligated to do their responsibilities themselves by following the measures that recommended by the government in reducing the use of plastics. We have been aware that to stop using plastics immediately is very difficult. However, the small steps that we practice can help in preserving and conserving the environment to boots.

Date of Input: 11/05/2021 | Updated: 11/05/2021 | rahiza