Penang is exploring biodegradable and bio-compostable alternatives to the conventional plastic bags used by traders and hawkers, with a pilot project expected to start by the end of the year. The project will involve selected vendors at food courts, markets and wet markets, one location each on the mainland and the island, The Star reported.
The alternatives break down naturally faster than conventional plastic bags under suitable conditions, although the time varies with the material and the environment. Conventional bags cost about RM5 per 100 pieces, against about RM15 per 100 for biodegradable versions, depending on size and specifications. Bio-compostable bags vary in price with their material, size and certification.
Penang Green Council chief executive officer Josephine Tan said prices were expected to fall as demand rose. Vendors in the pilot would be able to try different products and work out which ones suited their operations, and after the pilot, procurement would be handled directly between businesses and suppliers.
Tan urged businesses to choose alternatives that carry recognised Sirim eco-labels. Sirim ECO 001 covers bio-compostable plastics that break down into harmless material suitable for composting, while Sirim ECO 098 sets requirements for degradable plastics intended to reduce long-term microplastic pollution. “Our priority is for people to bring their own reusable items. But when single-use items are unavoidable, we encourage the use of the Sirim products,” she said.
State environment committee chairman Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo said the state was also sourcing an alternative that could replicate the characteristics of conventional plastic bags but contain no plastic. “We are sourcing material that looks, smells and feels like plastic, can perform like plastic, but is not plastic. Once we are ready and there is an economy of scale, making the alternative cheaper, then we will enforce its use by stall operators,” he said. One of the options being explored is made from coffee waste and decomposes naturally after being discarded.
The rollout is staged, as Business Today noted in May: hawkers and public wet markets are exempt for now, because wet goods such as fish need water-resistant packaging, and weak demand for eco-friendly alternatives keeps prices high. Penang is also the first state to enforce a full ban on single-use plastic bags from a fixed date, and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said in April that alternative materials were targeted to be ready by the end of August, Malay Mail said.
Penang began enforcing its No Single-Use Plastic initiative on Sept 1, covering hypermarkets, supermarkets, department stores, convenience stores, fast-food outlets, petrol station convenience stores, chain stores, pharmacies and clinics. Hawkers and market traders can continue using conventional plastic bags for now, since the state recognises that a sudden transition could be costly.
