Penang Gerakan Environmental Bureau Chief Tan Chai Liang said that the Penang state government should consult those in the plastic industry, to work out a better plan before the implementation of total ban in plastic usage in the state.

The state government initiated no plastic day from Mondays to Wednesdays in 2009, in an effort to build a greener Penang. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has now moved to ban all plastic usage everyday in shopping complexes and participating stores.

This ban created a stir among plastic manufacturers and the industry had protested against the move.

Tan, who is not against this environmental conservation effort to reduce excessive plastic usage, said “any changes in business plans need to be implemented gradually from 3-5 years. Plastic manufacturers and the industry has been part of Penang state’s economy, sudden changes to their livelihood will throw their hard work all these years down the drain.”

“Furthermore all motions by the government must ensure that the livelihood of thousands of those employed in the plastic industry be taken care of and not causing closure of factory and jobs displacement” he added.

“The mechanism of the policy is also uncertain. It has been known that plastic usage in markets and hawkers contributes to most of the plastic disposals, why is the state government only implementing it in shopping complexes and retail stores? Educating the public in using less plastic and switch to reusable bags and inculcating responsible consumerism must be part of the plan.” Tan said.

Penang needs to implement a proper recycling scheme and garbage disposal collection scheme first instead of rushing to implement ban/tax model on plastic bag usage.

By state regulation, Penangites are required to line their rubbish bins with plastics for disposals. The fundamental concern is, people are accustomed to cheap and convenient lifestyles and many reuse the shopping plastic bags to collect and dispose their household garbage” Tan said.

“With the state government’s ban on plastic, we are now required to buy plastic bags to line our rubbish bins. The costs of the retailers are now bear by the consumers’ instead.” he also added.

Tan also said “Using less plastic is but a part of conservation and preservation of the environment. Rather than using this ban as a publicity stunt for the current state government, why don’t they put more effort in Penang Hill conservation? What about improving our public transport system to minimize gas emission?”