SUBANG JAYA: The 20 sen plastic bag charge, which currently applies to most permanent business premises, will be extended to all types of business premises starting 2022, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.
“By the end of 2021, the plastic bag charge will apply to all permanent business premises and, starting 2022, it will be extended to all types of business premises,” she said when launching the Love for Environment campaign organised by Ecobio Pack Sdn Bhd and non-governmental organisation, Pawana, here today.
Dr Wan Azizah said the move was among the key initiatives under the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030, which includes a no-straw-by-default practice that encourages users to drink directly from a cup or a glass.
“The imposition of plastic bag charge and the no-straw-by-default practice are the government’s initiative to prevent consumers from using single-use plastics and at the same time encourage them to make more eco-friendly decisions by bringing reusable bags when shopping and drinking without using a straw,” she said.
She also commended the effort taken by the Penang government in using the revenue from the plastic bag charge for conservation of the environment, saying that such an effort should be emulated by other states.
The government introduced No Plastic Bag Day campaign every Saturday since Jan 1, 2011.
Several states, such as Selangor, Penang, Melaka , Perlis, Perak, Terengganu, Kelantan and Sarawak had also followed suit.
In the Federal Territories, retailers were only allowed to provide biodegradable and compostable plastic bag and, beginning March this year, retailers had also begun charging their customers 20 sen for every plastic bag.
Besides, several states also implemented the Straws on Request campaign, namely Federal Territories (starting January 2019), Kedah and Penang (April 2019) and Selangor (July 2019).
From Jan 1 next year, plastic straws will also be banned in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan.-Bernama