KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Housing and Local Government Ministry (KKTP) has collected RM1,0179.38 from the rubbish bags collection within 10 months this year.
Tanjung Papat assemblyman Datuk Frankie Poon said based on the written reply from KKTP, the charges collection of RM0.20 per bag was from January till Oct 31.
He added that the figure meant 5,089,856.9 plastic bags had been given out to the public and were in the community and environment.
"It means on average, every month there are at least 508,985.69 new plastic bags being dumped into our environment.
"This figure excludes the plastic bags used by company operators for self-use in packaging, as well as many supermarkets and others who are not participating in the programme.
"Hence there will be more plastic wastes in the environment, (more) land is required to bury the plastic wastes," said Poon in a statement.
Poon, who is also Sabah DAP chairman, said the amount of money and manpower required to clean up the plastics would have been better used for other more beneficial purposes.
He also said that plastic waste, which was often seen floating in the sea, would damage the environment.
"Given the overwhelming amount of plastics in our environment through the use of single-use plastic, it is about time for local authorities to consider banning single-use plastics as soon as possible."