LETTERS: Malaysia, renowned for its abundant rainforests and marine biodiversity, stands as one of the world's 17 megadiverse nations.
Additionally, the intricate network of 189 river basins, originating in the highlands and meandering across the country, forms the lifeblood of our diverse ecosystems.
However, the increasing menace of plastic pollution poses an imminent threat to the health and sustainability of these crucial waterways.
Sadly, a survey conducted by Utility Bidder, an energy service provider from the United Kingdom showed Malaysia ranks among the top 10 global producers of plastic waste that reaches the ocean.
However, growing public awareness and demand to reduce single-use plastics have spurred global efforts by governments and environmental organizations to curb plastic consumption and pollution.
The Malaysian government, for instance, had in November last year signed a memorandum of cooperation with The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit international project with a mission of ridding the world's oceans of plastic.
Via the memorandum, the two parties are promoting and developing cooperation in the removal and management of river plastic waste in Malaysia, to reduce ocean inflows of plastic.
We have actively addressed these waste issues through dedicated initiatives, including river clean-ups and plastic upcycling efforts. Our collaborations led to a river clean-up at Sungai Kayu Ara, Damansara, resulting in 296kg of trash collection in just a few hours.
In another collaboration at Sungai Keruh, a tributary of the Sungai Klang, we collected 68kg of waste within two hours. Similarly, another effort led to the removal of 97kg of trash from two short river clean-up sessions at Sungai Selangor. Across all these river clean-up activities, a common finding is that the majority of the trash collected comprised plastic waste.
Efforts to remove existing waste are crucial, yet sustainable plastic use and consumption are paramount for long-term solutions. Embracing a circular economy approach to holistically manage plastic throughout its lifecycle, ensures resources are used efficiently and waste is minimised.
Let's rethink our plastic use and consumption to conserve energy and resources. At 8.30pm on March 23, join us for Earth Hour by switching off your lights, and pledge to safeguard nature at wwf.org.my/earthhour.
WWF-MALAYSIA
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times