THE Federal Territories are working towards a total ban on the use of non-biodegradable plastics by 2020, said Khalid Samad. 

The Federal Territories minister said the ban will include products, such as plastic bags, polystyrene food packaging and straws.

The ministry is now working to educate the public on the harm non-biodegradable plastic products can do to the environment.

“We want to include the public until we come to the stage (where) the public rejects non-biodegradable products,” he said at a seminar on biodegradable products coordination and enforcement.

Khalid said his ministry has been the pioneers of green initiatives since 2016, therefore, it will deal with the problems before policies are implemented at the national level. 

“Any problem will be handled with the help of the Department of Environment (DOE). It will be used as experience and a learning curve so that we can implement it better as a national initiative.

“We will get information on this and we will find solutions to overcome it, and we will share this information with the DOE.”

One of the obstacles is the habit of littering among Malaysians, he said. 

Plastics littering the Federal Territories have clogged up the drainage system, resulting in flash floods. 

“It doesn’t stop the water completely, but then the water flow is still disrupted and this causes flash floods.

“DBKL (City Hall) has recovered tonnes of plastics from retention ponds.” – November 19, 2018.