PLASTIC waste, instead of decreasing as planned, is on the rise because of Covid-19, threatening to derail the country’s fledgling environmental efforts. 

From medical masks to takeaway plastic food containers, zip ties, experts have reported seeing an increase in plastic waste.

With the imposition of movement controls since the start of the pandemic, people have steadily moved their lives online and getting their meals, groceries and goods delivered.

The use of plastic packaging has predictably surged, especially in the food-delivery category, as merchants seek to keep costs down while ensuring food safety.

“Just looking at the change of behaviour and practice during Covid-19 (pandemic), you can already see that plastic will increase,” said Waste Management Systems Sdn Bhd executive chairman Mizan Yahya. 

Plastic waste usually comprises slightly more than 13% of all municipal solid waste in Malaysia. 

Plastic, other than being extremely useful, versatile and durable, is insidious. Because of its virtues, the chances of humans ever giving up plastic are slim to none.

Since it was created in 1869, the material has been pervasive, showing up in everyday items from cosmetics to cars. 

Up to August this year, according to the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association, plastic production has grown by 0.7%, compared to 5% in the same period last year.

“Plastic has become part of our lives. From head to toe,” said Malaysian Nature Society president Prof Dr Ahmad Ismail.

Plastic lasts forever in the environment, not degrading after it has outlived its usefulness.

Cheap and cheerful

When the movement-control order (MCO) was announced in March, many businesses in the food and beverage industry realised it meant higher plastic use and, therefore, more plastic waste.

Some took steps, such as limiting the use of plastic products when serving their customers by using cardboard takeaway containers instead of plastic and asking diners to forego plastic cutlery.

But even then, little can be done to cut plastic completely out of their take-out and delivery system, not unless they wanted to risk food safety and reduce risk of transmission of the coronavirus.

“We always focus on environmentally friendly packaging,” said Epic Food Hall co-founder Lai Wick Kee, adding that they packed their food in cardboard boxes for takeaway and delivery. 

“(However) we still use plastic but our plastic is degradable plastic. Last time, we used paper bags but for delivery, it is quite challenging … on rainy days, rainwater would soak into the paper bags,” he said.

As restaurants have a small profit margin, it is not unusual for vendors, especially the smaller ones, to use plastic packaging instead of the more expensive and less secure paper and cardboard containers to deliver their goods.

Another contributor to the plastic waste increase is the dearth of alternative packaging.

“You’re buying a lot more packaged food. As you consume the food, there’s more waste generated out of the household. And generally, most packaging now is plastic,” said Mizan.

The waste management expert added there was little incentive to reduce its use due to the low cost and convenience of plastic.

Recycling roadblocks

With higher usage, can’t people just recycle more to make up for it?

Not exactly, said experts and industry players.

On November 17, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin reportedly said the collection of waste for recycling increased to 2.19 tonnes from January to September this year compared to 1.55 tonnes in the same period last year. She also said the collection of waste for recycling has reached more than 30% this year. 

Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp Malaysia) Federal Territories director Mohd Zahir Shari said recycling went up because people are spending more time at home and as such, have more time to process and separate their rubbish for recycling.

However, the pandemic also created other complications in recycling and waste management.

“Recycling went up during the MCO. But you have to keep at it,” he said.

In the end, it was not enough to offset the increased use of plastics.

One complication is that many of the plastic products that have seen increased usage are not recyclable. Masks, for instance, are not, and neither are food containers that still have food residue in them.  

Another is that the pandemic has shut off the informal contributor to recycling in Malaysia: the scavengers who collect recyclables from households, in dumpsters and on the streets. 

Acknowledging the risk of plastic pollution and microplastics, the government launched the road map towards zero single-use plastics in 2018, which aims to eradicate single-use plastics in 10 years.

Although slotted for this year, public education and awareness messaging have not taken off. However, other aspects of the road map, such as a pollution charge for plastic bags and giving plastic straws only on request, are becoming a policy in all states. 

However, most experts think current efforts are too weak or too little considering how much plastic use Covid-19 has sparked. They said the commitment required to effect the necessary changes to reduce plastic and protect the environment has been slow in coming.

“If you want to achieve a real reduction in plastic usage, the ban (on single-use plastics like plastic bags) has to be a total ban. We should not just talk about banning plastic or charging for plastic. We should give them a substitute so they will have another option,” said Prof Dr P. Agamuthu, a solid waste management researcher at the Institute of Biological Sciences, Universiti Malaya.

He said Malaysia needed to develop other options for reducing plastic, such as following the example of China and using organic materials to replace plastic. – Bernama, December 7, 2020.