No plastic bag every Saturday in Ipoh from June 1

IPOH - The Ipoh City Council (MBI) will implement the No Plastic Bag campaign, in which 20 sen will be charged for the use of a plastic bag on Saturdays beginning June 1.

Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the campaign aims to reduce single-use plastics in Ipoh to ensure environmental sustainability.

"The Licensing Department in collaboration with the MBI Environmental Health Department held an engagement session with 120 traders last May 18 and as a result, 22 (18 per cent) business premises registered as Plastic Bag Free Premises.

"The premises include hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, chain stores and pharmacies. The campaign involves 1,378 premises and the collection of plastic bag charges will be conducted through the issuance of additional conditions in the business licence or permit,” he said in a statement today.

Rumaizi said the campaign was also implemented to support the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030, which was launched on Oct 17, 2018.

"Premises that provide and charge users 20 sen for a plastic bag will receive a No Free Plastic Bag Day Premises certificate, while premises that do not supply plastic bags will receive a Plastic Bag Free Premises certificate.

"All participants need to display their certificates at their respective business premises to ensure the campaign’s success,” he said.

He said the collection of the 20 sen charge would be handed over to the city council to be used to implement environmental sustainability programmes for school students and the general public, as well as recycling campaigns. - BERNAMA