Ban on single-use plastic bags at all permanent business premises from Jan 1

PETALING JAYA: Single-use plastic bags will be banned at all permanent business premises from Jan 1, says acting natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Johari Abdul Ghani.

Johari said the decision was made at a meeting of environment ministers and state executive councillors responsible for the environment.

He was responding in a parliamentary reply to Ngeh Koo Ham (PH-Beruas), who asked about the government’s efforts to curtail microplastics in the environment.

Johari noted that under the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030, the government has already implemented a 20 sen pollution charge on single-use plastic bags at all permanent business premises.

“This charge is based on the user-pays principle to prevent and discourage the use of single-use plastics and their unregulated disposal, and to reduce microplastic pollution,” he said.

“The implementation of this ban will improve upon this pollution charge.”