‘Vital to educate public on why we should not use polystyrene’
KUCHING: It is important to educate food business operators and consumers to avoid using food packaging made out of polystyrene for general health benefits as well as to be more environmentally friendly.
Kuching South City Council ( MBKS) mayor Datuk James Chan Khay Syn said the council is currently educating the masses on bio- degradable packaging materials which are available for hawkers and food sellers.
“We ( MBKS) opt towards more on education as being the city council, we do not have the authority to rule polystyrene containers as unsafe to store food and prohibit food operators from using them,” Chan told The Borneo Post yesterday.
He also said that at the time being, the council has no plans to totally ban the usage of polystyrene containers as discussions have to be held with the Ministry of Health, food operators and consumers before any decisions can be made.
“All this while, we are also encouraging people to use their own food containers rather than those made from polystyrene,” Chan said, adding that MBKS will always heed any advice from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Local Government and Housing pertaining to the usage of polystyrene food containers.
Also sharing his views was Kuching North City Commission ( DBKU) Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai who said his council is fully committed to not using any polystyrene containers during its functions or events.
“Presently at the Ramadan bazaars, we are only discouraging its use,” Abang Abdul Wahap said, adding that factories which produce polystyrene packaging must be encouraged to produce packaging made from paper.
On another note, DBKU will also encourage food operators at Ramadan bazaars to wear face masks starting next year in addition to discouraging the use of polystyrene containers, he added.
Meanwhile, Kota Samarahan Municipal Council chairman Datuk Peter Minos said it was an uphill challenge to get food suppliers not to use polystyrene containers.
“I would like food suppliers to not use polystyrene at all for health and other reasons.
“But it is so difficult to get food suppliers to comply. This is the problem with Malaysian society,” said Minos.
According to him, it is time for the public to realise the importance of keeping the environment clean and healthy and not solely depend on the local councils.
“Just look around us, there is rubbish being thrown indiscriminately and public utilities being vandalised. It is time for all these bad social habits to go,” he added.
Lamenting further, Minos said that it would require the cumulative efforts of society to tackle these bad social habits through education.
“The same goes for illegal gambling, drug peddling, house break-ins and so on. They must be curbed; if other countries can do it so can we in Malaysia,” he added.