| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE Ministry of Development is ready to cooperate with all parties including non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in supporting any initiative towards addressing the issues of cleanliness and protecting the environment.
This was stated yesterday by Minister of Development Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Gafar during the launching of the latest ‘No Plastic Bag Weekend’ which now includes Thursdays.
“The success in rendering our country free from plastic pollution is dependent on the involvement of all parties, especially department stores, superstores, convenience stores and members of the public,” said the minister.
“If there is no awareness among us in handling the issue, then no amount of efforts or initiatives will ever succeed.”
In a 2015 survey conducted by the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe) at four major department stores involving 1,000 respondents, 80 per cent said that they supported the ‘No Plastic Bag Weekend’ initiative.
Twenty per cent of the respondents said they used recyclable bags on a daily basis, while 52 per cent chose Thursdays as an additional day to the initiative and 18.5 per cent said they prefer Mondays.
Meanwhile, 64 per cent acknowledged the negative effects of the use of plastic bags and supported the drive to curb their use in Brunei.
The minister added, “The survey shows that nearly 3,000 to 8,000 of plastic bags are used on Saturdays and Sundays. Out of these figures, 144,000 to 393,600 were used by department stores on an annual basis, on weekends.
“These findings do not include the amount of plastic bags used during weekdays or those used at convenience shops, night market and food stalls across the country.”
The minister also said that since most plastics are non-biodegradable, 16 per cent of the waste material in Brunei composed of plastic items.
“The disposal of plastics requires more land. What is more worrying is that even if the plastic waste deteriorates, it will produce toxic particles that could pollute land and water resources under the ground. If it is incinerated, it will emit carcinogenic dioxins that may cause cancer,” he said.
“Often, these plastic items end up being dumped into the Brunei River, which affects the beauty of environment and our country’s image in the eyes of foreign tourists.”
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