NST: Selangor to review plastic bag charge

KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor state government will review the policy of charging for plastic bags with a view to raising the rate as well as the implementation of the no plastic day next year in Selangor following an increase in the usage of plastic bags even though the plastic bag charge has been imposed since 2017.

State Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian conceded that there was a problem with enforcement during the Covid-19 pandemic as his committee relaxed the policy to allow the usage of plastic bags when wrapping food.

"We will tighten the enforcement. This time, we may withdraw the premises' licence from those who do not comply with the plastic bag charge," he told the Selangor State Legislative Assembly meeting here today.

He was replying to a supplementary question by Elizabeth Wong Keat Ping (PH-Bukit Lanjan) on the enforcement against the usage plastic bags, which has been increasing despite the campaign to charge for plastic bags.

According to Hee, as at June, the collection from plastic bags in Selangor amounted to RM4.8 million and was expected to exceed RM9 million this year compared with RM8.5 million last year and RM6.6 million in 2020. -- Bernama

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