SHAH ALAM – The Selangor government may increase its plastic bag charge rate, which was introduced since 2017, and introduce a no-plastic day next year following an increase in plastic bag usage.
State Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian conceded that enforcement was weak during the Covid-19 pandemic as his committee had relaxed the policy to allow the usage of plastic bags to wrap food.
“We will tighten the enforcement. This time, we may withdraw the licence of premises that do not comply with the plastic bag charge,” he told the Selangor Legislative Assembly meeting here today.
He was replying to a supplementary question by Elizabeth Wong Keat Ping (Bukit Lanjan-PH) on the enforcement against using plastic bags, whose usage has increased despite the charge imposed by the state.
According to him, as of June, the collection from plastic bag charges in Selangor amounted to RM4.8 million and it is expected to exceed RM9 million this year compared to RM8.5 million last year and RM6.6 million in 2020. – Bernama, December 6, 2022
