Yeo single again after
ditching plastic
PETALING JAYA: Cabinet minister Yeo Bee Yin (pic) has openly
declared the status of her relationship with plastic material.
The Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister is
going through a break-up with single-use plastic.
In fact, Yeo is challenging her fellow colleagues at the ministry to also
leave their unhealthy relationship with single-use plastic.
The government wants to steer Malaysia towards a plastic-free future,
starting with the ministry.
In a cheeky Facebook video, Yeo
challenged ministry staff with three simple challenges – no plastic bottles on
tables at all meetings, no straws, and no plastic wrapping on food.
Although it was aimed at
ministry staff, the video posted on her Facebook page has gone viral among
netizens who laud the country’s new green direction.
Yeo launched the “Let’s Break
Up with Single-Use Plastic” campaign on Sept 7 during the ministry’s monthly
meeting in Putrajaya.
“Imagine if a visitor comes to
your house and pollute your house (with plastic), how would you feel? That is
what our marine life – fish and turtles – is facing now.
“When plastic breaks down, it
becomes microplastics. Who will eat the microplastics? Fish. And who will eat
these fish? Us. So we will be eating plastic unless we become vegetarian,” she
said during the launch.
The campaign is a lead-up to
the ministry’s unveiling of a nationwide roadmap to zero single-use plastic at
the 9th International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference
Malaysia in October.
“We will create a future that
has no biodegradable plastic,” Yeo said.
“Before announcing the roadmap,
we want to challenge Malaysians to reduce plastic. We will lead by example.
“This is not a campaign by the
minister; this is a campaign by the ministry.”
According to a 2015 study,
Malaysia is the eighth largest global producer of mismanaged plastic waste,
generating 4,505,717kg of plastic waste a day.
This is partly due to
Malaysia’s huge plastic industry.
According to Yeo, Malaysia is
not only the largest plastic exporter in Asean, it is also the third largest
producer of plastic wrapping in the world.
The trained chemical engineer
has a plan for Malaysia to lead the change in the global plastic problem – to
transform the plastic industry from petroleum-based to bioplastic that is
biodegradable.
“Our industry will be greener
and we can save the world, as well as create job opportunities (in this new
industry),” she said.
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