On April 2nd, Penang State Executive Councillor for Housing and Environment, Datuk Seri Sandaraju, announced that August 31st, National Day, would be the "deadline" for the use of single-use plastic bags in Penang. From September 1st, the entire state will fully implement the ban on single-use plastic bags.
Speaking after attending the launch of the "Penang Green Hotel Excellence Program" today, Sandaraju emphasized that this initiative aligns with Penang's goal of becoming the first state in Malaysia to completely ban single-use plastic bags.
He cautioned that once the policy is fully implemented, businesses that continue to violate the ban on single-use plastic bags will face obstacles when applying for license renewals. The authorities will make "plastic bag compliance" a necessary condition for license renewal.
Regarding enforcement details, he revealed that enforcement will begin in September, but during the first three months of the full ban, enforcement will be moderate to allow the market time to adapt. He added that biodegradable alternatives are already available, making the full ban inevitable, and he will further discuss specific action plans with the relevant enforcement authorities.
Sandaraju, who is also the vice chairman of the Penang Green Corporation, added that the authorities are currently in the promotion and education phase and have joined hands with the Penang and Seberang Perai municipal councils to distribute 100,000 eco-friendly bags to the public. So far, 45,000 bags have been successfully distributed.
