TAIPING, April 10 — Perak is committed to reducing the dumping of plastics at landfill areas by boosting awareness campaigns to encourage traders to use biodegradable plastics.

State Health, Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Mohd Akmal Kamarudin said this was a new innovation to reduce the daily use of conventional plastics.

"We are heading in that direction. We will intensify awareness campaigns first on the use of biodegradable plastics and to save the environment.

"The use of biodegradable products in Perak has not been fully embraced by the people,” he told reporters after launching a programme on the distribution of biodegradable products around Taiping at Pasar Pagi Kamunting here.

The programme, which is aimed at educating the people in Perak to be more mindful and concerned about the use of biodegradable products, is in line with the state government’s mission to make the state’s land more sustainable.

He also said that appropriate action and planning would be taken together with conventional plastics industry players in Perak so as not to affect their industry.

"Currently, we seek to ensure that the economy of conventional plastic factories is not affected. We will discuss with them so that they will also introduce biodegradable products that will not pollute the environment.

"This will lead to a win-win situation for all quarters because, to me, environmental sustainability is very important as is economic development,” he said.

Meanwhile, Akmal stated that landfills in Taiping could still handle the existing rubbish output and that no new landfills would be opened. — Bernama