GEORGE TOWN, Feb 25 — The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) is encouraging consumers to switch to using their own reusable containers, bags, and drinking bottles when ordering takeout to reduce the growing mountain of plastic waste at landfills in the state.
MBPP Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said plastic and paper waste from food delivery services are the second and third highest solid waste being collected daily.
Plastic and paper waste makes up 25.3 per cent of the overall solid waste collected.
“As at the end of 2021, plastic waste is the second highest of solid waste collected after food waste while paper waste is the third highest,” he said in a virtual press conference after chairing a full council meeting this morning.
He said out of the plastic waste collected, 74 per cent are from delivery services and for paper waste, 40.8 per cent are from delivery services.
“We can see that food delivery service is the main contributor to plastic and paper waste so we want to urge everyone to bring their own containers and recyclable bags to reduce the use of single use plastics and paper food packaging,” he said.
The MBPP “Bring Your Own (BYO)” campaign starts today and ends on March 31.
The challenge is open to all on the island to upload a video or pictures of them using recyclable bags and reusable food containers on their own social media using the hashtags #BYOPenang and #MBPPBYOChallenge.
MBPP councillor Connie Tan said the top 10 most creative postings will receive mystery prizes from the council.
