Govt to set up inter-ministerial committee to tackle microplastics issue, says Fadillah

The Star

An inter-ministerial committee will soon be established to address the issue of microplastics in Malaysia, announced Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.   During Minister's Question Time on Thursday (July 18), Fadillah, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister,  emphasised the need for a comprehensive local study to assess the impact of microplastic exposure on humans.   Read more at https://tinyurl.com/4xj9wxxr   WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news  SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar  LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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00:00I would like to ask the Minister of Energy Transformation and Water Transformation

00:05to state that microplastics are a new polluting material that poses a threat to water resources and supplies.

00:13How much effort has been made by the Ministry to address this issue among the Malaysian people?

00:20The Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs takes seriously the issue of microplastics as a new polluting material in water resources and supplies.

00:29In an effort to address the issue of new polluting materials including microplastics,

00:34the Malaysian National Water Supply Institute or better known as NAHRIM,

00:40has conducted research on water quality.

00:44Based on NAHRIM's research, six rivers have collected average data of microplastic abundance in each selected river basin

00:52and the next to the sea is affected by anthropogenic activities such as industrial and domestic.

00:59At this time, there is still no official agreement on new microplastic polluting materials in water.

01:06For example, the water treatment process needs to be taken into account to ensure safe water quality.

01:13Information from NAHRIM's research is very important for the purpose of improving and strengthening the guidelines,

01:20policies and actas in government efforts to control plastic and microplastic pollution

01:26to ensure the safety and health of the water environment.

01:30However, more comprehensive research needs to be conducted to assess the impact of human health

01:36that is affected by microplastic pollution.

01:40Cooperation between stakeholders such as Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Transportation,

01:47Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Housing and Local Government,

01:51Ministry of State and Local Authorities is needed so that this issue can be handled more holistically.

01:59NAHRIM has also held the first National Microplastic Seminar from 15 to 16 July 2024.

02:05This seminar has collected more than 39 papers discussing microplastic issues.

02:12This seminar is not only focused on water sources and marine environments,

02:16but also impacts other organisms such as aquatic organisms, land and various other mediums.

02:24In an effort to expand research on the presence of new microplastic pollutants in water sources in Malaysia,

02:30NAHRIM will also take the following steps.

02:34First, use of new pollutants as a basic document to spread knowledge

02:40and awareness regarding microplastic pollution.

02:44Second, establish a special authority to discuss issues related to new pollutants in Malaysia.

02:50Third, improve the quality of Malaysian fresh water with the addition of new pollutant parameters.

02:59Fourth, cooperate with the Ministry of Health and Welfare

03:02to collect primary data on microplastic pollution and raw water sources in Malaysia.

03:08Fifth, develop a standard operating procedure with SOP

03:13for microplastic sampling and microplastic detection

03:17to be adopted as a Malaysian standard.

03:20Thank you.

03:29As I understand, there are five steps that have been taken.

03:34This is probably in line with what other countries are doing,

03:38such as Austria, which is also implementing the 2022-2025 microplastic action plan.

03:45I would like to refer to a study published by the American Chemical Society in April this year

03:52that states that Malaysia is one of the countries that recorded a high level of microplastic sampling

03:58exceeding 50% through the practice of high seawater source food.

04:03We are indeed a country that eats high seawater sources.

04:06In addition, one of the main reasons for placing the Malaysian population

04:10as a country that is threatened with microplastic pollution

04:13is through materials from the industry sector, such as textiles, tires and cosmetics.

04:21In fact, what is included in the government's plan

04:24to enforce guidelines or laws as an initial solution

04:33other than other preventive measures?

04:36Thank you.

04:39Indeed, we take seriously the report from the world science community

04:46which states that Malaysia is a country that is threatened with microplastic.

04:51There are current studies and there are also old studies.

04:55But what is more important is for us to conduct studies in our own country

04:59involving various ministries, agencies and also the state

05:04for us to study whether the current population

05:08in terms of microplastic that is exposed to water or in the air

05:15and to what extent does it cause physical harm to human health.

05:20That is what we will do.

05:22Secondly, in terms of the base, if we look at the existing base

05:27exceeding 20-25, we say that there is no more use of plastic bags.

05:34That is the target in Malaysia.

05:38And at the same time, I think what we want to do

05:43is to use biodegradable plastics

05:48which means that it can be disposed of compared to non-natural plastics

05:53which also pose a threat to humans and the environment.

05:58Secondly, we want to use microbeads

06:12to wash our faces, body scrubs and so on.

06:15That should also be reduced.

06:18And this awareness should be given to all health practitioners

06:22to reduce the use of these plastics.

06:25Likewise, the waste machines that we use now

06:30we want to encourage people to use waste machines

06:34that are not from above but from the side.

06:39And the speed and time to wash should also be reduced

06:44so that it does not result in results that can cause

06:49the release of unhealthy substances into the water.

06:54Likewise, by reducing the use of textile materials

06:59that use plastic or microfiber.

07:04We will take all these steps

07:08including not to use synthetic materials such as nylon

07:13and to avoid the use of heavy disposable containers

07:17and what else?

07:19Including if possible, we should use more public transportation

07:23because the tires used actually produce side effects

07:29which eventually when it rains will flow into the water

07:32and the effects of the tires themselves actually explode.

07:36That is also a type of microplastic that is released in the north

07:40and can be consumed by us

07:42or consumed because the water does not dissolve

07:45when the water is processed.

07:48Thank you.

07:49Rompin.

07:50Thank you Madam Speaker.

07:52I would like to proceed to the question from the Minister.

07:55Has the Ministry, together with the Institute for the Preservation

07:59of the Water of the Malaysian Nation, NAHRIM

08:02studied the need to develop special laws

08:06to deal with the issue of waste and plastic pollution

08:10alongside the effort to reduce the use of plastic once used

08:14without biodegradation

08:16in a bid to promote alternative and sustainable materials

08:20in the release of plastic as planned

08:23by the Malaysia 2021-2030 Plastic Recycling Agreement.

08:29Do you consider the approach taken by neighboring countries

08:33so that the issue of plastic pollution can be dealt with

08:37together in ASEAN?

08:39My second question is,

08:40how far has the study been carried out and cooperated with the Institute

08:44for the Preservation of the Water of the Malaysian Nation

08:46regarding the effects of microplastics

08:48on human health as a result of the release of microplastics?

08:51Thank you.

08:53Thank you.

08:54Part of it, as I have answered earlier,

08:57is for the government to target by 2025

09:01to no longer use plastic bags.

09:04That is one approach.

09:06But more importantly, it is to provide awareness

09:08in terms of good practices and so on.

09:10If we have a foundation,

09:12there is a law,

09:13but it is not adopted by the people,

09:15then it will not have an effect.

09:17Therefore, I think the advocacy program

09:20to provide awareness

09:22is the best practice

09:25for every individual

09:27so that they will not use plastic.

09:30Practicing good practices

09:32will not release plastics

09:34into the river or air, etc.

09:37Including the industry and all stakeholders.

09:40In terms of the law,

09:42as I have said earlier,

09:44it involves various ministries.

09:46Therefore, I think the next step

09:49is to involve all ministries

09:51to see what new pollutants

09:54exist in our country,

09:56including microplastics,

09:58and how they affect

10:00the health of humans

10:02and the health of the environment.

10:04This is what we will do.

10:06Last week and this week,

10:08there was already a seminar

10:10conducted by NARIM.

10:12But how do we involve

10:14all ministries?

10:16Because if we see,

10:18in our country,

10:21there are regulations

10:23including the PBT, etc.

10:25In this area of power,

10:27we need to consult

10:29through the Ministry of Power

10:31to take joint action

10:33on how to handle

10:35and identify

10:37what new pollutants are,

10:39how to monitor,

10:41what actions to take

10:43so that we can take joint action

10:45in terms of strengthening power

10:47and prevention steps.

10:50We need a new SOP

10:52so that whatever standards

10:54we have now,

10:56we may not be able

10:58to protect or cover

11:00the new pollutants

11:02that are polluting

11:04our environment.

11:06So we need to do better.

11:08And this will be carried out

11:10jointly under the power

11:12that we will create later.

11:14Thank you.

11:19Thank you.

11:21Thank you.

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