Eating in and home cooking have become common as tightened lockdown measures restrict people from going out for dining or work.
That also means more families buying packed food, such as bread, instant noodles, sugar and flour. Some organisations use plastic bags to distribute food aid to hardcore poor and B40 households.
The surge in plastic packaging during the pandemic has led to a rise in plastic production. In 2019, it was five per cent growth, according to the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association.
Despite the government national Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics in 2018, the takeaway culture has resulted in many hawker stalls and F&B outlets using plastic bags.
Coupled with the rise of online delivery services, Malaysia recorded the highest annual per capita plastic use at 16.78kg per person before the emergence of the pandemic. Higher than Singapore (12.5kg), Philippines (12.4kg), Thailand (15.52kg) and Vietnam (12.93kg), according to a 2020 World Wildlife Fund Malaysia report.
The situation is worsening as more Malaysians are purchasing online or receiving food aid in plastic bags. As a result, Malaysians used 148,000 tonnes of plastic packaging for food last year.
Although some restaurants used cardboard or paper containers for takeaway orders, the containers' lids and covers still require plastic. Many F&B outlets also use plastic bags instead of paper bags for delivery, as rainwater would soak into the paper bags during the rainy season.
There is no solution to replicate plastics' properties of being lightweight, transparent, waterproof and durable, according to Team Recycler, a start-up that provides greener solutions for takeaway packaging.
Perhaps, Malaysians could do their part by not buying unnecessary things online. Before making an online purchase, take a moment to ask these questions: Do I need it? What is the underlying reason for wanting to purchase it?
These would help the individual identify required items besides reducing unnecessary consumption and the plastic packaging that items are shipped in.
However, if the individual does not have time to cook in the work-from-home environment, the option not to receive plastic cutlery could be chosen when ordering food online. After consumption, one either washes and reuses the plastic container or throws it into a recycling bin.
The prolonged lockdown also provides us with the opportunity to grow our own food by using the empty space in the residence. We could enjoy eating fresh homegrown veggies.
This can help stressed individuals or families enjoy a good indoor environment, better air quality and well-ventilated indoor spaces. Relax minds through gardening.
Also, individuals or households could substitute plastic storage containers with glass, which has a longer shelf life.
With we committed to moving to a circular economy, authorities should work closely with businesses and green groups, introduce a system to encourage consumer goods firms to use less plastic and fund better recycling schemes.
By involving the private sector, the government could expedite product redesign, introduce new business models, upgrade delivery mechanisms, apply new recycling technologies, enhance the experience of producer responsibility from other markets and accelerate project financing.
In addition, the government could tax manufacturers, product processing and packaging centres for their use of plastic. Consider setting more ambitious targets than the current Malaysia Sustainable Plastics Alliance targets.
For instance, set 100 per cent plastic packaging to be recyclable, reusable or compostable, and enable 15 per cent average recycled content across all plastic packaging by 2025 instead of 2030.
Moreover, the government could provide subsidies and zero taxation for sustainable raw materials and products, encouraging industrial players to produce environmentally friendly packaging.
Such packaging could come from agricultural waste (i.e., plant starch from corn, sugarcane or beet pulp), biodegradable packing peanuts, corrugated bubble wrap, mushroom-based packaging, recycled cardboard and paper, post-consumer recycled plastics and organic fabrics.
Apply stricter monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to severely punish those who throw plastic packaging into rivers or surroundings.
All Malaysians must work together in reducing plastic packaging. This would stimulate a healthy lifestyle among individuals and communities aside from meeting the nation's environmental agenda.
The writer is an analyst at EMIR Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times