LETTERS: The new Covid-19 norms have had a positive impact on online businesses.
Consumers are more likely to shop online because they do not have to leave home to make a purchase and in return reduce the risk of infection.
The online sales database has recorded a remarkable increase in transactions.
In the Dec 12 (12.12) Shopee Sales last year, 12 million products were sold in the first 24 minutes after the sale opened.
However, the increase in online purchases has indirectly increased the use of packaging material such as plastic bubble wrap.
The use of plastic bubble wrap serves to maintain the shape and prevent the product from breaking or being damaged.
Nonetheless, this material will contribute to the increase of non-biodegradable waste, especially plastics from polypropylene and polystyrene. Therefore, we propose that a more environment friendly packaging material be used. The authorities should act before it's too late.
The plastic bubble wrappers can be replaced with alternative materials such as eco-friendly bubble paper. It consists of honeycomb paper, which produce a bubble-like pattern when it is rolled.
Eco-friendly bubble paper can be produced from recycled pulp or agricultural waste fibres such as coconut fibre, oil palm bunches and sugarcane waste (bagasse).
The use of eco-friendly bubble paper not only provides the same function as plastic bubble but also adds value to the agricultural waste that has been discarded. It is also easily recyclable and can be degraded naturally.
The responsibility of reducing the burden on nature is the responsibility of all.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR SITI NORASMAH SURIP
T.S. AZRENA ABDUL KARIM
Senior lecturers, Eco-Technology
Programme, Faculty of Applied
Sciences, Universiti Teknologi Mara
The views expressed in this article are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times