KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — A committee will be established to study new pollutants, including microplastics, that could affect human health and the environment, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the committee will identify new pollutants and study integrated enforcement and preventive measures, such as revised standard operating procedures.
“We have to improve, and this will be implemented in an integrated manner under this committee that we will establish later,” said the energy transition and water transformation minister during Ministers’ Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was replying to a supplementary question by Datuk Abdul Khalib Abdullah (PN-Rompin) about whether the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry and the National Water Research Institute of Malaysia (Nahrim) will develop laws to deal with plastic discharge and pollution.
Fadillah said the committee is needed to coordinate jurisdiction, as ministries and local authorities have their own laws on pollution.
Meanwhile, on the government’s target of zero plastic bag use by 2025, he said one measure is to encourage people to use biodegradable materials.
He said the government is looking to discourage microplastic use in beauty products, and encourage public transport use as rubber tyres leave microplastic residue on roads, which is washed into water sources by the rain.
He was replying to a supplementary question by Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (PH-Ledang) about the government’s plan to enforce regulations to manage the consumption of microplastics.
Responding to Syed Ibrahim’s original question on his ministry’s efforts to highlight microplastics as a new pollutant, Fadillah said Nahrim has conducted research on water quality.
“There are still no (water quality) compliance standards for microplastics. The water treatment process must be studied to guarantee safe water,” he said.
Regarding efforts to expand research related to the presence of microplastics, he said Nahrim will implement several steps to spread knowledge and awareness on microplastic pollution.
— Bernama
