Education Dept supports initiative to tackle plastic waste

 By Olivia Miwil - February 17, 2022 @ 12:32pm

Plastic pollution has become a pressing environmental issues, as rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world’s ability to deal with them. - AFP file pic.

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Education Department is giving its full support for a programme to create behavioural changes on plastic usage.

Its director Datuk Dr Mistirine Radin said this in reference to BluHope's "Water is Life! – Rethinking Plastics Education & Awareness Programme" which will engage more than 1,000 schools in the state.

"Plastic pollution has become a pressing environmental issues, as rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world's ability to deal with them.

"Most of the plastic trash in the oceans flows from land. Millions of animals are killed by plastics every year, from birds to fish to other marine organisms and it is now also starting to affect our health.

"The solution is to prevent plastic waste from entering rivers and seas in the first place. All of us need to take responsibility and try to solve this problem. It is not too late yet, but we have to act now"," she said during the launch of the programme here last night.

Her speech was read by the department senior principal assistant director (Infrastructure and Procurement Sector) Farzi Ahmad.

Also present were Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain, French Ambassador to Malaysia His Excellency Roland Galharaque and BluHope founder Simon Christopher.

Mistirine added that there should be a general behavioural change about plastic use, and there is no better way to start than with youths who are future leaders.

"That is why "Water is Life! – Rethinking Plastics Education & Awareness Programme" is so great as it helps to protect Sabah's biodiversity by stopping plastic pollution through education and awareness, in return creating positive behavioural change.

"At the same time, the programme provides reliable, safe and clean drinking water to all students and teachers in Sabah by installing a unique water filter in all schools here."

Meanwhile, Christopher said the programme was supposed to start in March, but was delayed due to the spike in Covid-19 infections in the state.

He added that the organisation is hoping they could kick start as soon as possible when the number of infections is under control.

Apart from schools, BluHope is also working with local governments, community and stakeholders in managing plastic waste, beach clean-ups and establishing a circular economy by turning plastic into valuable fuel.